post trip depression meaning

Need help? Call us at (833) 966-4233

Thriveworks has earned 65+ awards (and counting) for our leading therapy and psychiatry services.

We’re in network with most major insurances – accepting 585+ insurance plans, covering 190 million people nationwide.

Thriveworks offers flexible and convenient therapy services, available both online and in-person nationwide, with psychiatry services accessible in select states.

Find the right provider for you, based on your specific needs and preferences, all online.

If you need assistance booking, we’ll be happy to help — our support team is available 7 days a week.

Discover more

Why am I so sad after a vacation? How to deal with post-vacation depression

Our clinical and medical experts , ranging from licensed therapists and counselors to psychiatric nurse practitioners, author our content, in partnership with our editorial team. In addition, we only use authoritative, trusted, and current sources. This ensures we provide valuable resources to our readers. Read our editorial policy for more information.

Thriveworks was established in 2008, with the ultimate goal of helping people live happy and successful lives. We are clinician-founded and clinician-led. In addition to providing exceptional clinical care and customer service, we accomplish our mission by offering important information about mental health and self-improvement.

We are dedicated to providing you with valuable resources that educate and empower you to live better. First, our content is authored by the experts — our editorial team co-writes our content with mental health professionals at Thriveworks, including therapists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and more.

We also enforce a tiered review process in which at least three individuals — two or more being licensed clinical experts — review, edit, and approve each piece of content before it is published. Finally, we frequently update old content to reflect the most up-to-date information.

Vacations are a wonderful and exciting part of life. They can expose you to new adventures and experiences that can change your life as you know it, or give you the relaxation and time off you need to be the best version of yourself. 

However, returning to normal life after vacation isn’t always an easy process. Coming back from vacation can cause stress, overwhelm, and unhappiness. In fact, this is so common that there is a term for this phenomenon: post-vacation depression.

Why Do I Feel Weird After Coming Back from Vacation? Why Am I Crying After a Trip?

There are many reasons someone might feel strange or sad after coming back from a trip. Coming back from vacations, especially longer ones, can feel like a big adjustment. After all, the look and feel of your daily life changes dramatically for a relatively long period of time. When it ends and you’re expected to return to your normal routine and responsibilities, it’s easy to get into a funk.

Sometimes, a trip is so wonderful and stimulating that returning to your normal life, with all its quirks and downsides, can be a bit of a letdown. It can be difficult to feel eager or happy about returning to work or school, doing things you don’t necessarily enjoy, when the past few days or weeks were filled with relaxation and excitement.

With other trips, perhaps you were really looking forward to them, and your high expectations ended up being met with disappointment. Something went wrong, or maybe the experience just wasn’t what you wanted it to be.

This sensation is referred to as post-vacation depression or post-travel blues, and is often caused by work stress or burnout, dissatisfaction with life, or a lack of relaxation during a vacation.

How you feel may not even be related to the vacation itself, but rather something else going on in your life. When we don’t know exactly what we’re feeling or why we’re feeling it, it’s helpful to have ways to figure it out, such as:

• Thought recording (i.e. journaling): Identify events that triggered distress, identify thoughts that were elicited automatically, identify evidence to support or counter the thought.
• Mindfulness : Be aware of what’s going on within and around you without judging.
• Education : Learn about the different types of feelings in order to better identify the ones you are experiencing
• Behavior activation skills: Find out what activities, people, places, or things make you feel the most satisfying or make you feel the most like yourself, then work to integrate more of them into your schedule.

What Is Post-Trip Depression?

Post-trip depression refers to a type of depression with a wide range of negative feelings that affects one’s functioning after going on vacation. Common symptoms include:

• Frustration/irritability
• Inability to focus
• Lack of motivation
• Sleep disruption

Though depression after vacation is certainly a real phenomenon , it is different from depression in that it is not recognized as an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). 

Post-trip depression is also a short-term condition. This means that, if your symptoms continue to persist, it may be worth exploring if you have a depressive disorder . Factors to consider when your post-trip depression persists are:

• Symptoms lasting for two or more weeks  
• Sustained changes in your mood and emotions
• Sustained changes in cognition, such as your awareness/perception, memory, reasoning, judging, or problem-solving abilities
• Dissociating from society
• iImpediment of any daily personal, relational, academic, or social functioning

Get help for depression

We provide award-winning mental health services nationwide, with flexible scheduling & insurance coverage. Start your journey this week.

or call (833) 966-4233

How Long Does Post-Vacation Syndrome Last?

Post-vacation depression usually lasts a few days, but some extreme cases last as long as two to three weeks. The duration of the condition can depend on a number of factors, such as:

• What specific symptoms is the individual experiencing
• How emotionally vulnerable a person is to negative feelings (either in general or at that moment in time)
• Overall life satisfaction (i.e. happiness with home, work, school, family, etc.)
• Amount of stress occurring in regular life (resistance to return to regular life)
• Events that occurred while on vacation 

If your symptoms continue to occur for more than two weeks, consider talking to a mental health professional, it’s possible you may be suffering from standard depression . This is diagnosable and has effective treatment approaches that can be administered by a therapist or psychiatric professional.

How Long Does It Take to Feel Normal After a Trip?

The length of time it takes for you to adjust to your “normal” after a vacation will likely depend on many factors. Your satisfaction with your life before your trip and the happiness or disappointment caused by the trip itself are two influential factors. Adjusting will take time, though there are ways to assess why it’s taking a while for you to adjust or help yourself get back to regular functioning. Some examples include: 

• Ensure returning to “normal” includes healthy habits and behavior activation (uplifting activities) rather than just typical or conforming behaviors
• Think about your situation before the trip: Were you happy, or did this trip highlight some unhappiness in your normal life? 
• Focus on a good self-care routine
• Establish firm boundaries and enforce them when they’re tested

Often, time is the main factor in adjusting from one situation to another, but these practices can help make the transition that much easier.

Is Post-Vacation Anxiety a Thing?

Post-vacation anxiety is not a condition recognized in the DSM-5. However, returning to the responsibilities and stress of normal life after being free on a vacation can absolutely cause a certain amount of anxiety . When we are in our regular flow of life, our responsibilities are always there, so the stress they cause may not feel overwhelming, since we are used to the same continued amount of pressure from them. 

The relief of freedom from responsibility that is often experienced on vacation can then make returning to them much more overwhelming, with the full weight of them returning all at once. Many may even come back from vacation with more work to do than when they left, due to work or school demands.

If the anxiety continues to affect your life well after the trip ends, it may be wise to seek advice from a mental health professional, as it may be a sign of chronic stress or an anxiety disorder . They will be able to inform you about your condition and guide you through appropriate treatments.

How Do I Stop Post-Travel Blues?

Over time, symptoms of post-travel blues will likely fade, but if you would like to help cushion the blow or need ways to help yourself cope, there are many practices you can do. Consider implementing the following practices to help you with your post-vacation blues:

• Incorporate adjustment time into vacation time to help ease you back into your routine
• Minimize the accumulation of demands prior to travel so that there aren’t too many tasks waiting when you return
• Treat feelings as your body communicating to you what you need more of. For example, if you feel lonely upon return, consider focusing on increasing time spent with those close to you outside of travel
• Consider the source of your negative feelings (Did you spend too much money? Do you regret things that happened on the trip?) and take steps to course correct.
• Be mindful of where you put your focus — is what you’re focusing on eliciting undesirable feelings?
• Focus on eating well, physical activity, rest, and other good self-care activities
• Limit the stressors in your life

Though post-travel depression is no fun, remember that this condition is temporary—you have it in you to return to your normal life or make the necessary changes to help ease your sadness and stress. Whether these adjustments look like personal lifestyle changes or seeking assistance from a mental health professional, there are many effective ways to treat post-vacation depression.

Published Jun 12, 2023

• Clinical writer
• Editorial writer
• Clinical reviewer

Laura Harris is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC). She specializes in anger, anxiety, depression, stress management, coping strategies development, and problem-solving skills.

Alexandra “Alex” Cromer is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has 4 years of experience partnering with adults, families, adolescents, and couples seeking help with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and trauma-related disorders.

Hannah is a Junior Copywriter at Thriveworks. She received her bachelor’s degree in English: Creative Writing with a minor in Spanish from Seattle Pacific University. Previously, Hannah has worked in copywriting positions in the car insurance and trucking sectors doing blog-style and journalistic writing and editing.

The information on this page is not intended to replace assistance, diagnosis, or treatment from a clinical or medical professional. Readers are urged to seek professional help if they are struggling with a mental health condition or another health concern.

If you’re in a crisis, do not use this site. Please call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or use these resources to get immediate help.

Post-Vacation Depression: Symptoms, Overcome Techniques, And More

Alisha Matthew

Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master's degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.

After a mini-vacation or a multi-year round-the-world trip, someone may experience a variety of depressive symptoms for 3 days to 2 weeks. This condition is known as post-vacation depression.

Travel may transform you, which is a major factor in post-vacation sadness. Travel gives us endless freedom.

You’ll feel different once you’ve seen the world for yourself. Our journey time is a liberating experience where we learn to control our schedules.

People might experience relief at getting home safely, but they might also experience grief at the thought of their lives returning to normal.

