I am starting to get Woody Allen type Neurosis about traveling ...

[bazookaman]

I do the same thing. My brain is telling me, hey. Its just a 3 hour
drive and a 3 day stay at the parents. no biggie. So what if the baby doesn't sleep. Who cares. you've got nothing better to do. But my gut is just the opposite.

[decocritter]

When I was younger I would do things like decide to go drive 2 hours to New Orleans to a Rolling Stones Concert, without a hotel or ticket, while out at happy hour. Ten of us went without going home to pack or anything. Had a great time.

Now I over think everything.

[Racer X]

We did that a few times. Road trip from Seattle to Vancouver BC for drinks. One of us was 19, so the only bars we could take him to were in BC.

I still jump in my droptop and drive to eastern Washington for pizza every now and then.

[Mike V]

I know how you feel, but Just go without thinking too much about it.

As soon as you hit the road I'm sure you'll feel better.

[decocritter]

I am doing laundry, and organizing things for packing as if I am going. When I wake up tomorrow, it will be easy to scoot out.

Car is ready.

I am removing obstacles tonight.

[vision63]

Please go. There's no better place and you'll have a blast.

[guitarist]

A lot of folks here are aiming at the fundamentals, not at the symptoms.

As an occasional fellow sufferer, part-time neurotic who experiences similar symptoms, I can sympathize. I think you already know all the reasons you 'should' go, that's not the issue. It's just getting your own self out of the way, finding a way to reduce these unpleasant worrisome habits.

Unlike others here, I'd advise that you just go ahead and experience all those symptoms, let it run its course. Though like others here, I agree, don't let 'em succeed in preventing you from taking the trip you want to take. Just endure the preliminary unease, and be assured that it ends once the actual travel experience begins. Has that been your experience? That's often how it is for me.

When I have the kind of discomfort you describe, I call it "anticipatory anxiety". Whatever worrying there is to do happens in advance of the event. Not during it. Or after it. In other words, you get all your worrying out of the way before you launch. Once you launch, I predict it's behind you.

My wife can pack for a trip with minimal effort, and endure long international trips back to back without much complaint. If I leave for two days to go someplace only a few hours away, I pace like a nervous animal. I postpone, fret, distract myself, avoid, many of the same things you describe. But once things are underway, I probably worry less than the average traveller, having done all of it in advance.

Any others have mild versions of this disorder? I think it's not uncommon. And I have noticed that it tends to increase a bit as we get older. But some are more neurotic than others, and it varies depending on the event, or timing, or state of mind in general.

I hope you can minimize the worrying and make the leap anyway, and report back to us on your trip!

[vision63]

That's interesting guitarist. Maybe it's about putting ourselves in environments where we feel we lack adequate control.