cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
Traveling Solo Helped Me Overcome My Social Anxiety - MSN
I remember the shooting pains in my stomach when I arrived at Newark Liberty Airport for my first solo trip. It was late summer in 1998 and I was a shy, tiny fifth grader headed to visit some family in Columbus, Ohio. My parents took me through security, hugged me tightly, and waved goodbye as an airline personnel took me to board the plane. Looking back at my mom and dad with tears in my eyes, I nervously waved back. I faked a smile, clenched my fists, and kept moving forward.
It wasn’t until my early 20s that the limits of my social anxiety became more of an impediment. My career in fashion required me to travel across the U.S. and abroad, and when I learned I’d have to spend time alone navigating unfamiliar cities, I recoiled. What if I didn’t know anyone? Who would I talk to? How would I get around? What if I didn’t speak the language? Of course, I was privileged to have the opportunity at all, but anxiety disorders don’t discriminate. And while I've had these feelings my entire life, I wasn't diagnosed until my late 20s. No matter who you are or what your life circumstances may be, chronic anxiety can suck all the fun and excitement out of life in one quick instant.
I remember the shooting pains in my stomach when I arrived at Newark Liberty Airport for my first solo trip. It was late summer in 1998 and I was a shy, tiny fifth grader headed to visit some family in Columbus, Ohio. My parents took me through security, hugged me tightly, and waved goodbye as an airline personnel took me to board the plane. Looking back at my mom and dad with tears in my eyes, I nervously waved back. I faked a smile, clenched my fists, and kept moving forward.
It wasn’t until my early 20s that the limits of my social anxiety became more of an impediment. My career in fashion required me to travel across the U.S. and abroad, and when I learned I’d have to spend time alone navigating unfamiliar cities, I recoiled. What if I didn’t know anyone? Who would I talk to? How would I get around? What if I didn’t speak the language? Of course, I was privileged to have the opportunity at all, but anxiety disorders don’t discriminate. And while I've had these feelings my entire life, I wasn't diagnosed until my late 20s. No matter who you are or what your life circumstances may be, chronic anxiety can suck all the fun and excitement out of life in one quick instant.