It can seem pretty depressing when you switch from waking up to a new adventure every day to waking up in your bed and home, where everything is exactly as you left it.

“It’s a weird thing about coming home”, as the adage goes, “everything is the same in terms of appearance, odor, and sensation. You’ll see that it’s only you who has changed.”

But there are various ways through which one can overcome these symptoms. In this article, we will be talking about post-vacation depression and how to overcome it and lead a normal life again.

What Is Post-Vacation Depression?

When your trip comes to an end and you dread going back to the routine you originally sought a vacation from, it is post-travel depression.

After an intensely [1] enjoyable vacation, post-vacation depression, also known as post-vacation syndrome, can strike hard.

It may take longer to recover from the post-travel blues and get rid of its symptoms the longer you are away from home and the more accustomed you have become to traveling.

Symptoms Of Post Vacation Depression

Numerous common symptoms of anxiety or mood disorder are present in post-vacation depression. They may include,

Feeling Anxious

After a vacation, you may feel sad and emptiness within you because your life returning [2] to normal again.

Lack Of Focus

You may have difficulty concentrating on your regular household work or in your office because you will be busy most of the time missing [3] the fun you had on your trip.

Desire To Be Alone

You may want to be alone most of the time after a vacation because [4] you are already feeling depressed.

Irritability

You may feel agitated and irritated most of the time because adjusting to your regular life will be difficult [5] for you post-vacation.

Weight Loss

You may feel very less inclined [6] to eat due to being depressed which will lead you to lose weight.

You may have no desire to sleep as you will be contemplating [7] your wonderful vacation with your regular day-to-day life and be more depressed.

As you won’t be eating well and sleeping well you may feel very less energetic [8] . Moreover, your depression will make you feel like you have no energy at all.

How Long Does Post-Vacation Depression Last?

Contrary to clinical depression, post-vacation distress is temporary. After your return, this depressive phase may last for two weeks and sometimes even several months.

Additionally, after a trip, jet lag can cause several sleepless nights, and it can take up to two nights to get back on a regular sleep schedule.

How To Overcome Post-Vacation Depression

Document your vacation.

Even though we have digital storage for all of our memories, documenting and printing your vacation photos can help you avoid the post-vacation blues.

Visualizing printed images to those on your phone’s display is far more satisfying. Additionally, pick a few of your favorite pictures to hang in your home or place of business.

This allows you to constantly browse through the pictures and think back on your favorite travel memories.

Disclose Vacation Stories

You can tell your travel tales to others over dinner or to your coworkers at the office.

Share your fondest memories with those around you, whether they are members of your family who went on your vacation with you or your best friend who eagerly awaits your updates.

Create Memory Journal

Make a journal where you can record your thoughts and experiences from the trip that you enjoyed most. Share them as frequently as you can with your best buddies or even your family.

Even when you’re traveling, you can make notes in a diary. While you are unhappy back at home, you can elaborate [9] on those points in the journal which can cheer you up.

The months after a significant trip can be difficult, but keeping a memory journal can help you get out of it.

Get Plenty Of Rest

Traveling can be exhausting and unpredictable. Consider taking a few days off from your regular schedule so you can rest well and complete any tasks you need to before going back to work.

Additionally, it can be difficult to be productive when you do not feel rested. Therefore, set up a relaxing environment to get sufficient sleep of 8-10 hours daily for 2-3 days before resuming work again.

While exercising does not guarantee you won’t experience post-vacation depression, it may help you reduce it.

Exercise that ranges from moderate to vigorous intensity can help you fight post-vacation depression. Exercise’s psychological and physical advantages can enhance your mood.

Exercising for at least 30 minutes each day for a few days can greatly reduce the signs [10] of your depression. However, shorter bursts of exercise, as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time, might also have an impact.

Keep in mind that exercise does not have to be strenuous, even a short walk can improve your physical and mental health, and help you combat post-vacation depression.

What To Do If Post-Vacation Depression Persists?

Be aware that going to a therapist can be helpful if you are experiencing severe depression and finding it difficult to get back into your routine after a trip.

Speak with a mental health professional if your emotions of despair or hopelessness become so intense that they are affecting [11] your relationships with others or your ability to work.

The change in routine that a vacation brings can set off persistent feelings of sadness, irritability, or anxiety, but you do not have to live with these emotions.

In addition to seeking professional assistance, you can benefit from local services to help you get through a trying emotional period.

Although it’s not a recognized clinical illness, post-vacation depression is a common emotional occurrence. Post-vacation syndrome is a brief period of readjustment that can result in symptoms including depression, exhaustion, and sleepiness, among others.

Following a trip, it’s crucial to quickly adjust, settle in, and embrace daily routine. Remind yourself that you are exactly where you need to be by bringing yourself into the present.

Accept your home base and stay grounded—at least until your next vacation. Additionally, seek help from a mental health expert if your depression is not going away.

Remember, seeking help is far better than digging yourself into bed and being depressed over a vacation that you enjoyed the most.

References/Sources

Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.

• Depression. Date Of Review: September 2022. Available from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression
• Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety. Date Of Review: September 14, 2022. Available from:https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/depression-anxiety.html
• Arielle S. Keller, John E. Leikauf, Bailey Holt-Gosselin, et. al. Paying attention to attention in depression. Paying attention to attention in depression. Transl Psychiatry. 2019; 9: 279. Published online 2019 Nov 7. doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0616-1
• Raheel Mushtaq, Sheikh Shoib, Tabindah Shah, et. al. Relationship Between Loneliness, Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Health ? A Review on the Psychological Aspects of Loneliness. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Sep; 8(9): WE01–WE04. Published online 2014 Sep 20. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/10077.4828
• Maurizio Fava, Irving Hwang, A. John Rush, et. al. The Importance of Irritability as a Symptom of Major Depressive Disorder: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Mol Psychiatry. 2010 Aug; 15(8): 856–867. Published online 2009 Mar 10. doi: 10.1038/mp.2009.20
• Anthony N. Fabricatore, Thomas A. Wadden, Allison J. Higginbotham, et. al. Intentional Weight Loss and Changes in Symptoms of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011 Nov; 35(11): 1363–1376. Published online 2011 Feb 22. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2011.2
• David Nutt, Sue Wilson, and Louise Paterson. Sleep disorders as core symptoms of depression. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008 Sep; 10(3): 329–336. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/dnutt
• Steven D. Targum and Maurizio Fava. Fatigue as a Residual Symptom of Depression. Innov Clin Neurosci. 2011 Oct; 8(10): 40–43. Published online 2011 Oct.
• ANNA-KATHARINE BREM, KATHY RAN, and ALVARO PASCUAL-LEONE. Learning and memory. Handb Clin Neurol. 2013; 116: 693–737. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53497-2.00055-3
• Lynette L. Craft and Frank M. Perna. The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2004; 6(3): 104–111. doi: 10.4088/pcc.v06n0301
• Depression. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_1
• About the Author
• Latest Posts

Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.

• Arjuna Herb: Benefits, Side Effects, And More
• How To Stop Binge Eating At Night?
• Tofu: Benefits, Risks, And More

12 Healthy Fats For Keto: Could Support In Your Ketosis

6 Post-Workout Foods: Diet After Hitting The Gym

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Working4health provides health news and health information which is backed by science.

Privacy Policy

Affiliate Disclosure

Editorial Guidelines

Working For Health

#7293, 66 W Flagler Street STE 900 , Miami, FL 33130, United States +17867764115

• Men's Health
• Woman's Health
• Anadrole Review
• D-Bal Review
• Anvarol Review
• Dianabol Review
• DecaDuro Review
• Winsol Review
• Cardarine (GW501516) Review
• Trenorol Review
• Turinabol Review
• Clenbutrol Review
• Best HGH Supplements
• HGH-X2 Review
• GenFX Review
• GenF20 Plus Review
• Hyper GH 14X Review
• Ostarine (MK2866) Review
• LGD 4033 Ligandrol Review
• Ibutamoren MK 677 Review
• RAD 140 Testolone Review
• Stenabolic SR9009 Review
• Winstrol Review
• C-Dine 501516 Review
• Best Legal Steroids
• Best Fat Burners
• Best Alternative Supplements To SARMs
• Ligan 4033 Review
• Guardian Blood Balance Review
• Stena 9009 Review
• Hunter Burn Review
• Provitalize Review
• Leanbean Review
• ProVen Review
• Phen24 Review
• PhenQ Review
• Best Diet Pills
• Keto Slim RX Review
• Alpha Lean 7 Review
• Instant Knockout Cut Review
• Zotrim Review
• ThermoFight X Review
• Powher Cut Review
• Best Testosterone Boosters
• Prime Male Review
• Libido Max Review
• TestRX Review
• Testogen Review
• VigRx Plus Review
• Testo Max Review
• Performer 8 Review
• TestoPrime Review
• Semenax Review
• Sinrex Review
• Test Boost Review
• 10 Ashwagandha Benefits For Women
• High Testosterone In Women
• ExtenZe Review
• Male Extra Review
• Zestra Essential Arousal Oils Review

Post-vacation depression is common, a psychologist says. Here's how to beat the post-holiday blues.

