Travel can be exciting, but it can also be stressful. Many of us dread the thought of leaving our homes and venturing out into the unknown. Traveling can also be an incredibly nerve-wracking experience for those with specific kinds of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), agoraphobia, or a fear of traveling alone — all of which are common forms of travel anxiety. Luckily, travel anxiety is something that many people experience regularly, so there are resources available to help you manage your fears. Here’s how you can combat travel anxiety to enjoy your trips more effectively.

Try to Pinpoint the Exact Cause of Your Anxiety

According to psychologist Dr. Jamie Kurtz, author of The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations, while it might be challenging to pinpoint the exact cause of your anxiety, it’s still an excellent first step towards finding a solution. There are several possible causes of travel anxiety, including general stress or anxiety, relationship issues, financial concerns, health issues, and family dynamics. If you can pinpoint the exact cause of your anxiety, you’ll be better equipped to address it and figure out how to combat it.

Start with Micro Exposures Before You Go

Many people find that starting small is the best way to combat anxiety. Dr. Kurtz opines that micro exposure is a way of coping with intense anxiety before you go by doing a tiny thing that distracts you from the bigger something you’re anxious about. Micro exposures are short-term solutions, but they can be enough to help you get through your trip unscathed.

Take Deep Breaths or a Walk

Another way to combat travel anxiety is to take deep breaths. Anxiety is a biological response to potential danger, so it makes sense that it can cause us to feel like we are in trouble. Calming yourself down can reduce the adrenaline you’re releasing and soothe your brain. Anxiety might also be tackled by going for a round of walking. It can be a great way to clear your head and relax before traveling. It is also helpful in relieving stress, as you can get some exercise while doing so!

Visualize a Positive Experience

Another thing you can do to combat travel anxiety is visualizing a positive experience. When you’re anxious about traveling, try visualizing a positive experience you can have while traveling. This will help you to remember that you’re not in danger, you’re safe, and that everything is okay.

Regulators and safety advocates worldwide have delivered their fair share of interest to Tesla, especially over the fraught deployment of its new beta system called ‘Full Self Driving.’ But it seems that the famed automobile company has managed to largely avoid important scrutiny so far. They were perfectly able to quietly slip in the ability to play video games in its features, even while driving.

The Problem

Videos of numerous reviewers and drivers accessing the game while behind the wheel, have been popped on social media for the last few days and were spotted by the New York Times. While the games were launched with a warning that they were only intended for passengers, all of them are allegedly accessible and playable while driving. According to The NY Times, Tesla drivers are simply lying and starting to play the game while in motion.

The Games

Gaming is not a new feature in Tesla cars. Back in 2019, the company started adding arcade-style games. As per The NY Times report, as a part of the over-the-air update of Tesla, a particular feature was shipped over, which allows the drivers to access the game fully while driving. The games which were included in the update, are Sky Force Reloaded, The Battle of Polytopia: Moonrise, and Solitaire.

The Possible Consequence

Tesla’s decision to double its video gaming feature and other in-car entertainments like Hulu and Netflix streaming come despite the long-standing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidelines. The guidelines clearly recommend that automobile makers design systems particularly barring the drivers to perform distracting secondary tasks while behind the wheel. The stakes are really high here, with distracted driving causing 8.7% of US car crash fatalities, as per the NHTSA data. While other carmakers offer in-car entertainment features for drivers, which usually get disabled when drivers start driving. But in the case of the Tesla cars, the absence of such control may cause serious future damage to owners and the company alike.