Going on holiday tomorrow...why oh why do I feel so anxious??

[SweetPotatoAndPeanutStew]

I'm excited about the holiday. Been planned for ages and looking forward to it.

But since Covid times I've become increasingly anxious being away from home overnight. I guess home just became our safe space and I am a home bird at heart.

We're leaving early in the morning and (ridiculous I know), I just feel increasingly anxious...about the journey, about something happening to one of us whilst we're away, about the weather, you name it.

I am a long time anxiety sufferer but normally have it very well controlled and haven't felt anxious in many many months.

I know it's ridiculous and I can't do much about some elements, but I'm just sat here feeling like I want to just stay home.

Anyone else feel the same?! It is it just me

Well we're on holiday.. long haul so jet lagged to fuck, it's chucking it down and one child laid up with sick bug so spent the night mopping up diarreah.. all the things you're anxious about. It's not great I'll be honest. There's so much expectation on holidays to be perfect. This one we've had to chalk up as 'memorable'.. & we'll laugh about it one day. Maybe.

Yep, then when you've been home for a few days...looking forward to planning the next one

Oh bless you!!! Solidarity. And wine?

I am exactly the same, so so anxious despite looking forward to the holiday. Last year I finally went to the doctors and got betablockers to take as and when as my main symptom is racing heart, and diazepam for the worst days (nught before we leave and the day of travel) - they really do take the edge off.

I'm like that before a holiday. I stress about being organised, packing the right things and making sure suitcases are under the weight, have I got all the right paperwork etc.

The added stress of making sure ds who is staying at home looks after the house and also the cat!

I only calm once I'm through airport security then the holiday can begin.

Im like this.. just press on.. you'll be energised by the experience and proud of yourself for pushing forward.

@SweetPotatoAndPeanutStew rum punches perhaps except oh, yes, as well as the anxiety it brings, the menopause means I can't tolerate alcohol anymore. Ffs!!! I also get Valium before every holiday.. it is a life saver as always get anxious tummy for first couple days & can't sleep. At least we know we're not alone. Does anyone's DH's get this I wonder... hmm

I literally just said to my DH "I'm feeling so anxious about the holiday"...he just carried on brushing his teeth looking genuinely perplexed and said "why?". Hmm indeed!

I generally always have some sort of anxiety attack or at least wake at night unable to sleep on the first night of any holiday. What fun! I never used to be like this, it's only since having kids. I dunno, I guess being away from your routine and safe staff is quite stressful especially when you have other people to look after and cater for.

Rest assured once you get back from holiday you'll look back on it with happy memories.

Only on Mumsnet do people think like this! Everyone I know in real life loves their holidays - all the more so since Covid, as now we truly appreciate what we were forced to miss. It's hilarious that people check out a hospital location before they go away - would never occur to me at all

This is me. Always has been tbh, so I do wonder why I continue to book holidays!

I'm an anxious mess a few days before due to packing and trying to fit everything in alongside closing out matters at work. Never sleep a wink the night before as I typically have to wake at 3am or some other ungodly hour to get the flight. Relax a bit once I finally arrive, and do enjoy it but still find myself counting down the nights till I'm home in my cosy safe place and regular routine again! I think I'm just a bit of a home bod and I genuinely fucking hate living out a suitcase! I also rarely sleep when away from home so the constant tired feeling takes the fun out of the holiday!!

Lucky you..! It's really not only on mumsnet though. There are many afflictions thankfully not in my orbit, I wouldn't dismiss them though. I'd never experienced a moment of anxiety until recently a combination of life experiences & hormones collided in the perfect storm of panic. Count yourself very lucky you don't suffer with it as it really can be debilitating.

It hadn't been a priority for me either til my DS was found unresponsive on the ground beside a slide...after staff couldn't help they called an ambulance who they said they needed a paediatric hospital in another city. I ended up in a hospital somewhere with zero local language and using Google maps to find out where I actually was so I could ring DH to go rent a car and follow me, but phone only had low % and no coverage in the ward, only corridor but I wasn't allowed leave the room as DS was at risk of seizures. Eventually through sign language i persuaded nurse to watch the child for 5 mins so I could ring DH who has heard nothing since we disappeared into the back of an ambulance. So yes it seems highly irrational to note hospitals etc but I can't relax otherwise, although I know its highly unlikely lightning will strike twice!!

Yet here we all are. It’s not only on MN.

Tonight is our first night away in a holiday that we’ve been saving for all year.
I wish we had stayed home. The journey was awful. I am tired and can’t sleep, it’s cost a fortune and though it is lovely here I can’t seem to relax. I am worrying about the drive back to airport (a week away), we’ve spent a fortune hiring the car and I don’t want to drive it as it is terrifying!

I’m putting on a good face for the kids, but i don’t think DH and I will ever do a holiday again that involves flying. Just horrid and horribly stressful. So much nicer at home!

I’m a confident woman and I love travelling, but I always feel anxious before I go away, usually for the few weeks before. I’ve come to accept that it has no bearing on how I’ll feel when I set off on the journey 🙂

@hursty900 My DH definitely gets holiday anxiety. Another reason I'm going to bin off holidays - he's always agreed to them just to make me happy really, but he does get very anxious, especially where airports are involved. It's not the flying itself, it's hanging around airports & fear of missing an important announcement/missing the flight.

Hopefully you are already on your way OP and feeling better! Holidays make me anxious too so I end up not packing until we're about to leave, which of course is worse!

Thought I'd report back. Just got home. Had a brilliant time and can't wait to go on our next holiday. Weather was bloody awful, it rained the vast majority of the time, but it was a sightseeing holiday not a pool/beach holiday so we were still able to do the vast majority of what we had planned.

A few minor things went wrong (small injuries, a couple of intense family bickering sessions etc) but nothing we couldn't deal with.

Looking forward to a cuppa on my sofa and my own bed tonight...but a success! I just remember all this for next time...

@SweetPotatoAndPeanutStew glad you had a lovely time. I’ll be anxious for a few days before mine in September, but (assuming no unusual disasters), I’ll have a great time too 🤷‍♀️

That's great you had a good time. All the needless worry we have eh! Sounds very similar to ours with the rain & bickering and I'm very glad to be home now too, but not so glad to be back at work!