• Dr. Daniel Glazer is a clinical psychologist.
• He says it's common for people to feel down after returning from vacation.
• He recommends people keep track of their memories and bring something home with them from the trip.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Daniel Glazer . The following has been edited for length and clarity.

You go on a great holiday — a hiking vacation with your partner or a cruise with the family. It's a wonderful time, but when you get back to the hustle of your normal day-to-day, you might find yourself feeling down. It's something I've seen time and again with my patients as a psychologist: spikes in anxiety and moodiness after time away. 

We go on vacation to escape from the demands of reality. But when you come home and realize you've got to step back into that life you wanted to get away from, there's tension. 

Sometimes, there's a deeper reason for feeling down. At the beginning of vacation, we're full of excitement and anticipation. But by the end, it can feel like the good times gone by in the blink of an eye. Something precious, starting and ending, can bring up feelings about our own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. 

All of this is no reason to skip your next vacation, however. Here are six ways to fight the post-vacation blues and make sure your time away ends on a positive note. 

Keep track of your memories

Vacations are about unplugging, but they're also about creating new, positive memories. Whether it's simple moments, big thrills, or life-changing experiences, travel is full of memories. Keeping track of those is a great way to reflect on your vacation and realize just how much you got from your time away. 

There are a few ways to go about this. You can try scrapbooking — which has the added benefit of being a great way to unplug after you return home. Or, you can opt for the modern version by posting on social media — just make sure you're doing it for yourself, not for the dopamine hit of all those likes. 

Related stories

Journaling or writing a letter about your experience can also help you foster gratitude for everything you experienced during your time off. 

Learn a new skill and bring it home with you

Lifelong learners who have a keen sense of curiosity are more confident, resilient, and able to cope with stress. You can foster these benefits by trying something new on vacation and then bringing that experience home with you. 

Maybe you continue to cook a favorite dish you ate in Europe or sneak in phrases of a language you picked up before you departed. These actions keep your sense of adventure alive and give you a level of playfulness even when you're back to work. 

Spend time with friends and family

Vacations can be times of intense bonding, whether you're traveling with your family members or bonding with strangers on a group tour. Human interaction releases lots of feel-good neurotransmitters. But when we get home and no longer have an intense connection, we can feel lonely. 

To avoid that, arrange to spend time with friends and family when you get back from your holiday. You can catch up with them and tell them about your travels, which has the dual benefit of encouraging gratitude while also creating connections with others. 

Follow healthy habits

On vacation, you might tend to eat lots of treats, drink a bit too much, and stay up late. When you return home, getting back into your routine can be difficult, especially if you're battling jet lag. 

Switch your cocktails for mocktails, start following a good sleep hygiene routine, and make sure you're getting plenty of exercise. Spending time in nature can help reset your circadian rhythms when they've been thrown off by jet lag, and it will also help boost your mood. 

Expect some anxiety

We often think of anxiety as a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. But really, anxiety is a normal part of being human. It's ok to expect some mood changes when you get back from vacation.

Know when you need to make bigger changes

If your symptoms start interfering with your day-to-day schedule, or you really dread returning to your job and other obligations, take some time to examine why — a qualified therapist can help with this. If you're very uncomfortable, it can be a sign that some things in your life—like your job, hobbies, or the amount of time you have to yourself — need to change.

Watch: NYU professor says Facebook should pay taxes for making us less productive

• Main content

Manage your mental health

Post-Vacation Depression: Coping Strategies and Understanding Its Causes

Don't let post-vacation depression linger. This article reveals its causes and offers valuable insights from Talkiatry to help you bounce back from the blues.

Key takeaways

There’s nothing like a great vacation—until, of course, it’s over. For many people, the mental toll of going back to work or school after vacation can be brutal. If this sounds like you, good news: you’re not alone, and there are coping strategies that can help you smoothly return to your daily routine.

Here, we’ll unpack exactly what causes “post-vacation depression” and how best to treat it.

Expert care for depression is here. See if Talkiatry is right for you.

‍ what is post-vacation depression.

‍ “Post-vacation depression” or “post-vacation blues” is the dread of returning to school, work, or any “normal” responsibilities after a great vacation. It includes any accompanying feelings of anxiety, sadness, or lack of motivation.

Post-vacation depression is fairly common. In fact, research finds that while being on vacation can greatly increase feelings of happiness and well-being, it's common for those feelings not to last when we return to our everyday lives.

Is post-vacation depression a legitimate medical condition? ‍

Post-vacation depression is not a medical condition—although if you’re going through it, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a negative impact on your well-being. The good news is, the symptoms of post-vacation depression have a clear cause—and are temporary.

It’s important to emphasize that "post-vacation depression” is not the same as clinical depression (major depressive disorder)—a common but serious mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Unlike post-vacation depression, true clinical depression has symptoms that persist for at least 2 weeks and are severe enough to interfere with everyday life.

‍ Other symptoms of clinical depression include:

• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities you once enjoyed
• Sleep problems, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Trouble concentrating
• Anxiety, restlessness, or irritability
• Appetite and/or weight changes
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Persistent thoughts of suicide or death

If you suspect you have something more than the post-vacation blues or post-vacation depression, seek help from a mental health professional.

‍ What causes post-vacation depression? ‍

Post-vacation depression may be caused by one or more of the following:

• A tightly-scheduled vacation without enough time to unwind or disconnect
• Too rapid a transition back to everyday life
• Overall dissatisfaction with your “everyday life” including relationships with loved ones
• A very stressful job or school situation that feels difficult to return to ‘real life’
• Lack of self-care in your regular routine; poor work-life balance  
• Underlying mental health conditions

We're in-network with 60+ major insurance plans.

How do i prevent post-vacation depression 4 tips from our psychiatrists ‍.

If you experience the post-vacation blues know that it’s normal to be disappointed when an especially pleasurable experience ends. However, that doesn’t make it easy to cpe. The following tips from our psychiatrists about post-vacation habits can help you get a handle on post-vacation depression and improve your well-being.

1. Confront the major stressors in your life

Sometimes, all it takes is some time away to help you recognize unresolved conflicts at work or home. If coming back from vacation to regular life feels especially tough because of a bad relationship with a colleague, maybe it’s time to discuss this with your boss. Or, if you simply can’t bear the thought of returning to an apartment you hate, it may be time to consider a new living situation.

Feeling overwhelmed by work stress? Check out: Combatting Anxiety at Work: 8 Tips from our Psychiatrists

‍ Have other worries weighing you down? Check out: 5 Tips on How to Stop Worrying About Everything ‍

2. Plan activities you enjoy

Just because your vacation is over, doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun. In fact, it’s a great idea to plan a few activities you especially love for soon after your vacation—say, going out to dinner with friends, family members, or loved ones you haven’t seen in a while, getting a massage,  seeing a movie you’ve been wanting to see, or blocking off a few hours for some physical activity, like a hike. Adding some fun in your normal routine can do wonders for your well-being and having something to look forward to can help take the sting out of the end of your vacation.

3. Get back to a regular sleep schedule

Vacations often represent a disruption to our normal sleep schedule (especially if jet lag is involved). For some people, it’s a time to sleep more, while others sleep less in favor of doing activities and staying up late. Regardless of how you choose to sleep on vacation, try to ensure you get back to a regular sleep schedule as soon as possible after your vacation ends. Research shows that sleep is intricately linked to mental health, and getting consistent, regular sleep is one key to preventing mood dysregulation.

4. Plan your next vacation

When it comes to ending the post-vacation blues, it may be as simple as getting your next trip on the books. Research shows that while the enjoyment you get from a vacation might not last beyond the trip itself, it can start weeks, or even months before your getaway begins. So, start planning that trip (better yet get together with friends or loved ones to plan it)—even if it’s a while away, it should help ease the sadness you’re feeling now and improve your mental health.  

When to seek help ‍

Feeling disappointed, sad, or even anxious when your vacation is over can be a normal part of life. The good news is, the feelings should resolve with time—and potentially resolve a little faster if you adopt some of the tips suggested above.

If you just can’t seem to shake your post-vacation depression, however—particularly if symptoms persist for longer than two weeks and start to interfere with your daily life—it may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.  A mental health professional, like a psychiatrist, licensed therapist, or licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) can help you sort through your feelings and identify if there’s a deeper issue at play.

With Talkiatry , you can see a psychiatrist from the comfort of your home, and you can schedule your first appointment in a matter of days. To get started, take our free online assessment , to see if Talkiatry is right for you and get matched with a psychiatrist   that’s right for you .

‍ About Talkiatry    

Talkiatry is a national psychiatry practice that provides in-network, virtual care. Co-founded by a patient and a triple-board-certified psychiatrist, Talkiatry has over 300 doctors, 60 insurance partners, and first visits available in days. We treat patients with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and more. Get started with a short online assessment.

‍ The information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and should never be substituted for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. If you or someone you know may be in danger, call 911 or the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 right away.

Applied Research in Quality of Life | Vacationers Happier, but Most not Happier After a Holiday

Division of Sleep Medicine Harvard Medical School | Why Sleep Matters: Benefits of Sleep

Journal of Happiness Studies | Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep

Mayo Clinic | Depression (major depressive disorder)

Learn about the conditions we treat

Frequently asked questions

Does talkiatry take my insurance.

