Anxiety/Mental Illness on the Trail

[klech]

Hey, y'all. I'm gearing up for my first solo hikes- nothing too big, probably just a few overnight trips when it gets warmer- and while I'm super excited to get out on the trail, I'm also terrified. I have an anxiety disorder, and while I really want to get out on the trail, worries about what can happen have been my own worst enemy. Reading up on how to stay safe on the trail has been my go to, but knowing what to do hasn't really helped with relieving the what-ifs and worst case scenarios that my mind so helpfully supplies. Any suggestions?

[steady123]

Hike with a friend.

[SoaknWet]

Fear is good, what YOU do with it is bad. Being afraid just means you have a good supply of Common Sense! Relax and you'll be fine and before you realize it you'll be completely comfortable out there and there's a good chance making friends.

[hipbone]

Look for a partner. I hike almost exclusively with a partner and it does relieve some anxiety about being in the woods. Also, try to find a group of people to hike with who have a lot more experience than you. Take a backpacking class at REI. YouTube videos and hiking forums can help relieve anxiety by giving you a way to prepare for what you may encounter.

[Slo-go'en]

Have you done any day hikes? If not, that's a good way to start. Get familiar with the environment. Once you get accustomed to being in the big scary outdoors it will still be big, but no longer scary.

[Time Zone]

Aside from finding a hiking / backpacking buddy, more than a few people hike with their dog. Not sure if that's an option for you, but perhaps it would help.

[devoidapop]

Cognitive therapy is a great tool in battling anxiety. Should be taught at every level of public education.

[copro]

Give yourself a chance first before you start worrying about worrying. I struggle with anxiety in the real world but for me, hiking - alone or with a partner - is a great salve and a vacation for my brain from all its usual stressors. I definitely don't want to discount your feelings or worries, but proper preparation and a little experience will go a long way. Also, stay in the moment. During the day focus on your beautiful surroundings. At night hopefully you will be like me. Get to camp, do chores, finally go to bed, and even if I start to feel a little nervous I'm really just too exhausted and I go right to sleep.

Good luck.

[Sailor (The other one)]

Give yourself a chance first before you start worrying about worrying. I struggle with anxiety in the real world but for me, hiking - alone or with a partner - is a great salve and a vacation for my brain from all its usual stressors. I definitely don't want to discount your feelings or worries, but proper preparation and a little experience will go a long way. Also, stay in the moment. During the day focus on your beautiful surroundings. At night hopefully you will be like me. Get to camp, do chores, finally go to bed, and even if I start to feel a little nervous I'm really just too exhausted and I go right to sleep.

Good luck.

I also have anxiety and depressive disorders. I now find the above to be true for me, but with medication and a bunch of therapy. I have found cognitive therapy useful but have benefited much more from psychoanalysis in depth. I used to be a therapist. I went to a Jungian psychoanalyst who said to me "You're a therapist. You know how to manage anxiety." I said, "I don't want to manage it, I want it gone." I did as much depth therapy as I could afford ($125.00 per session. No insurance.). Some of my anxiety triggers disappeared. For example, I used to be phobic about dogs - I mean quivering mass of jelly terrified just knowing I might meet one. That's gone. Now I meet new German Shepherds without the slightest problem. I used to be like you, in a terrible anxiety state well before starting a hike, being full of fear during a hike and being sad after a hike that I could not enjoy it more. That's gone, too. Psychoanalysis basically treats the problem at its root.
It's not all gone. I still have to manage what's left with medication, meditation, exercise and diet. Some depression and the associated anxiety are organically based and can only be treated with medication. It's genetic and there's lots of it in my family.
But I no longer find myself being afraid of leaving the house because of what might happen. I am well enough and serene enough to choose to spend any extra money I have this year on a thru-hilke instead of more therapy.
A word about medication. As I said, I used to work in this field. I take anti-depressants and a beta-blocker to treat my anxiety and depression. These are NOT addictive drugs like Xanax or Valium. Those are only appropriate for short term treatment of panic, like three days while the anti-depressants kick in. They are a trap for long-term treatment for anxiety and depression. You don't need to add addiction to your problems. Remember, antidepressants lift depression and allow you to feel what you had been depressing. Just that pressure release goes a long way toward relieving - but not curing - anxiety.
YMMV.
Good luck and enjoy your hiking.

