A Neurotic Person's Guide to Beating Travel Anxiety

As I’m standing in the security line, placing my stuff in a dirty plastic bin filled with other people’s stray hairs and food crumbs, I feel a bubble of panic growing inside of me. I start to worry about every possible thing that could go wrong: What if the plane crashes? What if there are bed bugs in my plane seat? What if the TSA takes my tweezers because they’re sharp and my facial hair starts to grow abnormally fast and I end up growing a full mustache while I’m on vacation? Sometimes I even feel lightheaded and have blurred vision, sweaty palms, and heart palpitations.

Most travel anxiety stems from feeling like you don’t have control over the process. (Let’s be real—unless you’re in first class, you’re basically being herded like cattle.) So I decided to address the main issues that contribute to flying generally being a sucky experience for me. First, plane air is dry AF, so I leave with a headache and feel like my entire sinus system has shriveled up. Second, plane food is gross, but I get super hungry when I’m flying. Third, turbulence makes my brain decide that we’re all going to die immediately. And finally, the plane seats are designed for a very small human who wants to lean forward the entire flight, which I’ve never understood…. Click Here To Keep Reading