We're in network with major insurers, including:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• United Healthcare

Even if your insurer isn't on the list, we might still accept it. Use the insurance eligibility checker in our online assessment to learn more.

Can I get an estimate of my visit cost?

The best way to get a detailed estimate of your cost is to contact your insurance company directly, since your cost will depend on the details of your insurance.  

For some, it’s just a co-pay. If you have an unmet deductible it could be more.  

Call the number on your insurance card and ask about your plan’s coverage for outpatient psychiatric services.

What kind of treatment does Talkiatry provide?

At Talkiatry, we specialize in psychiatry, meaning the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. Your psychiatrist will meet with you virtually on a schedule you set together, devise a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and preferences, and work with you to adjust your plan as you meet your goals.

If your treatment plan includes medication, your psychiatrist will prescribe and manage it. If needed, your psychiatrist can also refer you to a Talkiatry therapist.

What's the difference between a therapist and psychiatrist?

Psychiatrists are doctors who have specialized training in diagnosing and treating complex mental health conditions through medication management. If you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or similar, a psychiatrist may be a good place to start.  

Other signs that you should see a psychiatrist include:  

• Your primary care doctor or another doctor thinks you may benefit from the services of a psychiatrist and provides a referral    
• You are interested in taking medication to treat a mental health condition  
• Your symptoms are severe enough to regularly interfere with your everyday life

The term “therapist” can apply to a range of professionals including social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychoanalysts. Working with a therapist generally involves regular talk therapy sessions where you discuss your feelings, problem-solving strategies, and coping mechanisms to help with your condition.

How does Talkiatry compare to face-to-face treatment?

For most patients, Talkiatry treatment is just as effective as in-person psychiatry (American Psychiatric Association, 2021), and much more convenient. That said, we don’t currently provide treatment for schizophrenia, primary eating disorder treatment, or Medication Assisted Treatment for substance use disorders.

Who can prescribe medication?

All our psychiatrists (and all psychiatrists in general) are medical doctors with additional training in mental health. They can prescribe any medication they think can help their patients. In order to find out which medications might be appropriate, they need to conduct a full evaluation. At Talkiatry, first visits are generally scheduled for 60 minutes or more to give your psychiatrist time to learn about you, work on a treatment plan, and discuss any medications that might be included.

Dr. Brenda Y. Camacho holds the position of Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She is board-certified in Adult Psychiatry. She has been practicing for over 25 years. While having treated a wide range of adult patients, Dr. Camacho’s primary focus is treating adult outpatients with mood or psychotic disorders. Her practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive or insight-oriented therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. On occasion, Dr. Camacho will believe additional therapy is also needed and asks that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Camacho completed her undergraduate studies at Tufts University. She received her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA and then continued with Temple for her residency in adult psychiatry. After completing training, Dr. Camacho worked at Cooper Hospital in Camden NJ as Associate Director of Consultation/Liaison Service and Psychiatry Residency Training and Co-Director of the Neuropsychiatry Clinic. She then began working exclusively in outpatient settings, joined NewPoint Behavioral Health Care, and served as Medical Director before and after their merge with Acenda Integrated Health.

Postpartum depression medications: What to know

Zurzuvae for postpartum depression: here’s what to know, lexapro vs. zoloft: comparing medications, how to fight social anxiety, pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for anxiety: what to know, how long does it take celexa (citalopram) to work, mental health is personal. so is our approach to psychiatry..

The Talkiatry branded Psychiatry practice is independently owned and operated by a licensed Psychiatrist. For more information about the relationship click here .

The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals. It can be found at openpaymentsdata.cms.gov .

© 2024 Talkiatry Management Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

• EN - English
• PT - Portuguese
• ES - Spanish
• How it works
• Become a Host
• Download the app

Top Destinations

• United States
• United Kingdom

What type of experience are you looking for?

• Non-Profit School
• Permaculture project
• Eco Village
• Holistic Center
• Guest House
• How Worldpackers works

Learn from the most experienced travelers of the community

Traveling with worldpackers, planning and budgeting for travel, make a living while traveling as a lifestyle, travel with worldpackers.

• Using Worldpackers
• Work exchange
• Social impact
• Plan your trip
• Women traveling
• Budget travel
• Solo travel
• Language learning
• Travel tips
• Get inspired
• Digital nomads
• Travel jobs
• Personal development
• Responsible travel
• Connect with nature

Top destinations

• South America
• Central America
• North America
• More destinations
• WP Life WP Life
• Exclusive discounts Discounts

How to overcome your post-travel blues

Who knew there was a form of depression specifically related to travel? Post-travel depression happens when you return home from a memorable trip wishing you were still abroad. Here's how to beat the post-travel blues and make the most of your transition home.

Rachael Let's Grow There

Nov 20, 2023

You've just returned home from an amazing trip abroad where you experienced inner growth , learned about a new culture, and developed a deeper love of world travel. You had a hard time stepping on your plane to come back home. 

A week or two flies by and you still can't help daydreaming about your trip, your suitcase is still not unpacked in the corner of your bedroom, and you are constantly tempted to book another flight.

You might be experiencing post-travel depression .

Who knew there was a form of depression specifically related to travel? Post-travel depression happens when you return home from a memorable trip wishing you were still abroad. Its symptoms vary, but there are several practical ways to beat the post-travel blues that Worldpackers wants to bring light to. 

Post-travel depression is when your trip comes to a close and you dread returning to the normal routine you wanted a vacation from in the first place. Avid travelers love the feeling of being in an unfamiliar country, stepping out of their comfort zone and experiencing ultimate freedom. 

This new and exciting environment is constantly creating new connections within the brain, forcing you to come up with solutions for problems you face on your travels. Research even shows that travel changes you for the better ! 

Exploring the world and immersing in local culture has the power to teach and transform.

Upon returning home, the transformation process is halted. Home has seemingly frozen in time, completely unchanged from when you left. The dramatic learning curve associated with frequent world travel is gone and your brain is stimulated at a much slower rate. 

You may have missed your family and friends while you were away, but there's nothing at home that can quite match the exhilarating and purposeful mindset travel puts you in . The whole act of coming home will seem very dull in comparison to the incredible destinations you were exploring while you were gone.

The longer you are away from home and more you've accustomed to travel as a form of education , the longer it might take to recuperate from the post-travel blues and shake off its symptoms. This depressive stage might last for a few weeks or up to several months after your return. 

Post-travel depression is heightened when we come to terms with the fact that our trip, however brief, has come to an end. 

We relive the memories, retelling the best moments we'll never forget, but you loved it so much you wish you were still there!

What are the symptoms of post-travel depression and what is the best way to deal with our post-travel blues? 

This is an important topic to address if we want to continue with our normal lives and get back in the swing of things. 

If our body, mind, and soul are continually bogged down by this mood and negative thought-pattern, there will be no room to grow because we are struggling to live in the present.

Symptoms of the post-travel blues may include:

• loss of focus
• mood swings
• lack of motivation
• sleeping too much or not enough
• increased desire to be alone
• appetite change

Coping with these symptoms will be different for every traveler, but rest assured that these feelings will eventually go away with time. The first step is recognizing you are experiencing post-travel depression , the next is to take active steps to overcome it.

So how exactly does one beat the post-travel blues? Here are some things you can try!

• Preserve your travel memories
• Plan your next trip
• Go on mini-adventures
• Try story-telling
• Keep finding ways to grow
• Make a change
• Remember what you missed

1. Preserve your travel memories

Travel infuses our life with exciting stories, eye-opening learning experiences, new skills to excel at, and beautiful memories that will always be a part of us. Try to think of creative ways to preserve your travel memories as you are living them. 

One of the easiest ways to do this is through a travel journal . After you return home, you can look back on your travel memories in fresh, vivid detail.

Collect your travel mementos such as ticket stubs, postcards, or souvenirs and put them in a shadow box to display in your home. If you're the crafty type, create a travel scrapbook and include your itinerary as well as relevant excerpts from your journal.

Create a nostalgic video montage of all the moments you chose to record, or make a sideshow of all your favorite travel photos. Turning these memories into tangible things will help you deal with your post-travel blues in a positive and practical way .

2. Plan your next trip

This is one of the most helpful coping mechanisms for post-travel depression . 

Planning your next trip lets you focus on your future travel goals by taking what you miss about your last trip and turning it into excitement for the next one! 

Not traveling any time soon? No problem. 

Start planning one of your future dream trips and work towards making it a reality.

3. Go on mini-adventures

You don't always have to plan an elaborate trip abroad to consider yourself an avid traveler! To travel is to explore an unfamiliar city, getting lost in its charm and experiencing it on a close and personal level. 

If you know you haven't seen everything your hometown has to offer, plan a weekend trip to see all the hidden gems. You never know what local treasures you'll discover that may just end up becoming your new favorite spot in town.

What are some places just a few hours from you that you've always wanted to see? Take a day trip to a nearby national park that has been on your travel radar for a while, book a ticket to see a museum that has piqued your interest, or bike through the city to travel at a more leisurely pace. 

Adventure is always out there if you're willing to seek it out!

