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How to Stop Anxiety From Ruining Your Next Trip · Bye Bye Panic

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hi there, Listener.
• 0:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Before we dive in, I want you to know that this podcast is AI-generated.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's crafted from the topics and principles shared in the BiBi panic anxiety recovery program, and while AI helps bring this content to life, the recovery tools and insights remain rooted in the principles that have helped so many people overcome their symptoms for good.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Enjoy the episode.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: Today, we're looking into something that feels like a real paradox sometimes, the stress of relaxation.
• 0:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: You might dream of a vacation, getting away a moment to actually destress, but for so many, the thought of travel just triggers this intense anxiety.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It really does.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a common struggle.
• 0:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's a gut punch, isn't it?
• 0:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: You get questions swirling like, what if I have a panic attack, thousands of miles from home, or what if my anxiety is just so bad?
• 0:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't enjoy myself at all.
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that ships away at your confidence in yourself, your body, your mind.
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: Exactly.
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: So today, we're going to unpack this.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're drawing on some powerful insights that show not just how to maybe get back to traveling, but how to regain that confidence, how to stop these symptoms.
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, what's really fascinating, and quite sad actually is how anxiety can act like this wrecking ball.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: It just takes away so many parts of your life, even things he used to love.
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know, just planning a trip without a second thought.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this really hits home for a lot of people.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, maybe you can even picture an older version of yourself.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Someone who seemed fearless, completely untouched by the anxiety that now might make it hard to even leave the house.
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: That contrast is stark.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you have well-meaning family or friends saying, Oh, you should take a trip.
• 1:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: D stress.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thinking it's the perfect fix.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: But for someone whose nervous system is already, let's say, sensitized on high alert and new environment, even a relaxing one.
• 1:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: That often brings more stress.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: More stress, not less.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this deep dive will really explore why that happens.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: And crucially, what steps you can actually take.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so let's talk about that relatable struggle that paradox you mentioned where trying to relax just amps up the fear.
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not just theory, right?
• 2:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's this very personal thing like maybe family or friends are pushing for a vacation.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: gently nudging, exactly.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: But instead of excitement, you just feel this wave of fear about a new place, a strange environment, it feels like you're almost scared to leave your home your safe zone.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: But even at home, the anxiety might still be there, just maybe.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: Less intense than outside.
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, it's a spectrum.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: And that idea being trapped somewhere, stuck on a boat, or in a city far away, that can be just terrifying.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, absolutely.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've heard so many stories like that.
• 2:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: One person shared how anxiety just took everything, especially travel.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: They remembered being younger, choosing McGill University way up in Montreal, specifically for that out-of-country experience, you know, thousands of miles from Austin, Texas.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow.
• 2:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: To expand their world.
• 2:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then later, anxiety turned into a gorephobia.
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: They couldn't even leave their house.
• 3:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's this massive shift.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: So what's going on there?
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: Why does something that should be relaxing trigger this?
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: It comes down to how our brain's threat system works.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: When it sensitizes, it's like a smoke alarm that's way too sensitive.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: It starts seeing novelty anything new on vacation, sites, sounds as a potential threat, even if it's logically safe.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: So your logical brain knows it's okay, but the alarm system is blaring anyway.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: precisely.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not processing logic.
• 3:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's reacting to these perceived danger signals.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's why you get the intense physical symptoms, the panic while someone else might just feel a little more alert, maybe curious.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's not a willpower thing, man.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not at all.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a biological miscalibration.
• 3:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so given that internal battle, that miscalibration,
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: it leads to the big question, right?
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: Should you even try to travel when you feel like this?
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: You've got maybe family pushing you to go, maybe even a little guilt trip involved.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: That happens a lot.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: And you're just worried it'll make things worse, sit you back.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: But then there's that other part that little bit of hope.
• 4:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: The hope that maybe this trip will be the magic fix.
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Like a change of scenery is all you need to feel normal again.
• 4:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's such a tricky spot to be in, and the answer is, well, it's complicated.
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, you can travel absolutely, but, and this is a big butt.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ideally, only after you understand how anxiety works in your body, and you've learned how to respond to it differently.
• 4:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Without that foundation.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Without that foundation, you're kind of setting yourself up for a really tough time.
• 4:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Potentially making things feel worse.
• 4:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I remember someone telling you about this awful trip to Alaska.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: They thought this will be great relaxing.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: Uh-huh.
• 4:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Glaciers, B&D.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they felt completely trapped on the boat, the amazing scenery, didn't register.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: They were just totally stuck in their head, consumed by the physical symptoms, the fear.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: because they didn't know how to handle it when it came up.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: They were just trying to cope minute by minute.
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when you're in that stay, it doesn't matter if you're in Alaska or you're living room, you're trapped in your own mind.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: And that experience just tanks your confidence even more.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Usually, it reinforced that feeling of not being able to do things of not being self-reliant.
• 5:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Wow.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: That Alaska story really hits home.
• 5:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's like you miss everything when you're stuck inside your head like that.
• 5:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: which leads to what some of you will try, right?
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: That whitenuckling it approach.
• 5:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just grit your teeth and push through.
• 5:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, thinking I'll just force myself to go on vacation.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Will power will get me through.
• 5:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: believing they can live life despite the symptoms by just ignoring them.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: But it usually backfires, doesn't it?
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Often, yes.
• 5:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: You go, you get overwhelmed, maybe have panic attack.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Confidence shattered.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Confidence takes a big hit.
• 5:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you fall into the cycle thinking, see, I can't do it.
• 5:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'll never get out of this.
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It becomes self-sabotage.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: So why does that happen?
• 5:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: Why does just pushing through fail so often, especially somewhere new?
