Fighting Anxiety While Traveling Alone | The Ugly Side of Solo Travel 

I understand how you feel. My entire life I thought that I wanted to travel solo and be this independent world traveler. But I was in Germany and I realized that it totally wasn’t for me. I don’t think there’s any shame in it either. I really struggled when I realized that it wasn’t for me but it isn’t for everyone. I just wanted you to know you’re not the only one who feels this way. I know when I was going through it I felt super alone.

Honestly, I don't think solo travel is for everyone. I know for a fact that I would not be able to do it myself. I MIGHT be able to go for a week or two, but any longer and I know my anxiety would absolutely take over. Do what's best for you girl, don't force yourself to do something you won't be able to mentally or emotionally handle. Much love to you

a good way to make friends while traveling is to stay in hostels so you can meet more people your age/that speak your language

Read reddit's solo travel threads! Many people struggle with anxiety while traveling, its nearly part of the process. I've only done short solo trips so I can't imagine being alone that long. It's definitely a test of perseverance.

You’re very brave for planning a big trip like this, it really shows how much you care about allowing yourself to experience these crazy things and wanting to grow from them. It is completely okay to feel the way you did, and it is important to allow yourself to feel those emotions, so you can get closer to becoming more in tune with yourself. I’m glad it worked out for you!

This is what happened to me when in my last trip. My trip ended up being spent mostly alone so it did not help my anxious thoughts. I already felt alone from home and my trip made me feel even more alone. I ended up leaving the next day so left 3 days early and didn't beat myself up about it because your mental health comes first. You live and learn what works for you. It's important to have a support system for most. We are social beings. That was very brave and vulnerable of you for sharing your breakdown.

Traveling is so bittersweet. It's ok to get upset about things, even if you are lucky to have said things. Don't beat yourself up, feel better!!!! 💞💛

I just went on a solo trip for a week and I imagined that I’d feel peaceful alone, exploring, journaling. I was anxious the entire time, i couldn’t enjoy the beautiful events that I planned because I wished I could share it with someone. I learned so much about myself and my travel style. Solo travel is not for me and that’s ok. I’m not less than because of it. 🙂

Only having yourself to rely on can be tough and incredibly hard to deal with. However, it will make you stronger in the long term. Don't put so much pressure on yourself - things go wrong for everyone when they travel :)

I saw the title and I instantly felt so bad.

I felt like that once traveling it's a horrible feeling. Being trapped but not actualy trapped. It means you got a really good home life.

This always happens to me when I travel alone. I always think it’s such a good idea to go and as soon as I arrive I fall into a depression because I’m alone. It’s miserable

I rarely, i mean never comment on youtube, but i found your video and thank you ! So much! for posting it I am currently travelling abroad solo for the first time and for the past days i have been just like you on this video : crying non stop, just wanting to go home and feeling so lonely. I felt like i was not normal when i looked at other solo travelers stories who seemed to enjoy it so much. Maybe we just have to accept the fact that not all people could do it and it's okay So thank you for making this, it really helps a lot ! Hope you are in a better place mentally now xx

I traveled alone when i was 16 to a totally different country just to learn the language, and i need to say that i had awful days too, but the good experiences just make those bad moments insignificant. :)

Aw im so sorry, that sounds horrible. I hate when i get mental breakdowns, they suck. I can't imagine having one far away from home and family. I hope your doing better! Remember just stay strong! You got this, enjoy what you can while your there!

I just did a 10 day trip to 4 different countries. It was my first time to travel and I'm a lot older but I found out that it doesn't matter how pretty the scenery is, it gets kind of lonely.

Traveling solo has a purpose it’s for self discovery and exploring. You find out a lot about yourself when u travel and u figured it isn’t for yu. I think mostly is because your so young. You just weren’t ready. Maybe u can try again when you’ve reached a certain level in your life. But I can definitely say ur brave for even trying! 💪🏾 some people wouldn’t even try new different things, they have those that will try new different things and continue to explore and others will just stay in their comfort zone. So I think ur actually brave for that.You have to be mentally ready to take that leap.Traveling alone and traveling with company are two different beautiful experiences.

I honestly related to this sooo much. I am working a summer job in Alaska right now where I was supposed to work from May-September but I am going home early like in 2 days. I basically just had a mental breakdown that had kind of been a build up of emotions I was feeling for a while but was trying to ignore because I wanted this to be a good experience but it just ended up not being. So ya I feel ya girl and you will get through it and just go with what you feel is right for you!