4. Try story-telling

Share your travel experiences with your friends and loved ones. Sometimes voicing your emotions and talking it out can prove to be very cathartic. 

It works wonders for fighting the effects of post-travel depression and make you feel at ease.

5. Keep finding ways to grow

Make a promise to yourself that you'll keep finding ways to grow even though you're back home or traveling less. Mix up your old routine with some new ideas. 

Traveling makes you more open-minded and helps cultivate a growth mindset. Upon returning home, maintain this new mindset and sign up to learn a new skill.

Cook a culturally diverse meal once a week. Sign up for photography or art classes.

You'll likely be able to use some of these new skills on the next Worldpackers travel experience you sign up for!

If you're not progressing or cultivating new skills, it will be harder to kick the post-travel blues to the curb .

6. Make a change

After your travels, if you are still finding it difficult to adjust to your life at home, evaluate what needs to be different. 

Apply for jobs that may suit you better than your current one. Try out some new hobbies that you hadn't thought of trying before. Surround yourself with a new group of friends. 

Do whatever it takes to be true to yourself, your passions, and your constantly evolving self. After all, change is what travelers thrive on .

7. Remember what you missed

Be sure to stop and smell the roses. Think of all the things and people you missed the most when you were on your last adventure. 

Pick up your journal and jot down a few things you love about home that you really missed. This will help get you in a better head space and keep your post-travel depression symptoms at bay.

If you're coming home because you've run out of travel funds, Worldpackers would be happy to host you so that you can stay in your destination longer. Exchange your skills for free meals and accommodation as you help out a local family with their housework, gardening, and cooking. 

There are currently thousands of opportunities to exchange work for accommodation around the world . 

All you need to do is create a Worldpackers profile , search for hosts in the destination of your choice, and apply to the position you want!

You can also take on more involved volunteer opportunities like helping NGOs , getting involved in eco projects , or working at hostels . These opportunities will not only give you experience, but you'll have time to find paying jobs in the area, should you choose to stay there long-term and save your money to continue traveling. This makes the  work exchange concept ideal for anyone interesting in  using Worldpackers to became a full-time traveler .

On the flip side, if the stress of constant travel has worn you down and you need a place to call home for a little while, you could always join the Worldpackers community to find a temporary home base. 

As you get some much needed rest and relaxation, you can be a part of  work exchange programs  that will make it a fulfilling and rewarding experience to stay in one spot for longer.

Dealing with  post-travel blues isn't always easy, and thankfully we can learn a lot from it all. 

Experiencing post-travel depression can create a consistent hunger for growth within us that always keeps us in a transformative stage . 

We begin to have a deeper appreciation for the unforgettable life lessons we are taught through travel. It helps us realize the positive changes that are worth making in our lives so that we can do more and be better. 

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." — Marcel Proust

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

Rachael Grow

Let's Grow There

Over the past five years I have worn many hats as a creative freelancer and have been able to pursue adventures across the globe. To me, travel is more than checking a box or sitting on the perfect beach all day. Travel is about self-discovery, keeping an open mind, and learning through culture immersion. In 2017 I was chosen by one of my favorite travel bloggers, The Blonde Abroad, to attend her first ever blogging retreat in Bali with a handful of other inspiring bloggers. It was truly a dream that taught me so much more than I could imagine. Fast-forward to 2019 when I was given the role of one of the lead English writer for Worldpackers. My in-depth articles touched on subjects like volunteer work, overcoming post-travel blues, outdoorsy tips, and boldly adventuring. Inner growth is my jam.

Be part of the Worldpackers Community

Already have an account, are you a host, leave your comment here.

Write here your questions and greetings to the author

Can you please email to me this article

More about this topic

The best travel books: 15 books to fuel your wanderlust

Top 10 bucket list destinations

How to make a relationship work when you're traveling all the time

How do Worldpackers trips work?

As a member, you can contact as many hosts and travel safely as many times as you want.

Choose your plan to travel with Worldpackers as many times as you like.

Complete your profile, watch the video lessons in the Academy, and earn certificates to stand out to hosts.

Apply to as many positions as you like, and get in contact with our verified hosts.

If a host thinks you’re a good fit for their position, they’ll pre-approve you.

Get your documents and tickets ready for your volunteer trip.

Confirm your trip to enjoy all of the safety of Worldpackers.

Have a transformative experience and make a positive impact on the world.

If anything doesn’t go as planned with a host, count on the WP Safeguard and our highly responsive support team!

After volunteering, you and your host exchange reviews.

With positive reviews, you’ll stand out to hosts and get even more benefits.

11 Ways to Beat Your Post-Travel Depression

It's the moment practically everyone dreads: the end of an amazing trip. Returning home, whether from a two-week-long vacation or a multi-year round-the-world trip, can hit you hard, and this post-travel depression can affect everyone. Sometimes it can even begin in the days running up to the end—you always end up feeling a little sad in the days before heading home. As well as a sense of depression, other symptoms you may experience include lethargy, loss of appetite, a lack of motivation, feelings of nostalgia, and—a great way to cope —immediately researching your next trip.

In all seriousness, though, post-travel depression can seriously affect your mental well-being and last for as long as weeks or months. One huge reason why this is the case is that travel is transformative . After you've explored the world, you'll feel like a different person, but everyone you return to can be the same. 

So, what can you do to prepare yourself for post-travel depression, and how can you minimize its effects? These helpful tips will help you get back on track and prepare for another journey.

Keep Busy During the Final Days of Your Travels

© Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images

The last thing you want is for the end of your trip to be overshadowed by a sense of sadness about it coming to an end. To overcome this, make the final few days of your vacation the busiest of the entire trip. This means booking yourself in for classes, taking tours, going shopping for souvenirs, and taking long walks. It helps to keep your mind off the fact that you'll be returning home soon and keeps you enjoying the place you're currently in.

If Possible, Don't Return to Working or Studying Immediately

Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

Nothing makes you feel like you've returned to reality with a bang than returning home and immediately throwing yourself back into your old routine. This won't be possible for everyone, but if you're one of the lucky ones, aim to give yourself a few days to transition back into everyday life when you return. If you can't take extra time off, it might be worth arranging to end your trip on a Friday so that you can have the weekend to yourself. 

This time will allow you to overcome your jet lag , unpack and do your washing, catch up with friends, or even sort through your memories. Take your time decompressing and the depression won't hit you as hard.

Catch Up With Friends

SolStock / Getty Images

Let's face it: listening to other peoples' vacation stories can be pretty boring, so talking to friends about your trip for any real length of time can be a challenge. When you're battling the post-travel blues, though, this can be a blessing in disguise. Meet up with a friend and chat about what you've been up to in your time apart. Sure, you'll get to share stories from your travels, but you'll also hear about the fun things they've been up to while you've been gone. This will help keep you distracted and lessen your attention on how you wish you were still abroad.

Attempt to Maintain the Mindset of a Traveller

Hinterhaus Productions / Getty Images

When you travel, you'll often find yourself with a different mindset. On the road, you may be all about trying new things, signing up for fun experiences, and eating as much good food as possible. But when you live somewhere, you tend to eat at home, fall into a routine, and rarely sign up to try anything new. This lifestyle definitely doesn't help to boost one's mood. 

Keep the buzz of excitement that comes with travel alive by maintaining the mindset of a traveler. Take a cooking class in your hometown, continue with surf lessons, take a dance class or two, and treat yourself to a nice meal every couple of weeks or so. 

Travel in Your Backyard

J.C. Leacock / Getty Images

Who says that travel has to end when you return home? After returning home, plan to explore where you live as if you were a tourist. Take a walking tour, jump on a tour bus, take a cooking class, visit the most famous monuments, and take tons of photos. You could even plan a museum-hopping day to learn more about the history of your hometown. 

After traveling and returning home with this mindset, you might find that your hometown is a fascinating place to visit.

Share Your Photos With Friends

Teera Konakan / Getty Images

Relive your vacation by sharing your photos with friends on Facebook and Instagram. It'll make you feel as though you're being productive and cheer you up as you look back on your happy memories. Be careful with your privacy settings if you're not comfortable with sharing your vacation with the entire world, though.

Re-Read Your Travel Diary or Travel Blog

Westend61 / Getty Images

Many love to keep a record of those life-changing moments during their travels. If you decided to keep a travel diary or blog throughout your trip, spend some time reliving the best experiences and looking back on what you learned when you return home. 

If you didn't want your writing to take away from your trip, now could be a good time to start a blog. You can reminisce about the best parts of your journey, share your thoughts and feelings about coming home with your friends or anyone else who stumbles upon it and use it as an opportunity to go through and edit your photos. 

Find a Place for Your Souvenirs

David Cleveland / Getty Images

If you purchased souvenirs on your trip, spend time organizing them and working out where to place them. It'll help fill your home with happy memories and inspire you to keep seeing the world.

Start Planning Your Next Trip

JGI/Jamie Grill / Getty Images

One of the best ways to take your mind off the post-vacation blues is by planning your next trip. Start by sitting down and coming up with a list of everywhere you dream of visiting. Next, start coming up with a plan for how you can make it become a reality. With a new focus in your life, you'll have something to keep your mind off of your previous trip.

