How I Manage Post-Trail Depression
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Also, there is an inability to relate to anyone who has not shared the same or similar goal. The soldier has a hard time relating to the civilian, the through hiker has a hard time relating to someone who has not spent months in hard physical exertion (and smells good, and anyone who cannot establish a shared experience with someone else.
It takes a certain kind of person to commit to a long term goal whether taking half a year out of your life to hike the AT, PCT, or the CDT or to accomplish any difficult goal. This results in a tunnel vision sort of focus which has the side effect of reducing the number of experiences and interests which can be shared with other people. This can be isolating and can contribute to feelings of loneliness and depression.
My experience is that the best way to avoid or deal with these problems is to keep things in perspective. Whatever your goal is it is only part of your life experience, both before and after. Yes, for 6 months you are a through hiker but that is only half a year out of a lifetime. If you spend 6 months through hiking out of a 80 year life you have only spent 0. 625% of your life on the trail. If you think of yourself as Name, who is doing a through hike rather than Name, the through hiker it will help keep your balance. In the former you are not defining yourself by what you are doing but in the latter you are and have no existence outside of through hiking. It is a matter of perspective. Don't define yourself by your particular goal at the moment. Or, for that matter, don't define yourself by what you have accomplished in the past.
Date: 2020-08-18
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Comments and reviews: 9
pitstop81
This is similar to the feeling of returning from a deployment or a long time separated from your family. I've been deployed 7 times in the past 20 years and as much as you miss your family, the routine of returning to normal is difficult to readjust to. Both you and your family are re-adjusting to you being back home again. For me on my most recent deployment for which I was in Afghanistan for 15 months, the toughest thing to return to was the schedule change. I was used to working 14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, eating a specific time, seeing the same people, listening to the same guys snore, and having my own time each evening. Even though it was only putting my headphones on and watching a movie or reading a book, it was my alone time. When I returned home, it was back to my kids wanting to play, pets wanting to be walked, and spending 1-2 days a week with nothing scheduled (weekends. You would think you would be elated to return to your family but it takes a while to return to. While deployed, I would wake up 2-3 hours before work, go for a run or walk around the compound, go shower, eat breakfast, then go to work, until it was time for dinner, then bed, just to repeat. At home -- that schedule was gone. Don't get me wrong, I love being around my wife and kids again but that return was tough. This time was the toughest. My wife noticed it too in her own way.
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This is similar to the feeling of returning from a deployment or a long time separated from your family. I've been deployed 7 times in the past 20 years and as much as you miss your family, the routine of returning to normal is difficult to readjust to. Both you and your family are re-adjusting to you being back home again. For me on my most recent deployment for which I was in Afghanistan for 15 months, the toughest thing to return to was the schedule change. I was used to working 14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, eating a specific time, seeing the same people, listening to the same guys snore, and having my own time each evening. Even though it was only putting my headphones on and watching a movie or reading a book, it was my alone time. When I returned home, it was back to my kids wanting to play, pets wanting to be walked, and spending 1-2 days a week with nothing scheduled (weekends. You would think you would be elated to return to your family but it takes a while to return to. While deployed, I would wake up 2-3 hours before work, go for a run or walk around the compound, go shower, eat breakfast, then go to work, until it was time for dinner, then bed, just to repeat. At home -- that schedule was gone. Don't get me wrong, I love being around my wife and kids again but that return was tough. This time was the toughest. My wife noticed it too in her own way.
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RD
Good piece. As a 30+ yr High School football coach, I have seen the same thing in many of my players. They struggle and work for months on end, 7 days a week preparing and working for a single goal. Then. after the last game, many seem to struggle. Grades drop, disciplinary actions come etc. When discussing this with the kids, they all seem to say things like Coach, I just wish we were still playing. The dramatic change in lifestyles, from a supreme effort like yours, affects people profoundly. My players (even those very well adjusted) would almost seem lost.
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Good piece. As a 30+ yr High School football coach, I have seen the same thing in many of my players. They struggle and work for months on end, 7 days a week preparing and working for a single goal. Then. after the last game, many seem to struggle. Grades drop, disciplinary actions come etc. When discussing this with the kids, they all seem to say things like Coach, I just wish we were still playing. The dramatic change in lifestyles, from a supreme effort like yours, affects people profoundly. My players (even those very well adjusted) would almost seem lost.
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Richard
Hey Y'all! Thanks! Good advise, remembering it's the journey, not the destination. Volunteering and giving of any kind has always been the best medicine for my blues. Providing some trail magic would be very rewarding. Hadn't thought of that one. Random acts of kindness, out looking for someone to give a deserved compliment. Recognizing someone for a job well done, writing a positive review, or taking a moment to thank someone, maybe leaving a comment letting someone that's put a lot into a video know it brightened up their day! You rock Dixie!
