View Full Version : Decompressing/re-entering life after a thru
gonewalkabout
02-13-2009, 19:27
I hear talk about the need to "decompress" or adjust back to off trail life after a thru. Any comements? The long hike I've done was only 20 some odd days.
Thanks
There is no decompressing or adjusting involved in a walk that's only 4-5 months.
Those that say otherwise are just being dramatic.
Now living in the bush like Dick Proenneke and then going to live in Florida would require some major adjustments.
Blissful
02-13-2009, 21:02
I found there was definitely adjustments to be had, dramatic or not. When I got back there was no way, for instance, I could multi-task for several weeks. My hubby wanted me to help organize a Court of Honor for BSA with refreshments - I had no idea what to do (and had done them before the trail) The stuff, stuff stuff of home, eletronics, TV, people blows your mind.
Lone Wolf
02-13-2009, 21:05
I hear talk about the need to "decompress" or adjust back to off trail life after a thru. Any comements? The long hike I've done was only 20 some odd days.
Thanks
nah. it's just walkin'. not like your going to war or somethin' and killin' and maimin'.
For me, it wasn't as much getting used to the real world (There's nothing about a kitchen full of food and your own warm bed that's too hard on the system). My problem has been missing the trail and the lifestyle that accompanies it terribly for the past 4 months since i've been home. And that hasn't really gotten any better since I got home.
YoungMoose
02-13-2009, 22:02
you dont need decomposing. you will get back to normal. plus 20 days isnt much.
I finished my sobo a month ago today, and my appetite is just now starting to ebb a little bit. I've just been stuffing my face constantly and not doing all the exercise thatI said I would. Ha! I spend a decent amount of time staring in the fridge with wonder. Don't Know how long I can keep the gluttony up before I get fat, but I'm lovin' every moment!
Not of much help, maybe, but you just gave me the thought - Decompressing....my mind went "Decomposting"......hmmmmmmm........maybe another way of saying "Getting your **** together."
A mind is a terrible thing........... :D
Desert Reprobate
02-14-2009, 00:10
I'm planning on using the trail to decompress from a career in the prison system.
UGASlotMachine
02-14-2009, 22:18
I've now been off for 2 1/2 months and it has been very difficult not being around the lifestyle and people along the trail. I personally think this also has a good bit to do with age. Younger people tend to get off and have more issues (in general) than older people. I personally have issues getting my mind off of the experiences I had on the trail...or maybe that's just me not wanting to think about Law School...but seriously, I think it really depends on the person...however, EVERYONE has some sort of adjustment period...it's not just walking, it's a culture unlike anything most people have ever experienced!
Jim Adams
02-15-2009, 16:39
Don't Know how long I can keep the gluttony up before I get fat, but I'm lovin' every moment!
...about 1 more week!:D
geek
Jim Adams
02-15-2009, 16:45
I definitely had to re-adjust to the day to day schedules, habits, life style but it wasn't as bad on the 6 month trip as it was on the 13 month. The long trip took me awhile to adjust. I finished my trip on 10/06/90 and slept outside 62 nights between then and Christmas. Had a hard time being inside for any length of time and had trouble in crowded areas.
geek
max patch
02-15-2009, 18:44
I hear talk about the need to "decompress" or adjust back to off trail life after a thru. Any comements? The long hike I've done was only 20 some odd days.
Thanks
No need.
Vacation is over. Big deal. Most people deal with it a couple times a year.
Readjustment for me took about a week. I was mostly just overjoyed to see my friends and family again and get to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. Sleeping was the only thing. I felt stuffy inside, and missed the cozyness of my sleeping bag...but that lasted only a week or so. I agree with earlier posts....the only lingering effect is missing the wonderful people I met that are now spread all over the world again....and missing the sense of community, helpfulness, and ease at which connections are made on the trail. That seems to be only getting worse--I guess that must be Springer Fever calling. :-)
sloopjonboswell
02-17-2009, 04:05
agreed w/ just missing the trail/people. when spring rolls around you'll be rejuvenated.
Frick Frack
02-17-2009, 09:31
We got off the trail Nov 15th after 5 months and 2 days. The appetites lasted about a month (although we have always had big appetites). Driving did not take very long but was weird at first. Crowds, though we have always hated them, are more annoying now. But all in all it was not too long of a decompress after getting off the trail. The trail was a 5 month decompress. I was actually eager to work after returning and never dreamed I would be coming off the trail to this economy. Now I sit 3 months later unable to land a job....100's of resumes sent into a black hole. I have been volunteering to occupy time but I'm going nuts....
TrippinBTM
02-17-2009, 10:04
There is no decompressing or adjusting involved in a walk that's only 4-5 months.
Those that say otherwise are just being dramatic.
Not true. I'd never been as happy as I was when I was on the trail. Coming home was a huge come-down. I still haven't adjusted, 5 months later. I've gone so far as to look for and get a job doing trailwork in Utah this summer. Can't wait to be in a tent in the mountains again.