Start Taking Care of Yourself

Luis Alvarez / Getty Images

When we travel, it can be hard to take proper care of ourselves. Maybe you ate out for every meal and are feeling unsettled from all that rich food; maybe you spent two weeks lying by the pool while letting your exercise routine fall apart, or maybe you spent every night drinking and dancing and are desperately craving a good night's sleep. 

Travel isn't always great for us, so take your return home as an opportunity to start caring for yourself. Decide to eat healthily for a while, join a gym, run, head to a spa, or get an early night. Taking good care of yourself should help reduce your post-travel blues.

Help Out Other Travelers

Tony Anderson / Getty Images

While traveling, you likely ended up relying on the kindness of strangers at multiple points throughout your trip. Whether it was a friendly local who helped send you in the right direction when you were lost or someone at the hostel reception who gave you a fantastic restaurant recommendation, you were probably grateful multiple times for the help others gave you. 

Aim to pay it forward after you return home by helping out tourists who are lost in the place you live. If you see someone staring at a map on their phone and looking confused, ask if you can help them. Suppose somebody makes eye contact with you—smile and ask how they're doing. If someone looks obviously like a tourist, ask if you can do anything to help. You could even spend some time browsing some forums online to see if you can answer any strangers' queries about places you know well. 

It'll keep you busy, help you get back into the routine of chatting to other travelers, and make you feel good about how you're helping others in their times of need. 

Tips and Advice for Dealing With Homesickness

Why Cruising Solo Is Worth it

Tips for Traveling Solo With a Tour Group

20 Solo Trips in 2020: I Traveled Solo During COVID-19

7 Personal Benefits of Travel

Vacation Countdown: 17 Smart Things to Do Before Leaving Home

The 11 Best Restaurants in the U.S. Virgin Islands

9 Reasons to Travel Solo in 2021

10 Gift Ideas for Those That Love Africa Travel

The Best Destinations in 2019 for Group Travel

8 Travel Books Our Editors Are Reading Now

Responsible Travel in Africa: The Complete Guide

Vang Vieng Tubing - Less Drinking, More Fun

Disneyland Tips

Hurricane Season in Mexico

The 20 Top Things to Do in Melbourne

Post-Vacation Depression: Why It’s Often Hard to Come Home

Before my first trip around the world , I was driving through Boston with my friend Mike. I was talking about how excited I was about my upcoming travel and how I was looking forward to seeing all the changes that would happen in Boston while I was away.

Where would my friends be in life? How would they have changed? What jobs would they have? New hobbies? New relationships? What would the city be like?

The possibilities seemed endless.

“Matt, everything will be exactly how you left it,” he said. “Look, when I studied abroad, I thought the same thing. But in truth, nothing will be different when you come home. Everything and everyone will be the same.”

“A lot can happen in a year, Mike.”

“I’m telling you, Matt,” he continued, “life will be just the way you left it. You’ll see.”

When I came back home eighteen months later, I realized that he had been right. While I had changed, home hadn’t. My friends, now heading into their late twenties, still had the same jobs, were going to the same bars, and were mostly doing the same things. They were still the same people I had left before. Moreover, Boston itself just felt the same. It had the same vibe as it had had before. There was still construction everywhere, and the restaurants were still the same.

Mike had been right. While I had grown, home had remained frozen in time.

And while I still loved my friends, family, and city, I realized I didn’t fit into Boston anymore. It felt small to me. I had outgrown living there.

However, the worst part was I now had this fire in me that I couldn’t express to anyone I knew. I yearned to try new things, go new places, and meet new people. But my friends couldn’t understand why I was so depressed about being back. They didn’t want to hear about my trip or all the cool things I did while they had commuted to and from work.

To my parents, it was like I was equivocating on my place of birth. To my friends, it felt as if I was now “too cool” for them.

But it wasn’t that.

As Benjamin Button said, “It’s a funny thing about comin’ home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You’ll realize what’s changed is you.”

After the initial excitement of being home wore off, I had become restless. I had post-travel depression.

Returning home is hard and few people address the reality that it’s often an anticlimactic end to a life-changing experience.

After a year of mind-blowing adventures, you‘re back where you started — sitting on a couch, back in your apartment or your old bedroom, bored, anxious, and jittery. Your friends don’t understand the new you, don’t want to hear your stories, or don’t get why you feel so uncomfortable.

“What? You don’t like it here anymore?” they’ll ask.

But it’s not that you don’t like it.

It’s just that you went from 100 to 0 faster than you can process.

You feel as if you came back to the exact spot you left. You’ve gone from backpacking the world and trekking in jungles to sitting in a cubicle. One minute you’re your dream you, the next you’re the old one back in an office that yearned to be free. And you feel like you never really escaped your old life after all.

And that’s depressing.

Anyone who has ever traveled the world has felt this.

After you come home, when the initial hugs are hugged out, the stories told (to those who will listen), and the reunions over, many of us find that our true home is being surrounded by the unknown.

Every time a friend comes home from traveling, their first question to me is always, “How do you cope with post-travel depression?”

There is no real cure for the post-trip blues. The only real way to get over post-trip depressions is to stay busy. You talk people online, go to meet-ups, or plan your next trip . Keep that energy you had on the road going. Go out, sightsee in your own town, take road trips, find a hobby… do something. Because the more you stay still, the worse your depression will be.

But it only ever fades as more time passes. There’s no cure other than time. It’s like getting over a relationship. Sure, you can stay busy but it’s only as time progresses that you slowly begin to move on.

When you were traveling, you viewed every moment as an adventure. View your life back home as one too. Stay busy. Stay active. Try new things. Keep that can do attitude.

When you do that, home will feel a little less suffocating.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Hi, I’m Nomadic Matt, the New York Times best-selling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad, as well as the founder of this website! And I’m here to help you save money on your next trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

Related Posts

GET YOUR  FREE TRAVEL STARTER KIT

Enter your email and get planning cheatsheets including a step by step checklist, packing list, tips cheat sheet, and more so you can plan like a pro!

• Travel Guide

Tips to overcome Post-Travel Blues

If you have ever experienced feeling down after coming back from travelling, you are not alone - this phenomenon is the so-called post-travel blues. Through research by scientists, there is now an officially recognised name for it: Post-vacation syndrome (PVS).

What are post-travel blues?

Post-vacation-syndrome – also called post-travel blues or post-holiday depression – is when one experiences feelings of depression and/or anxiety after a vacation. It can also manifest as irritability, listlessness, difficulty concentrating, and sleep issues, i.e., insomnia or sleeping too much. In the past, most research focused on depression occurring during holidays. However, there has been an upsurge in post-holiday depression in recent decades. Consequently, scientists have begun to devote more attention to it. In 2015, a National Alliance on Mental Illness survey found that 64% of participants had experienced post-holiday blues.

What causes post-travel blues?

Mental health professionals believe several factors can trigger post-travel blues. However, most experts think transitioning from a holiday to everyday life can cause an adrenaline crash that accounts for the syndrome. There are two sides to this coin. On the one hand, some people find travels or the holidays highly stressful. Financial pressure, family friction, and reminders of lost loved ones can create emotional distress. Furthermore, the holidays tend to be a time of sheer abandon in health terms. Psychological stressors, rich food, alcohol consumption, late nights, and busy days can leave one feeling drained after a vacation.

However, travellers returning from a life-changing trip away may experience post-holiday depression for a different psychological reason. They may share the overindulgence factor with people who struggle with stressful vacations. However, unlike people who become emotionally overwhelmed during holidays, these individuals miss the exhilaration and adventure of the experience. One interviewed traveller said, 'When you travel, you grow fast. You learn so much about yourself and other people and cultures. Once you see different parts of the world, you are never the same again. But then you come home and everything and everyone around you is exactly like when you left. You feel this sense of emptiness you can't explain… It's a reverse culture shock'.

Whether you love or hate holidays, returning to everyday life after time away can cause adrenaline to dip significantly. The brain struggles to calibrate after experiencing such dramatically different cultures and environments. This causes the physical and psychological symptoms collectively recognised as a post-vacation syndrome.

How long does post-travel depression last?

Typically, post-travel blues do not last as long as other depressive states, but the syndrome's length differs between people. Some still experience PVS for months after their holiday. Others find their symptoms so debilitating that they interfere with their work and/or social life. If your post-holiday blues persist for a long time or are unmanageable, contact a mental healthcare professional, organisation, or helpline for advice. They are there to assist!

How to deal with post-travel blues

Fortunately, there are ways to get over post-travel blues or even avoid them altogether. Experts suggest these tips to combat the syndrome.

Before the trip

1) Book realistic return dates: Plan your return as carefully as you do your travels. Understandably, most people want to cram as many travel days into their leave allocation as possible. However, to avoid post-holiday depression, factoring in a couple of days to decompress can be enormously helpful. Avoid flying in on the Sunday night before the Monday you return to work. Instead, book your return date a few days earlier. This stop-gap will give you time to readjust before diving back into work and other commitments.

2) Schedule catch-up time: You can also minimise post-travel depression by using these extra leave days to catch up on work. This may include checking your emails, mulling over problems that may have cropped up, or preparing discussion notes.