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Hey Y'all! Thanks! Good advise, remembering it's the journey, not the destination. Volunteering and giving of any kind has always been the best medicine for my blues. Providing some trail magic would be very rewarding. Hadn't thought of that one. Random acts of kindness, out looking for someone to give a deserved compliment. Recognizing someone for a job well done, writing a positive review, or taking a moment to thank someone, maybe leaving a comment letting someone that's put a lot into a video know it brightened up their day! You rock Dixie!
reply
Edward
It's sounds more like what ever you're doing in your MONEY MAKING LIFE, if NOT being FULL FILING, and you're NOT PASSIONATE about going to WORK, and enjoying your URBAN LIFE, probably you need and OUTDOOR JOB, and not being COOKED UP, in and OFFICE, MAYBE FINDING something with the FOREST DEPARTMENT, or even FIRE DEPARTMENT, WISH those SKILLS will help you out in the TRAIL, and probably beings used to RUFFING IT out on the TRAIL, your going to be in better SHAPE that the AVERAGE CITY DUELER, and just going to FLY though there PHYSICAL test.
reply
It's sounds more like what ever you're doing in your MONEY MAKING LIFE, if NOT being FULL FILING, and you're NOT PASSIONATE about going to WORK, and enjoying your URBAN LIFE, probably you need and OUTDOOR JOB, and not being COOKED UP, in and OFFICE, MAYBE FINDING something with the FOREST DEPARTMENT, or even FIRE DEPARTMENT, WISH those SKILLS will help you out in the TRAIL, and probably beings used to RUFFING IT out on the TRAIL, your going to be in better SHAPE that the AVERAGE CITY DUELER, and just going to FLY though there PHYSICAL test.
reply
paxwallacejazz
Way back in 78 I skipped high school in Charlotte NC to go do an anti-nuclear protest in Barnwell SC. I couldn't go back to high School after getting outa jail. I went and got my GED and hitch hiked outa Charlotte with the girl I met at that protest. So I we crossed America 2wice and I ended up in Seattle for 20yrs. Been in Europe since 98 now in Copenhagen where I live off grid as a street jazz pianist. I'm 60 now. Humor and lightening up is so crucial so important. You are the real deal babe. Namaste
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Way back in 78 I skipped high school in Charlotte NC to go do an anti-nuclear protest in Barnwell SC. I couldn't go back to high School after getting outa jail. I went and got my GED and hitch hiked outa Charlotte with the girl I met at that protest. So I we crossed America 2wice and I ended up in Seattle for 20yrs. Been in Europe since 98 now in Copenhagen where I live off grid as a street jazz pianist. I'm 60 now. Humor and lightening up is so crucial so important. You are the real deal babe. Namaste
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Stuart
I am a senior forth level martial arts instructor and we see this same idea when a student goes black belt. The common question is what now that I have achieved my goal? The answer is to know it is coming and make a plan before the event. Another common answer is this is just the beginning not the end. I am always counseling soon to be black belts to think about the future as the testing is being worked on and make that plan.
reply
I am a senior forth level martial arts instructor and we see this same idea when a student goes black belt. The common question is what now that I have achieved my goal? The answer is to know it is coming and make a plan before the event. Another common answer is this is just the beginning not the end. I am always counseling soon to be black belts to think about the future as the testing is being worked on and make that plan.
reply
travel
Thanks for talking about serious issues which makes me re-think about trying thru-hiking as excuse for escaping from society.
I'm sick and tired of work watching monitor everyday and cosmetic relationships in company.
But you gave me insight that just quitting my job and going thru-hiking just to escape this situation is not going to solve any problems.
Thank you.
Best regards.
From Republic of Korea.
reply
Thanks for talking about serious issues which makes me re-think about trying thru-hiking as excuse for escaping from society.
I'm sick and tired of work watching monitor everyday and cosmetic relationships in company.
But you gave me insight that just quitting my job and going thru-hiking just to escape this situation is not going to solve any problems.
Thank you.
Best regards.
From Republic of Korea.
reply
MrGoranPa
Maybe it is about achievement? When you come back from what you thought matters, you realise nobody really cares about what you did and the world still goes on like it is out of your control. And you have to obey it. Earn your money to buy your freedom again. That's depressing. Nobody cares about what you are doing and it is not for free. Learn to love yourself as much as you can. That's the solution.
reply
Maybe it is about achievement? When you come back from what you thought matters, you realise nobody really cares about what you did and the world still goes on like it is out of your control. And you have to obey it. Earn your money to buy your freedom again. That's depressing. Nobody cares about what you are doing and it is not for free. Learn to love yourself as much as you can. That's the solution.
reply
VuDuVampirNinjaWitch
Trail depression sounds a lot like graduating from Marine Corps bootcamp and then what you feel after you leave the Corps. It's a hell of an adjustment to make when you put your all into something and then it ends. It's an amazing feeling at first and for a while but then you realize that normal life is humdrum. All of your advice is solid. It applies to more than just hiking. Thank you!
reply
Trail depression sounds a lot like graduating from Marine Corps bootcamp and then what you feel after you leave the Corps. It's a hell of an adjustment to make when you put your all into something and then it ends. It's an amazing feeling at first and for a while but then you realize that normal life is humdrum. All of your advice is solid. It applies to more than just hiking. Thank you!
reply
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