The Best Ways To Get Through Your Post-Vacation Depression

If you've ever felt like it was hard to get back to your routine after getting home from a relaxing vacation or sad after getting back from a stunning once-in-a-lifetime trip, you're not alone. This is a known phenomenon, sometimes referred to as "post-vacation depression." To find out exactly what this experience is and what you can do when you're going through it, Islands spoke to Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner, licensed psychologist and founder of Woodland Hills Therapy, Embracing You Therapy Group Practice.

"The transition from the vacation mode and lifestyle to one's regular routine can create a state of sadness, numbness, and overall unhappiness and dissatisfaction that one would refer to as post-vacation depression. During this post-vacation depression, one may feel mood swings, an increase in anxiety or irritability, difficulty in concentration, and a decrease in energy or motivation," she explained. If you already struggle with depression, returning from a vacation can make things harder. Dr. Menije warned: "If someone has a history of Major Depressive Disorder, then this post-vacation depression can be a risk factor and may onset a new depressive episode one should be on the lookout for."

In general, though, Dr. Menije assured us that, as distressing as it can be, post-vacation depression is a normal emotional experience. Unfortunately, there's no way to snap your fingers and just make these feelings disappear. Instead, she told us that slowing down, acknowledging what you're feeling, taking care of yourself, and talking through the experience with loved ones can help you get through feelings of post-vacation depression.

Whether you've been immersing yourself in nature on a road trip of the most iconic national parks, lying on a tropical beach admiring the turquoise waves, or seeing works of art by great masters in the finest churches in Rome, every vacation has to end sometime. Knowing that doesn't necessarily make it any easier to go back to your everyday life. According to Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner, it's best to ease back into things. She told us, "While coming back to a busy schedule may sound like a good distraction, it can actually exacerbate anxiety and irritability if you are returning to a hectic schedule."

Dr. Menije emphasized the importance of prioritizing taking care of yourself physically once you return home, making sure to eat well, sleep enough, get enough exercise, and practice self-care. It's a good idea to keep an eye on what expectations you're setting for yourself as you get back from a trip. She advised: "It is better to keep demands, tasks, and social commitments to a bare minimum so that you can take it easy as you transition back to your regular day-to-day obligations ... give yourself time to check in with your mood before over-committing."

While you don't want to pack your social calendar full of hangouts planned for as soon as you get back, Dr. Menije suggests sharing how you're feeling with others to help you work through it. Telling a friend how you feel may not make those feelings go away, but it might help you to process them and bring you closer to getting some closure.

If you've felt anything like post-vacation depression before, it can be helpful to acknowledge that it may happen again and be prepared. In addition to emphasizing positive self-talk, self-compassion, and self-care during the period after your trip is over, Dr. Menije Boduryan-Turner said that it's important to be careful how you frame your trip in your mind. She explained: "We can often fall for the thinking trap known as Black or White thinking, where we glorify the vacation and think, 'That was the best time I ever had,' which can make us resent returning to our regular routine. It is healthier to say, 'Yes I had a great time, and I am so thankful for the memories I made, and I can now focus on getting back to work.'"

It's also important to consider how you think about the feelings of sadness that can come with a vacation ending. As much as you may be frustrated by it and want to suppress it, Dr. Menije explained that trying to push down these feelings can make it last longer and feel worse. She told us: "Treating post-vacation depression as a normal emotion can minimize its intensity."