3) Manage your expectations: Prepare yourself to be plunged into a different reality for a while, and acknowledge that this may shake you up emotionally and physically. Be aware of your psychological triggers, whether they may be fear of a foreign environment or an abrasive relative. Furthermore, figure out how you would best like to react to such uncomfortable situations ahead of time. Speak to a friend, family member, or mental health professional and map out a game plan for these potential pitfalls.

4) Create an inviting space for your return: Getting back to a mountain of laundry or a sink full of dirty dishes after a holiday can exacerbate post-holiday syndrome. It is naturally tempting to let household chores slide when you are rushing to make final holiday preparations. Nevertheless, remember that getting back to a clean, comfortable space is infinitely preferable!

5) Plan fun things to do when you arrive home: Think of what you would most like to do when you get back from holiday and plan accordingly. For example, put list of favourite movies to watch, or organise a catch-up with your loved ones. Whatever you choose to do, having some plans in place upon your return can help ease feelings of post-travel blues.

During the trip

1) Stay off social media: Jennifer Wallace is the author of the Glamour Magazine article entitled The Holiday is Over...Sob. What Now? She advises travellers to keep off social media while they are on vacation. ‘This helps you stay in the moment and relish every beautiful moment of your adventure without being distracted’, she explains.

2) Follow the 95% rule: A great tip to avoid stress after your holiday is to devote 5% of your time to work. Check your emails every day or two for any work 'fires' starting. However, applying this rule can be a delicate balance. Addressing problems early is a great way to avoid work issues snowballing. Nevertheless, it is critical to refer concerns to your team on the ground and trust them to address these. If you try to sort them out while away, you have virtually no chance of sticking to the 95% rule.

After the trip

1) Avoid procrastination: It can be tough to kick back into action when you arrive home. When basking in that post-vacation glow, Monday morning can seem far away, particularly if you return a few days early. However, putting things off is the worst thing you can do for your re-entry to reality. Remember why you put those scheduled catch-up times in place and stick to them!

2) Put time aside for people who feed your soul: Make time to reconnect with friends, family, and loved ones at home. You may not be able to communicate fully how mind-altering your journey has been. However, it will help those at home to understand your post-travel depression or elation, whichever side of the spectrum you fall on. And you may even find your revelations make them catch the travel bug too.

3) Bring travel rituals home: Holidays and traveling provide a wonderful opportunity to step back, reconnect with your passions, and rediscover what you truly love to do. They are also a chance to experience new things that make you feel happy and alive. It is easy to lose those treasures when you return to daily routines and commitments. However, you can also take them back home with you by setting aside time to do whatever fed your soul while away. Read, practise yoga, cook your favourite holiday dish, take a sunset stroll – or do whatever else you most enjoyed on your travel experiences.

4) Get active: An extensive body of research shows that exercise has significant mental and physical health benefits. These include raising the body’s endorphin levels – the body’s ‘feel-good neurotransmitters’. Therefore, exercise can be an excellent antidote to stress, depression, and anxiety, including post-travel blues. You do not need to spend hours working out or doing high-impact exercise for it to make a difference. Even a 15-minute walk can help to shift your mood.

Why we need holidays

'Holidays are a medical necessity!', says Wallace. Research shows that vacations do more good than harm for most people. The Framingham Heart Study found that taking regular holidays lowers the risk of heart attacks by 32% in men and 50% in women. So take that time off, guilt-free! Just be sure to arm yourself with the knowledge and tools to diffuse potential PVS should you need them. Additionally, remember that this syndrome usually passes relatively quickly - but unforgettable travel memories last forever.

Subscribe to our newsletter

By confirming the "Subscribe now" button, I hereby bindingly subscribe to the Natucate newsletter, which contains comprehensive information in the field of sustainable travel. For information: Detailed information regarding the performance measurement included in this consent, the use of the dispatch service provider Mailchimp, the logging of the registration process and your revocation rights can be found in the privacy policy.

Our Cookie Policy

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. By continuing to use our website you agree to our Cookie Policy.

How to Deal with Post-Vacation Blues and Be Happy Again

Traveling the world for a short or long period is always incredible. None of the experiences you get home can’t be compared to those you get abroad, as every country has its own culture and traditions. Therefore, you experience wonderful things that you can’t at home. And no matter how long you travel, going back is always both exciting and a bit sad.

Travelers who get back home after a couple of weeks of travel can feel sad after vacation they just spent on a sunny beach, in a busy but adventurous city, hiking and trekking in various gorgeous places, or visiting family and friends. But travelers who get back home after a year or so might even experience the so-called post-vacation depression .

End of vacation blues always hit travelers since the trip is coming to an end, and the “normal” life is all around. It usually occurs in the last week or the last several days of a trip. And while on the last run of completing the things-to-do-during-the-trip list, this feeling will dissipate for a couple of weeks after you arrive home.

Travelers who used to discover the world, explore diverse locations, meet people, and pursue their goals freely, now have to get back to the point they were left when their journey started. And that is not always easy. No wonder post-travel depression is an expected occurrence.

So, while you may be one of them, you are probably seeking answers. You may have a lot of questions now as life has changed for you, but not for those who surround you at home. That’s why we’ll answer some questions that may appear in your mind, and after that, we’ll provide you with some tips to overcome your after trip depression.

What Is Post-Travel Depression?

It is a feeling that is usually experienced by travelers who get back to the life they used to live before they went on traveling. Not every traveler experience it, but the majority are having it due to the high transformative feature of travel. No matter how stubborn is a person to new conditions, he might get changed after a trip. People who travel around the world and feel on their skin diverse life situations, occurrences, events, discover traditions, culture through interacting closely with the locals are more likely to get depressed after travel.

Why Do I Experience Depression After Traveling?

As said, travel is highly transformative. People’s minds and life aspects get changed as they get to perceive the world differently when they see, feel, think about, and experience on their skin things that can’t be experienced while living in a constant ambiance. By traveling, you discover a brand new world, and if you carry back home the knowledge and experience you got from your trip, you will find out that it doesn’t fit in the reality you just got back to.

How to Actually Overcome Depression After Vacation?

As depression can seriously impact mental health, overcoming it is vital for your well-being and, consequently, for the quality of your life. Keeping a positive mindset is the key factor, and as you are already seeking an answer, you are just a few steps from being happy and motivated again. After all, knocking over post-trip depression is just a matter of time and is on the length of a great piece of advice. Read on to find out several tips on the topic.

1. Keep You Schedule Busy on the Last Days of Your Trip

To capture every positive memory possible, get your schedule busy on the last days of your stay in a foreign country. Go to a masterclass and learn something new. For instance, attend a photography workshop or a cooking lesson. Visit the places you haven’t been to yet and capture gorgeous pictures of them. Have one last dinner in a location that you know will remind you about your trip years ahead.

Inhale every moment of your trip and keep them in your mind and heart. Travel depression, in this case, won’t have time to hit you, as you will be busy doing other significant things than being bored and sad about your travel ending.

2. Don’t Rush to Work and Study (If Possible)

If you go right back to work or study, it might be indeed hard to perceive the life that you used to live a while ago. Post-travel depression symptoms include apathy, unmotivated state of being, and even loss of appetite. And work won’t make matters better, as you may feel life dreads more at work than anywhere else.

Getting time-off before you get back to your previous routine will provide you with the possibility to unpack, to get rid of jetlag, get comfortable back at home, sort through your memories, meet some of your friends, and get accommodated with your new life. This will offer you the time to transition back to the life you had before you went on to travel and you won’t feel as depressed.

3. Meet with Your Friends

Connecting with friends is always good, as you can have their support, their friendship, their love and care. When you get back with your beloved ones, you don’t feel the pressure of the reality as hard, as you might have their hand of help anytime you need it. What’s for sure, they will want to hear your story. When recollecting your travel memories, you don’t feel as stressed, and there is always hope of getting back to traveling.

Though it sounds easy, it might bring a feeling of nostalgia. So, it is essential to keep a positive mindset and, therefore, make your memories a weapon against bad mood, depression, and stress. Let memories be your sunshine on a rainy day and your good news on a bad day.  

4. Follow the Mindset of a Traveler

Who says you can’t be excited at home as you have been when traveling? You had experienced a lot of exciting things when you were on a trip, got engaged in fun activities, and tried a ton of good food, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do the same at your place.

To overcome the depression after coming back from vacation, don’t hop on your usual routine instantly and proceed following it without any changes. Pamper yourself with exquisite dinners from time to time and go to some cooking or dancing lessons (learn something new). This will definitely boost your mood, and you won’t feel nostalgic as when you’ll follow your usual routine.

5. Don’t Stop Traveling

You may experience exciting things at home as if you are on a trip when you don’t stop traveling. Yes, it is possible to keep your traveling routine at your place by exploring the surrounding you have to live in now. Go to a local museum and learn about some historical things, go for a walk around the city, visit some monuments and take tons of pictures. Even usual things might hide something unexpected and exciting, so why not give it a try?  

6. Share Your Story by Sharing Photos from Your Trip

When coming back from vacation, depression might hit you hard if you don’t share your experience. At the point when you return home, your friends and family might be already pissed off by the multitude of pictures and stories you have provided them with when traveling. But that doesn’t mean you have to hold back your feelings. Share with the world the best, or the worst, things you have encountered while on a trip, and let your feelings flow.

