travelling beauty

For Sawyer in Oregon, he acknowledges that while he often sets out on solo missions, travel also provides him with a crucial outlet for meeting and interacting with new people who can offer a distraction from his grief or a new perspective on life.

There are some times when “I also absolutely need other people. I will just go to some local dive bar wherever I’m at and just hang out and chat with the locals and just lose myself in them and their stories and what they have going on. And it makes for a wonderful diversion,” says Sawyer. He adds, “I felt some guilt over this early on, but it’s OK to compartmentalize a little bit to get through and have a normal day where you’re laughing with people, you’re enjoying dinner. You’re traveling for fun. And that’s also been a great relief, too. It’s OK for me to take a time out and go actually enjoy a place with other people.”

An escapist mindset

Red rocks at Grande Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah

Finding a much-needed break from reality in southern UtahPhoto by John Fowler/Unsplash

This past fall, when a dear friend of mine was going through the stress and trauma of losing her mother to rapid onset dementia, we decided to escape to southern Utah for a few days. We enjoyed a canyonland-filled hiking trip that offered her a small but meaningful break from the daily worries that had consumed her life. But even as we were able to find joy, awe, relief, and laughter among the stunning desert landscapes, we also knew this retreat was temporary and that whatever problems she faced would be waiting for her back at home.

While some might view travel as simply a means of running away from one’s problems, experts believe there is a notable difference between escapism and embracing a healthy attitude toward any escape.

“Escapism is defined as ‘a desire or behavior to ignore or avoid reality.’ During traumatic experiences, many people will ‘escape’ the situation mentally to avoid further stress,” explains Pyx Health’s Randolph.

Travel in and of itself is not the solution to our problems, and for many people travel can also be laced with additional stresses, fears, and anxieties. But depending on how we apply the knowledge and experiences we gain when we travel into our healing journeys, there is evidence to suggest that it can have a more lasting effect. And there are also ways in which we can integrate an escape-like mindset into our day-to-day lives—for instance, we can take staycations to parks and cultural landmarks close to home, or take mental breaks from our work lives by seeking new activities and experiences similar to how we would when we’re traveling (learn how to play tennis or join a local hiking group, for example)—to help re-create those benefits even if and when we cannot or do not want to travel.

“To transition travel from just a temporary fix to a more impactful one, you have to really be willing to incorporate lifestyle changes that promote less stress and anxiety,” says Randolph. “The daily use of activities that replicate the escapism effects of travel can help create lasting improvements to mental and physical health.”  

As Randolph mentioned, it’s not just the beautiful places we visit on our travels that can calm and inspire the mind and body, but also the meaningful connections we make on our journeys that contribute to our overall well-being. Michael Brein, a social psychologist who specializes in travel, has interviewed thousands of people about their travels and the effects travel has had on them. He’s observed several significant takeaways in terms of the social connections we make when we travel.