Getting out of town. Getting away from it all. Most people find some comfort in having a change in scenery every once in awhile, and travel for fun can have many benefits.
I am a huge fan of recreational travel. I wouldn’t necessarily want to do it all of the time, but I am constantly thinking about where our next trip will be. Travel does so much in my opinion. First of all, I look at travel as an educational experience – new places, new people, new sounds, new cultures – it really broadens your mind and experience. Next, it allows you to spend quality time with yourself or others. Also, it can give you the recharge and renewal you need when you do go back home. There are numerous other benefits, but I think most of us find travel to be a rewarding experience.
I’ve made travel sound easy and fun, but how do you do it when caring for someone with a mental illness? Here are some things to consider and question. Travel doesn’t have to mean far away or gone for many days. Is there somewhere locally you can visit for even a few hours? Is there a town nearby that you can explore? Can you take a long weekend? While you do these activities, are there trusted friends, family, or respite services that you can use to help give you a break? Would the person you care for and you both benefit from traveling together? Even if these ideas sound impossible right now, what about traveling virtually on the computer? There are a lot of places that have live cameras or websites that show things you can see if you are actually there. Reading can also mentally take you to places as well. Although you may feel like a big vacation is not possible, what are some steps you can take to eventually make that happen? If you give yourself even a little bit of time to consider it, I hope you will see there are ways to get the benefits of traveling no matter what is going on in your world.