Depressed while hiking?

[Mountain Mike]

At times on a long distance hike I have grown lonely for conversation. Days without a conversation. It's amazing how it can sound like you are drunk after not talking for days. I choose to be out on the trail & it is hard to be depressed in God's greatest creations.

[hikingshoes]

Not depressed, just dont like hiking alone.

[Many Moons]

Does anyone ever get depressed while out on the trail for long periods of time?

I am generally a very content and happy no matter what and am used to hiking for miles and hours without seeing another hiker. Well, a couple of weeks ago on nice sunny day I did a 14 mile hike and after about 2-3 hours of not seeing another hiker on a couple of occasions on the trail and being on some denser darker parts of the trail I began to get this awful all alone in the wilderness feeling and could'nt wait to see another hiker, I was even kinda paranoid of my suroundings! Like I said I'm used to hiking without seeing anyone for awhile and I'm used to the long day hike, but i've never felt like this. I also want to mention that i've also seen some videos of people in the middle of a thru-hike who seemed pretty depressed themselves! Is it normal to get this feeling from time to time while doing long day hikes or thru hikes?

Nope, I like to be alone in nature. Slept at a shelter one night with no one around, only night I did not use my tent ILMT. When in town to resupply I get a room or cabin by myself. Nice to talk to some of the cool hikers, but not always needed. Introverts need peace, extroverts need others for feeling good-simple as that.. Hike On!!!


Miller

[RED-DOG]

Every body goes through a Depressed phase while on a long distance hike it's normal, hiking is 90% Emotional and 10% Physical.

[TheYoungOne]

Does anyone ever get depressed while out on the trail for long periods of time?

I am generally a very content and happy no matter what and am used to hiking for miles and hours without seeing another hiker. Well, a couple of weeks ago on nice sunny day I did a 14 mile hike and after about 2-3 hours of not seeing another hiker on a couple of occasions on the trail and being on some denser darker parts of the trail I began to get this awful all alone in the wilderness feeling and could'nt wait to see another hiker, I was even kinda paranoid of my suroundings! Like I said I'm used to hiking without seeing anyone for awhile and I'm used to the long day hike, but i've never felt like this. I also want to mention that i've also seen some videos of people in the middle of a thru-hike who seemed pretty depressed themselves! Is it normal to get this feeling from time to time while doing long day hikes or thru hikes?

Sometimes I'm happy, hiking the trail almost giddy. Other times I walking like a zombie, not even paying attention. Sometimes I think about life and get inspired, and then I think of life and get depressed. Its all normal.

I have to admit though I seen plenty of thru hike video journals and you do see mood shifts every once in a while. On video they are laughing and cracking jokes, and the next video they seem kind of bummed out. Its life.

The paranoid spooky thing made me laugh though. Shugemery had a hiking video recently and he mention that he was on part of the trail that spooked him out. There is part of the AT in PA that did the same thing to me. I forget exactly where, but I just got this bad vibe that satanic riturals went down at this spot, and it was just a matter of time before the children of the trail where going to come out of the woods a get me. That was the fastest mile I ever hiked.

[scree]

im the flip side of your coin ,im usually weird feeling around people,but content is wild places.

Same here, longer alone the better. As soon as I get back around a lot of people I fall into a slump. I only get lonely without my dog, or when there aren't any insects singing or birds making noise.

[Nytro]

It might not be considered right but if you have the phone service why not take a nature break and make a quick call to a loved one and check in with them.

[Del Q]

As per my prior post, was thinking about my section hiking yesterday that in any given day, we go through wild weather, body and emotional shifts. Up down sideways. happy, sad, elated, pain, great, cold, hot, chaffed, hungry, jamming, exhausted, etc, etc. Snickers. All good in the end

[Dogwood]

I AM NOT saying this is NECESSARILY the situation WITH YOU but IMHO, I think, in some part, the rise in people saying they are feeling depressed or are depressed or are making a self diagnosis of depression or are being professionally diagnosed with depression occurs as a result, again, in some part, because we are being led to believe it! *We are being led to believe we are depressed! That agenda serves some very influential persons! DO NOT think it doesn't!

EVERYONE has lower emotional and mental(psychic) periods! Human Body Chemistry IS NOT a constant - that includes Brain Chemistry! Perhaps, dare I say, people even have lower periods spiritually?

This: "I am generally a very content and happy no matter what....." DOES NOT EQUATE with these statements: ".....being on some denser darker parts of the trail. I began to get this awful all alone in the wilderness feeling and couldn't wait to see another hiker, I was even kinda paranoid of my surroundings!"

Is that TRULY AN ACCURATE RECOLLECTION of your experiences? Is that TRULY THE WAY THINGS ACTUALLY WERE when you were hiking? I find the choice of your words, the way you are defining things, and, perhaps, the way you say you were feeling in these situations to be fear based. Almost, like you got spooked and let a negative imagination run away on you.

[carophil]

hiking and travel greatly reduce my depression. sometimes i do get lonely, and when i do, i'll head to a city and surround myself with people.

[kidchill]

I was definitely a little low while going SOBO last year. I think it started in Harpers Ferry when I realized that I still had 1,000 miles to go. The next 3-4wks through VA were kinda depressing. I think it was more about my outlook of the trail then anything. At that point it became a chore more then anything and I was just cranking out miles. I wanted to quit, but didn't want to quit. I'm totally okay with being solo, and pretty much solo hiked the entire trail...although, I really didn't see any other thru hikers from like Boiling Springs PA until Atkins VA...It also didn't help that Sandy destroyed the trail and I was fighting rhododendrons and dead-fall for 30 miles a day!!! But, I just kept on going and finished. It sounds like you're not really depressed, just a little wigged out from being alone. If that's the case, I would definitely recommend a hiking partner for longer trips. You may just be one of those people that need the social interaction.