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: There are really three core reasons people struggle with this push through method.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: First, they often don't fundamentally understand what's happening in their body.
• 6:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why the panic?
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why the intrusive thoughts?
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why these physical feelings?
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's no framework for it.
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 6:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Second, there's often this deep doubt.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't truly believe it's all anxiety.
• 6:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: This symptoms feel too real, too intense, too scary.
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: It must be something else they think.
• 6:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Or even if they suspect it's anxiety, the feeling itself is just terrifying.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're so fearful of the Simpsons themselves.
• 6:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: They try to avoid them at all costs, which paradoxically makes them stronger.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the third reason.
• 6:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't know how to respond when the anxiety wave hits.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The natural instinct is to resist it, to fight it, push it down, thinking that will make it go away.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: But that doesn't work.
• 6:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: It actually does the opposite, resisting anxiety, fighting it.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: That feeds the cycle.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: It makes it like an avalanche or a tsunami.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: The more you try to hold it back, the bigger and more chronic it gets.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: You can't push back a tsunami.
• 6:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can't.
• 6:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: You have to learn how to, well, not necessarily surf it, but allow it to pass through you.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Understand, it's temporary.
• 7:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's power will eventually receive.
• 7:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Non-resistance is key to desensitizing.
• 7:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's amazing how we add that extra layer of suffering, isn't it?
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: The anxiety is bad enough.
• 7:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Then we beat ourselves up for not enjoying the vacation.
• 7:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, absolutely.
• 7:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: That pressure to enjoy.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: People put so much pressure on themselves.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have to have a good time.
• 7:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: And when they can't, because the anxiety is there.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: They start the self-criticism.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: What's wrong with me?
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a vicious cycle.
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: But you're saying when your system is sensitized, it's actually normal not to be fully enjoying things.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's completely understandable.
• 7:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Your internal alarm is ringing.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Enjoyment isn't the primary state then, so the goal needs to shift.
• 7:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so if enjoyment isn't the main goal on vacation during recovery, what is?
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: The true goal, your job on that vacation is simply a go.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And when symptoms pop up, because they might
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: your drive is to respond skillfully.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then, crucially, keep focusing on living your vacation as much as possible despite the feelings.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: Respond not react.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Respond not resist.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe that first response is just acknowledging.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, anxieties here.
• 8:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel dizzy.
• 8:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then gently redirecting focus.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: What does this ocean air smell like?
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: A shift from fighting to allowing and then re-engaging.
• 8:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly.
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And a huge part of recovery is not just not resisting bad feelings, but also not chasing good feelings.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't pressure yourself to feel happy or relaxed.
• 8:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: So even with dizziness or stomach issues, you acknowledge it and still try to focus on living.
• 8:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, acknowledge, allow, and gently shift focus back to the present moment, back to the activities of your vacation.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: The problem is, people try to do this without building the foundation first.
• 8:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right, the understanding and the response tools.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Without that base, any wave of anxiety feels like a hurricane that just knocks them over, sending them spiraling.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: This really highlights how pervasive anxiety is.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not just feeling worried.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: You call it a wrecking ball earlier?
• 8:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's everything, doesn't it?
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Finances, relationships, work, and definitely vacations.
• 9:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: It disrupts your whole life.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: Every single domain.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: So it makes you think.
• 9:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: What's point of having money or time off if you're trapped in your head?
• 9:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: A freight of your own body.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Experiencing awful symptoms, could you really enjoy that dream trip feeling like that?
• 9:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's almost impossible, which is why recovery has to become the primary goal.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Other things, vacations included, they're great, they're secondary.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they don't solve the root problem if the anxiety isn't addressed first.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: You'll put the card before the worse.
• 9:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: You really do.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Trying these lifestyle hacks, hoping a vacation will fix the anxiety when the focus needs to be on the anxiety itself.
• 9:40
  [SPEAKER_02]: But when you do focus on recovery first,
• 9:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then, not only can you genuinely enjoy those things later, but those experiences like going on a trip and handling a wave of anxiety become these little nuggets of confidence.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: Uh, proving to yourself, you can handle it.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: You show yourself, okay, that symptom came up.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I responded, it passed.
• 9:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm okay.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: That builds real core confidence from experience.
• 10:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it avoids making the trip miserable for everyone.
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that's a huge point.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: You avoid hitting your own confidence and you avoid as one person put it, being a pain for everyone else on the trip.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: The ripple effect is real.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: So wrapping this up, what's the takeaway?
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: Recovery isn't passive.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's not just watching videos.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, not at all.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's about living life, pushing boundaries gently while knowing how to respond when anxiety pops up.
• 10:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's building that foundation so you can actually live.
• 10:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: It really is.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Imagine that for a moment.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: a life where anxiety doesn't call the shots.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: Where every challenge, even feeling anxious on a trip, becomes a way to build deeper trust in yourself.
• 10:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the ultimate goal.
• 10:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And while you can definitely make progress on your own with all the great resources out there, often the fastest way to get there, to really accelerate healing, is to find a guide.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Someone who can be like, um, training wheels at the start.
• 10:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: Training wheels, I like that.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, someone to provide support and direction, but crucially, you want a guide who teaches you how to fish, right?
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: Not just gives you the fish.
• 11:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Exactly, someone who helps you become your own guide.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Autonomous, self-reliant.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: They teach you the tools, the strategies, and show you how to practice and apply them in your actual life.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: So you're not just coping forever, you're learning to overcome.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: precisely.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: That guidance helps build momentum.
• 11:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you can eventually do things like vacation and truly enjoy them because you have the skills and the confidence that journey to becoming your own guide, mastering it yourself, that's where the lasting change really happens.
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: So considering guidance could be a really powerful next step.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: It really could be transformative for many people on this journey.