You must ask yourself: Are you a social person? If you are, well, travel alone, you will meet new friends, and if you are an introverted, shy person, I do not advise you to travel alone, my advice when traveling alone is to stay at the hostel and go to the bar, you will meet many friends ^^ Sorry my english is bad

Currently traveling alone for the longest I've ever done it. Staying in hostels helps...but as you said it's just something that nearly all Solo travelers experience. It's so hard. ♥️

I feel you please stay strong , I'm fighting with anxiety myself so I kinda feel you, believe me the shitty feeling is not gonna last forever. :)

Thank you for uploading this video and showing the "ugly side" of traveling anxiety. It serves as a reminder that deep down humans are all the same and that things will be ok, even if they aren't now (i got a 6 hour trip coming up tomorrow and then i think a weeks trip coming up in a few weeks, i get hella traveler's anxiety)

Hi Taylor, thankyou for sharing. I can relate to some parts of it. Solo travelling is not for everyone. And also; remember that being in beautiful places does not automatically mean that you feel good mentally (and physically). A Latin writer once wrote, "You must change your mind, not the sky above you." If you know what he means. I think you are brave Taylor; because you share this and above all that you traveled alone. Lots of love from me x

This is so real tho I can relate to that so much, I love to travel and everything but after a while of being alone in a different atmosphere and all your thoughts and anxiety beings to build... ugh, but really enjoyed it, love the real ness

I really hope you never stop posting, ive been following you for almost two years now!

So relateable. I cried all day when my friend went home and I had two months of travel alone...things turned out okay though. It’s hard when you are an anxious person or an introvert to constantly be moving around and trying to meet people so you aren’t feeling lonely.

the same thing happened to me last month :/ i went on a tour for 18 in days in Europe and I went solo after the trip was over and I literally cried every day and I couldn’t find a flight back home so I was insanely stressed and homesick. I’ve done a solo trip before too and I hated it. and it’s weird bc im an aquarius and I love my independence and alone time but I guess not!

Taylor I’m so sorry. Take care of yourself in whatever way you need to💞

Please could you do a update video on what you learnt from your sole travel to help us thinking of doing this too and how you planned and booked stuff

Oh gosh this video does not make me miss travel days. My last day in Europe I missed my flight to London & ended up stuck at the airport all day, waiting for my family to wake up to buy me a new plane ticket, that cost me $300 versus the original $80 :-) Many lovely ladies asked me if I was okay as I cried waiting for someone to wake up and thinking about my bank account's suffering. Love making mistakes and paying the price for it !!

Awe girl I love you. Homesickness is super common when you're spending so much time away from home. That's why hostels are so important!! You make friends so quickly and there are always events that you can take part in. I hope you give solo travel another chance and do hostels instead of Airbnb's. Or take Ben with you next time! 😁😘♥️

Awe girl I know exactly how you felt. I’m so serious I know and other knows exactly how you felt in the beginning of the video. You wanted to go home because it’s a really weird feeling being alone and being out of your comfort zone.

Omg I feel the same way, I feel you 100%. I just left my home & I'm a couple hours away from my family & Hometown. Each & everyday I wanna cry my eyes out & I wanna go home so bad.

Hey hey Taylor, it's okayy sweetie. You have people you love at home. And you're traveling alone. It's completely normal for you to feel this way. Let this part of your life be a part you grow stronger. To find your inner you. And away from distractions. This is a time for you to be a young adult and commit. Have fun. Walk, go eat somewhere nice. Enjoy nature at it's finest. You are beautiful, now grow your inner beauty:)

Try to connect to the environment, even if you're not connecting with all the people. (No one does). Example, if you visit italy, try to enjoy the Italian architecture, appreciate the beautiful sky you're under, take in the air. Become grounded in your environment. You dont look weird. You'll like like another person standing on the street in italy.

Oh my goodness I totally understand! I went to Rome to study abroad for a month where I knew no one, a month after a surgery so I was in pain and I was so homesick the whole time for sure. No matter what, you'll always have the experience, good and bad. Lots of love and hugs!!

Stay strong queen I love you and as someone with anxiety I totally understand you maybe not 100% because ive never travel solo but thing about all the positive things of staying in paris

I hope u get well

To anyone who experiences this on their solo travel: i find that when I'm feeling too anxious and in my head, listening to john mayer, bjorkand being in nature helps.

I fell in love with women all over the world, great women, and met amazing people. But I could never let myself convince them to live where I live because the ugly side to me is to take someone out there environment or element and force them to live your life because they like you. I would rather love them and visit so both parties have something to look forward to, that being said traveling alone means you make your own stories that’s special to you, the people you meet down the line is part of your story but you have to open the book and just say 👋 hello and get the fuck out of that BNB apartment and make it a epic story Taylor

Best way is to travel in your own country explore that and you can be home in no time .International travel is not for everyone specially alone no way it gets boring.