It also took me a while to get used to the crowds, the noise, and the bad air that hurt my lungs; that kind of thing. But I'm over that at least
Frick Frack
02-17-2009, 10:21
It also took me a while to get used to the crowds, the noise, and the bad air that hurt my lungs; that kind of thing. But I'm over that at least
Yeah, the water is horrible off the trail and I do notice all the bad air too....esp when I'm cycling on the road.
max patch
02-17-2009, 10:26
There is no decompressing or adjusting involved in a walk that's only 4-5 months.
Those that say otherwise are just being dramatic.
Yep.
Want to hear something even worse? I run marathons, and on marathon forums people are asking about how to deal with post race depression!
"post race depression"
There's one I've never heard of.
TrippinBTM
02-17-2009, 19:27
Yeah, the water is horrible off the trail and I do notice all the bad air too....esp when I'm cycling on the road.
Oh yeah, forgot about the water. Oh, what we moderns have learned to settle for and still call progress. <sigh>
As a side note: I deal with many soldiers (and also with some drug addicts) who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I have had to attend some significant training on the subject. So far, there is really no accurate way for professionals to predict why 10 people can all be exposed to the same event--and 3 will develop PTSD and 7 won't.
Two of the biggest theories are: 1) There is something different biologically or genetically in the brain chemistry of some individuals that causes them to react differently to major events. 2) Some people have a cumulative build-up of emotions from various stressful events (good stress or bad stress) over a period of time that eventually causes them to "suddenly" have a different kind of reaction to a major life event.
I am not even implying that a thru hike causes PTSD. However, I would not be surprised if a "big" life event (like a thru hike) might cause a wide range of different reactions in different people. For some people, experiencing a thru hike (or a bloody military battle) will cause no lasting "difficult" emotions. For other people, the same event will cause some pretty intense emotional responses to occur for weeks, months or years. It probably has nothing to do with "weak" vs. "strong" or "normal" vs. "overly dramatic". How one adjusts after a thru-hike very likely all comes down to genetics, brain chemistry, and one's personal life history.
Adjusting to life in the "real world" is a long and somewhat frustrating process.
I haven't thru-hiked, but maybe this thread should be called "re-compressing" ?
"Real World" sucks the big one.
Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 21:33
"Real World" sucks the big one.
you chose it. quit bitchin'
Jim Adams
02-20-2009, 00:45
As a side note: I deal with many soldiers (and also with some drug addicts) who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I have had to attend some significant training on the subject. So far, there is really no accurate way for professionals to predict why 10 people can all be exposed to the same event--and 3 will develop PTSD and 7 won't.
Two of the biggest theories are: 1) There is something different biologically or genetically in the brain chemistry of some individuals that causes them to react differently to major events. 2) Some people have a cumulative build-up of emotions from various stressful events (good stress or bad stress) over a period of time that eventually causes them to "suddenly" have a different kind of reaction to a major life event.
I am not even implying that a thru hike causes PTSD. However, I would not be surprised if a "big" life event (like a thru hike) might cause a wide range of different reactions in different people. For some people, experiencing a thru hike (or a bloody military battle) will cause no lasting "difficult" emotions. For other people, the same event will cause some pretty intense emotional responses to occur for weeks, months or years. It probably has nothing to do with "weak" vs. "strong" or "normal" vs. "overly dramatic". How one adjusts after a thru-hike very likely all comes down to genetics, brain chemistry, and one's personal life history.
never thought of it like that but it makes sense. I've seen some nasty stuff on the ambulance and it just doesn't bother me but I've gotten a tear in my eye alot of times thinking about views, experiences and people on the AT!:-?
geek
you chose it. quit bitchin'you're right of course
superman
02-20-2009, 07:49
Adjusting to events in your life is just part of life. Adjusting after a simple change in your daily activities like thru hiking the AT is no more than any other normal change in your life...like getting married, new job, etc. Hiking the AT is NOT a traumatic event that is outside the norm of human experience...it is just walking. :-?
beakerman
02-20-2009, 19:50
I think the correct term should be recompress. I spent 30 days in the bush and other than the normal "return to work from a vacation crap" I had little difficulties. It seems to me though from looking at the posts most folk are missing the sense of community and lifestyle of the trail...I know my time in the bush was pretty well relaxed so I would guess the same is true on the trail and being relaxed for 3 to 6 months would make getting back in the grinder a little stressful---hence recompress.
earthbound
02-20-2009, 20:26
Recompress is totally right on. Getting used to the people, noise, traffic, and the resulting anxiety took a couple weeks. Getting used to working everyday, stress, and living in society is still hard. If you didn't have any problems adjusting, more power to you, but I had to have a complete meltdown after a couple months of the regular world before I could start to feel a little sane in it. I still can't wait to escape it and go back to the woods. I guess I'd consider myself adjusted, but the trail experience does not go away. It's more than a happy memory, its more of a permenant calling. It became 'home' and its like I'm studying abroad in the real world.
WalkinHome
02-21-2009, 11:21
In my case, and I think many others, "but the trail experience does not go away. It's more than a happy memory, its more of a permenant calling. It became 'home' and its like I'm studying abroad in the real world." these feelings do not go away. I have a T-shirt that expresses the same sentiment-"You can leave the trail, but the trail never leaves you". My cure is to be very involved in the AT in Maine-keeps me off the streets and brings me "home" a.k.a. the AT frequently.