[Rallywagon]

As several have said...find a good partner or friend...nothing relaxes your mind like a prepared friend to share good times and unexpected challenges.

[stilllife]

Wow! This hits home for me. I don’t have anxiety but I have taken antidepressants for depression for over 15 years. It’s not a cure but the meds keep me off the couch. I have been on several solo trips in the Smokies and have never feared going. I actually feel much better out there. Staying prepared and alert keeps my mind strong. Having said that I have wondered if a thru would give me the opportunity to kick the meds or if I tried to taper would I fall into a depression that would make me quit. Anyway good luck and get a friend to go with you. You’ll learn that you can handle it.
Roy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[devoidapop]

Wow! This hits home for me. I don’t have anxiety but I have taken antidepressants for depression for over 15 years. It’s not a cure but the meds keep me off the couch. I have been on several solo trips in the Smokies and have never feared going. I actually feel much better out there. Staying prepared and alert keeps my mind strong. Having said that I have wondered if a thru would give me the opportunity to kick the meds or if I tried to taper would I fall into a depression that would make me quit. Anyway good luck and get a friend to go with you. You’ll learn that you can handle it.
Roy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I used to have my worst anxiety about running out of my anxiety meds. Lol.

[Uncle Joe]

I suggest finding someone or a group of someone's to hike with. An alternative is to hike some of the more popular trails. Maybe do some as a day hike. You're in GA so Panther Creek Falls Trail, Raven Cliffs, and Blood Mtn via Byron Reese Trail will have a constant procession of people on them, in the warmer months especially. Knowing there are a number of people around you might ease the fear of being alone, even if you're not actually hiking with someone.

[nsherry61]

Do day hikes that get longer as you get more confidence and experience.
Start your overnights either in your back yard or a few minutes up a trail from your car so you have an easy exit not matter what happens. Then, as you get more experience and more comfortable, push in further from your exit point until you're ready go out fully backpacking.

Good luck!
And, have fun!

[Sailor (The other one)]

I used to have my worst anxiety about running out of my anxiety meds. Lol.

For me, no joke.

[devoidapop]

I used to have my worst anxiety about running out of my anxiety meds. Lol.

For me, no joke.

It's only funny to me now, in hindsight. That awful, paralyzing fear of losing my meds while out of town or while my doctor's office was closed had been replaced my awful, paralyzing fear of social interaction.

Sincerely, best of luck to you. Anxiety and depression are tough to deal with, but you're not alone and you can overcome them.

[FreeGoldRush]

Do lots of day hikes. Long as you can. You will find it is quite relaxing to be in the wilderness. I don't have anxiety about camping, but I do have the usual silly concerns about bears, and... well, about being visited by a bear in the dark. Lol. So I'm doing more camping in the woods in the dark. So far so good.

[Sailor (The other one)]

Sincerely, best of luck to you. Anxiety and depression are tough to deal with, but you're not alone and you can overcome them.

Thank you.

[RockDoc]

Do you live in a city?

There's a lot less to worry about in the woods... IMO.

[Coffee]

Do you live in a city?
There's a lot less to worry about in the woods... IMO.

Not if your worries tend to return to "real life" when walking solo for 10-12 hours per day, camping solo, etc. I have a lot of anxiety on trips if things aren't going well in "real life". Counter intuitively, the city offers distractions for problems that you aren't distracted with in the woods where you're alone with your thoughts. That being said, some of my best times have been on hikes, but usually only if life is going well off trail too.