You can escape from all but your self. Learn to love your self.

When u r reaching out to people and can’t find them or they don’t answer it’s usually bc u can and should handle it on your own. and u did!!

Really sorry for this question but I just want to know because of how she is travelling alone. Is she and Ben still together?

Sorry this sucks to see but I mean how old are you? Not even twenty right? I don’t think that’s a good time for someone to go by themselves to another country. I know you lived by yourself before but it’s always been at a school or with a roommate. I’m 22 and I’m not ready to travel alone. It gets lonely and the best part of traveling is experiencing it with the people around you. I’m sorry this happen. Hope everything works out okay

My hotel is going to be renovating and I’m hoping it doesn’t cause me to break down

Girl ur not alone Im at home by myself and there is a storm and Im getting anxiety

all the best taylor, love you so much!

Omg i almost missed my flight at cdg bcos they made a big deal about my bag and the gate was closing and i was so pissed off that i burst into tears. I couldnt stop crying even when I was on the plane. Something about france just does not help for anxious travellers

Girl, I'm in Galicia Spain feeling the same way.. thank you so much for posting this. It really helped :)

I think you did great by planning the trip to help with your anxiety. But with solo travel you either have to be ok with being alone for awhile or be very social or a mixture of both. It is taxing at times but your young and could be having the experience of a lifetime. I don’t think you should go home because it’s not like you were leaving them forever and you doing this could inspire your friends or other ppl in your family to be just as adventurous. I went to Egypt alone as a young solo female traveler and spent a short time in Russia and Saudi Arabia. I had the time of my life even though I was alone and even though 2 friends were supposed to go with me when they cancelled I didn’t back out and I’m so grateful I didn’t. Go to hostels, stay safe while saying hello on the streets, and plan a solo guided tour or a group tour so that you meet many people. I made so many friends in Egypt which given their culture and way of life if I could make friends there I feel like I could anywhere. I hope you continue to travel solo and gain experiences. Just remember that we can’t put or dreams and adventure on hold just because others can’t join in at the time💃

I had the same feelings when I was first time in Thailand

If you haven’t cried in a train station, who are you?? Idk I absolutely have done that in my own city just from overwhelm

don't worry, you're not alone

dont cry i feel sad for you to...cheer up im here for you =)

I also have anxiety and have travelled alone for short periods and now im going abroad for 2 years to europe and plan on coming back between ech semester. Im really nervous and scared but also, Iam not going to let my fears control and take over

Ive lived on my own 16 years and im an only child and stay in hostels

Thanks for sharing your experiences ...

1:13 felt

Breath,relax,meditate,it'll get better try to ask someone on instagram if you can meet up ik it could be a bit scary but I know Hannah a RU-vidr she contacted some people by instagram so maybe you can do that meet up in an open space with a lot of people to be safe

This is a reality esp for women travellers

I honestly think if you didn't miss your train, you probably wouldn't have had the meltdown. You have to plan before you go to avoid things like expensive tickets and sadness. I'm guessing this is your first solo trip; a shorter trip would've been better for you. Good luck.

It’s been a month since you have posted. I miss you and your videos!

im so sorry! 100% stay in hostels! Or come to london and do a meetup! you'll be surrounded by people! Hope you start feeling better!

Hey I'm not sure if you'll see this. Fingers crossed you do! I'm in a very similar situation right now. And I have been the last week. What did you do?! I'm a mess right now

What u went threw sounds awful I totally know how that feels I have horrible anxiety ever since I was real little and never really had anyone and it sucks but u can get it threw it I know it

Have a great time!!

I felt so as a man in my last solo trip 3 mounths ago.

Greece is amazing. Journal this trip .

I'm sorry for all that happened, hope you feel better now. P.S. AC's in Europe are not bad, the problem is that some countries are not used to the heat and they never needed air conditioning until now... Also, don't expect anything fancy if you are not paying to have it.

Hannah the youtuber became friends with them and they started hanging out a lot and sbe also went alone

I’m scrolling thru RU-vid looking for something to help with severe pre travel jitters . Not like- “oh I might forget my toothbrush”- But like really bad should I go to this

Why do it when you dont wanna do it

Haven't you ever heard of a kindle

aww tay😭❤️❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Sending love

@13:20 lol someone is watching and listening to you.

Are you posting again soon? :)

Travelling alone could not really help to forget the past....better look for new wholesome friends or be active in religious organization

STROMAE!!

Poor poor little rich girl.

Honey it’s August why are you just now posting this

You said 'like' like too many times like I couldn't get like through the first like minute... like calm down

Lol feeling sory for u