Now, it may seem strange to say this after we’ve journeyed all across the world, through foreign lands where I don’t speak the language, and ended up all alone with no plan, but: I’m actually a fairly anxious person.
It’s not diagnosed or anything, I never talk with anyone about it, and I’ve never taken medication for it; but it rears its head in my life more often than I’d like. Simple stuff, like reading text messages when they come in, talking to my insurance agent, and the like is a lot harder for me than I think it is for most people. But I don’t like to complain; and I manage to get through it all anyways. So I keep it to myself.
As I walked the streets of Pokhara with the goal of arranging my trek, my anxiety was definitely making itself known.
My task was simple enough, I knew: Walk into one of the million trekking agencies, say I wanted to go to Annapurna Base Camp, and book a trek. As my experience at the trekking agency in Kathmandu had taught me, most of these places could probably have me out the door by tomorrow. All I had to do was walk in, and talk to someone.
There were some two kilometers between the Malaysian’s cafe and Hotel Snow Leopard.
I walked by one trekking agency, then another.
I’ve got a way to go, I can stop at a later one, I told myself.
I walked by three or four more trekking agencies. Some of them had chalk boards out front, with their upcoming treks written on them. One had the exact trek I wanted to do, on the perfect dates. I hesitated, then kept walking.
As anyone who suffers from anxiety knows, this is the part where the self-loathing starts to set it.
Why can’t I accomplish such a simple task? I know exactly what to do, how to do it, and I have the means to do so. So why do I keep walking past agencies?
This shit’s annoying enough in your daily life, when it prevents you from going into that cute new shop, talking to the girl who’s making eyes at you, or when it causes you to order your coffee before you know what you really want. When anxiety’s standing between you and the thing you basically threw away your relationship for, it’s downright infuriating.
I’d describe social anxiety as similar to being in love. In both cases, your head knows exactly what you need to do. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to have much luck pulling the strings to get you there. In love and anxiety, some force deep within your chest commands your actions, cuts loose the bowlines, and takes you far from the bay of logic.
Disagreement of the head and the heart is at the core of most human suffering, I’d say.
It was certainly causing me a lot of frustration in Nepal. I couldn’t get Holly off my mind, even as I walked Lakeside in Pokhara, just one appointment away from seeing the mountains which had captured my heart. I didn’t really want to book a trek, I felt. I should just buy a ticket home, spend time in my lover’s arms. It would feel good, for a moment. Meanwhile, my head screamed sense at me: the memory of trekking the Himalayas will feel good, forever, long after this woman is gone. She’s already gone, the voice of logic reminded me. Four months ago, with steel in her eyes, she’d told me ‘I’ll never forgive you.’
After a year of rocky relationship, half-truths, and elided issues, that was the first thing Holly had told me in a long time that I knew was true, without question.
Then, that whole mess in Hong Kong.
Fate had brought me to Nepal, I was sure.
Still, I walked past a dozen more trekking agencies, unable to muster the courage to even enter one. Two or three times I had located one I thought looked promising, and turned around. Two or three or four times, I walked by these storefronts, trying to convince myself to go in. Each time, I decided I looked crazy walking past the same stores several times in a row, and I convinced myself I’d stop at the next trekking agency.
In this way, I spent a very unpleasant hour.
Finally, after an absolutely unnecessary amount of mental gymnastics, I managed to convince myself to walk into a random trekking agency.
As is almost always the case, my anxiety was totally unwarranted.
***
thisisyouth 
Your description of anxiety and comparison to love is so well written – not many people understand their own anxieties as well as that. You’re in Nepal exploring the world while I’m sat at home very much in my comfort zone, and yet I can still relate to how you’re feeling. A fab post. I look forward to reading about your travels, and what you do next!
Thank you very much for the kind words!
I’m sorry if this comment pops up more than once. It wouldn’t work the first few times.
My blog is published now. Here’s the link if you’d still like to check it out. http://wp.me/p8kihx-2w.
Please let me know what you think and thank you again.
I just got done reading your post and it really got my mind going. I was wondering if I could possibly use this post (and you of course) as a reference in the post I’d like to write? I want to be able to give credit where credit is due.
Sure absolutely! Just please include a link back to my site in your post 🙂and let me know when it’s published of course, I’d love to read it!
Absolutely. Thank you very much
It’s published now. Here’s the link so you can check it out. http://wp.me/p8kihx-2w
Let me know what you think and thank you again.
It’s published. Here’s the link so you can check it out. http://wp.me/p8kihx-2w
Please let me know what you think and thank you again.
This post is amazing!
I feel similar things when I have to ask a friend if I can crash at theirs, or even asking if someone would like to hang out is still anxiety inducing! And now I’m travelling by myself and realising that I’m completely reliant on myself is overwhelmingly daunting as I’m feeling now.
But you got through it and I’ll get through it too, your post gives me hope.
Keep doing what you’re doing, I am excited to read more and think I’ll start at the beginning of this series now!
I couldn’t help but mention that your post is quite related to my current situation. It’s very helpful for now to acknowledge the fact that one is anxious all or, let’s say most of the time, which you did in this post. Kudos to you for that. It took me years to acknowledge the fact that I had bipolar disorder and I would go off meds deliberately because I never felt I had that condition. But now, I’ve started taking my medication on a regular basis and it’s helping me tackle my situation.
Having said that, I believe anxiety is only but human especially when you are in a foreign land where you find that most people do not understand your language. What intrigued me about you here is that being a foreigner and having traveled almost everywhere throughout the world, you are still hounded by pangs of anxiety to complete even simple tasks as the one you have mentioned here. I thought only I was like that. Well, it’s good that you expressed your feelings in this post which I hope can act as a catharsis for you.
Good luck!
I throw away relationships to travel far too often
A bittersweet situation, isn’t it??
This is the best, most honest writing I have read in a while, thank you and I hope your trip is just as amazing as you’d hoped!
Thanks for liking my blog.I am enjoying reading your blog.
Traveling truly detox our mind and body
Amazing, no honestly, a m a z i n g writing. Looking forward on reading more of your blog. 🙂
Thank you very much!! So glad to have you reading!! If you want more to read right now, chapter 1 of this story is a good place to start 😉 thisisyouth.org/nepal
I have no doubt in my mind at all you will work through the anxiety and look back in wonder that it even ever existed. I speak from experience. and even if she said she’d never forgive you, she will or already has. 🙂
Great post!
Happy Holidays!
I understand what you’re saying love. 👼🏼
Thanks for writing about this experience…Definitely hit home with me. The connection you drew between social anxiety and being in love was really interesting too.
I feel your pain! But at least you finally did go in. You got through it–just like you have before, just like you will again.
I can relate to this!! Especially hard when travelling. Thanks for sharing
Reblogged this on Still Another Writer's Blog.
Anxiety is the worst. In treatment for it right now. Don’t let it fester!
Soo relatable! The annoying part about anxiety is that most of the time it is unwarranted and that’s what makes you hate yourself even more. As always great post, man!
Thanks for talking about your anxiety. I am in the middle of writing a post about travelling with anxiety as well!
Anxiety is hard. Even the simplest of tasks can seem daunting. Talking on the phone to the people I need to talk to is the worst. Hopefully your trek goes well. Best of luck on your journey!