7. Read / Create You Travel Blog or Travel Diary

In addition to the previous tip, you might also want to share your story that you wrote in your diary while traveling. Vacation depression can affect your mental health a lot if you hide your feelings. Sharing with someone what you experienced when traveling might help you as you will cheer up when you recollect the best moments you have had.

If you don’t have any written records of your travel experience, perhaps creating a travel blog or a travel diary can sweep your sadness away. This will keep you busy, and you won’t have time to feel nostalgic. What’s more, you will experience incredible moments of your journey when recollecting them.

8. Adorn Your Home with Souvenirs

You might have brought home a ton of souvenirs from your journey, and now it’s time to decorate the house with them. Take your time and seek the best place for every specific item. You will be delighted to reminisce about the stunning moment of your trip every time you put in your hand a piece of souvenir, and this will definitely bring a smile on your face. Additionally, your mood will be boosted every time your glance falls on one of them. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling?

9. Make Travel Plans

No matter how severe depression after vacation may be, don’t stop making travel plans. Yes, you are at the point where you left a month, half a year, or more than a year ago. But that doesn’t mean your travel has stopped here. The reality is as it is, and the best you can do is to accept it and find ways to apply your knowledge and experience. This might cheer you up a bit, as well.

If you keep the hope to get back to traveling again, the feeling of nostalgia won’t knock you out at all. You are the master of your dreams, so why not keep dreaming of traveling? Just don’t fall into your imagination completely. There is a reason you are back now. So, find it, keep living, and travel when you are done.  

10. Pamper Yourself

To beat the depression after returning from vacation, relax as much as you can. As we previously said, take your time to accommodate (if possible) and then get back to your usual routine. You might have had no time to care about your appearance and health as much on your trip, but now, as you are back, you can relax and pamper yourself with a spa or massage session, healthy food, and perhaps, you may want to hit the gym, again.

11. Help Travelers

Now that you are home, you won’t be considered a traveler anymore. Now you are a native. That means you can help travelers who visit your place, just like you were by inhabitants of the area you visited a while ago. If you see people on the streets, who are carefully inspecting a map or are wandering around confused, give them a hand of help.

If you want to go further, you can join a forum conversation and help visitors traveling to your place with guidance on locations and places. If you know a lot about the area you have visited, you might want to share with your experience by providing travel suggestions and information, as well.

Post-vacation blues are a common occurrence, and overcoming it might be different for everyone. If you follow the above-mentioned tips, you are going to feel a lot better. One for sure, you know how to get over post-vacation blues now.

Spell out your feelings and your opinions in the comment section below, and make your story heard out. We are always happy to hear your stories and give you the support you may need.

Last Updated on December 10, 2019.

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

What to Know About Postpartum Depression (PPD)

It's not just the "baby blues"

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a type of depression that occurs after giving birth. It’s more serious than the “baby blues” as it can interfere with a new mother’s ability to function.

It’s important for new mothers and family members to be on the lookout for signs of postpartum depression. It’s treatable and early intervention can be key to helping mothers feel better as quickly as possible.

It’s completely normal for new moms to feel tired, moody, or overwhelmed after giving birth. But when these symptoms interfere with a new mother’s ability to function and care for their new child, it can be a sign of postpartum depression.

Symptoms of PPD vary from person to person. And they may fluctuate on a daily basis. In general, here are some symptoms that mothers with this condition experience:

• Crying and unexplained feelings of sadness
• Exhaustion yet inability to sleep
• Eating too little or too much
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Sudden changes in mood
• Feelings of disconnect with the new baby and guilt about not experiencing joy
• Difficulty making decisions
• Lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Irritability, anxiety, and anger that sometimes feel out of control
• Trouble concentrating, staying on task, and remembering things
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• Intrusive thoughts about self-harm or harming the baby

Symptoms typically appear within a few weeks of giving birth, but they may not surface until months later. They sometimes temporarily subside and then resurface.

If you or a loved one are struggling with postpartum depression, contact  Postpartum Support International  at  1-800-944-4773   for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

A physician or mental health professional can diagnose PPD. This diagnosis would be made after an interview and assessment.

Many physicians routinely ask new mothers questions about whether they’ve had thoughts of hurting themselves or their babies and whether they’re feeling down. This is part of the screening process for postpartum depression. 

Physicians may run some tests to rule out any health issues that may be contributing to symptoms. Thyroid conditions, for example, can cause depression.

Once physical health issues have been ruled out, a diagnosis of postpartum depression might be made if the criteria are met.

Treatment for PPD may include medication, therapy, or a combination of both. As of August 4, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved Zuranolone as the first oral treatment for postpartum depression. Zuranolone is a once-a-day medication for postpartum depression taken over two weeks.

Antidepressants are also commonly prescribed to treat it. These regulate the chemicals in the brain that manage emotions. But it can take a few weeks for them to take effect. And sometimes the first antidepressant doesn’t work, so a new medication may be tried.

Some antidepressants are safe to take if you’re breastfeeding, but others are not. Your physician will discuss treatment options with you as well as any side effects you might experience. 

Your physician may refer you to a therapist as well. A licensed mental health professional can help you find healthy ways to cope with stress as well as strategies for dealing with depression while you’re caring for yourself and your baby.

Postpartum depression affects up to 15% of mothers. While all the reasons some mothers develop postpartum depression and others don’t aren’t completely known, recent research has identified several risk factors.

Psychosocial risk factors for postpartum depression include:

• Depression and anxiety during pregnancy
• Stressful life events during pregnancy
• Poor social support
• Relationship conflict
• Immigrant status
• Young maternal age
• Low partner support 

Postpartum depression may be related to sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations. Women who previously had the condition are more likely to experience it again after the birth of another baby.

Normal fluctuations in hormonal levels during pregnancy and after delivery can lead to changes in sleep patterns . And these interruptions in sleep can contribute to the onset of postpartum depression. 

One study found that difficulty falling asleep during the first three months after delivery can be a risk factor.

It’s important to seek treatment for postpartum depression . Without treatment, symptoms can worsen.

In addition to experiencing emotional pain, women with postpartum depression are at a greater risk of suicide.   In extreme cases, women with the condition have hurt or even killed their babies.   

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. 

There’s also a greater risk that mothers with postpartum depression may struggle to form healthy attachments with their babies. This can have longer-term consequences on children and families. And it can also affect a couple’s relationship as well.   

Some people may find that symptoms resolve on their own. Others may have their symptoms cleared with medication, therapy, or a combination of the two. Most mothers feel better after about six months of treatment.   

Reaching out to others for help can be tough, but it is very important when you’re dealing with postpartum depression. 

Many new mothers feel too embarrassed or guilty to tell anyone that they’re struggling. But postpartum depression can happen to anyone after childbirth. So it’s important to remember that it’s not a sign of weakness and it doesn’t serve as evidence that you’re a bad parent.

You might ask someone to help you watch the baby so you can take a nap. Or you may need to tell your partner what kinds of things would be helpful for you right now.

Some people might say, “Let me know if you need anything,” but they may not know how to help. So request that they assist you with household chores or errands if these things seem overwhelming. Or simply let someone know that you need to talk.

It’s important to work on caring for yourself when you’re dealing with postpartum depression. Of course, this can be difficult when you’re caring for your new baby too.

But eating a well-balanced diet, getting a little exercise (once your doctor says it’s OK), and getting adequate rest can help you feel better.

It can also help to join a support group for new mothers. You’ll likely find that many of them are experiencing (or have experienced) PPD as well.

A Word From Verywell

If you think you may be experiencing postpartum depression, talk to your physician right away. Share your symptoms, and talk about your concerns—even though it may be tough to do so. Your physician can assist you in getting the treatment you need to feel your best .

If you are concerned that a loved one may be experiencing postpartum depression, ask them how they are doing. Offer practical assistance or emotional support if you’re able to do so.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression .

Robertson E, Grace S, Wallington T, Stewart DE. Antenatal risk factors for postpartum depression: a synthesis of recent literature . General Hospital Psychiatry. 2004;26(4):289-295. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2004.02.006

Goyal D, Gay CL, Lee KA. Patterns of Sleep Disruption and Depressive Symptoms in New Mothers . The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. 2007;21(2):123-129. doi:10.1097/01.jpn.0000270629.58746.96

Lindahl V, Pearson JL, Colpe L. Prevalence of suicidality during pregnancy and the postpartum . Archives of Women’s Mental Health. 2005;8(2):77-87. doi:10.1007/s00737-005-0080-1

Mclearn KT, Minkovitz CS, Strobino DM, Marks E, Hou W. Maternal Depressive Symptoms at 2 to 4 Months Post Partum and Early Parenting Practices . Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2006;160(3):279. doi:10.1001/archpedi.160.3.279

Paulson JF, Dauber S, Leiferman JA. Individual and Combined Effects of Postpartum Depression in Mothers and Fathers on Parenting Behavior . Pediatrics. 2006;118(2):659-668. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-2948

Meltzer-Brody S, Stuebe A. The long-term psychiatric and medical prognosis of perinatal mental illness . Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2014;28(1):49‐60. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2013.08.009

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.