Several cases have been reported related to chronic traveler syndrome of the travel bug, an increasingly common condition among people, regardless their nationality and age. If you or someone you know has any of the following symptoms, it is very possible that they already have been infected with the bug.
Lives with a suitcase at the door. He or she may have been detached from most of their belongings and have become extremely practical. It is common to hear them say “everything I got fits in there”. If you note a sort of pride in those words, you definitely are in front of an infected.
Dreams, eats, breathes travel. They only read travel-related books, bring up the rarest references of inhospitable places in the world during conversations, their social networks are saturated with travel photos, and their inbox are filled with flights promotions.
Seems to live in a parallel world and only “travel language”. IATA codes, vaccination center, and passport renewal, and other paperwork that is complicated for a normal person, and perhaps somewhat tedious, the infected person seem stress-less and even seems to enjoy them.
Attacks of rage and / or panic. You should be cautious if you suspect someone has this condition when bringing up news on someone else’s travel, or showing them the Instagram account of someone who travels, you can trigger a crisis of envy and despair in the infected subject.
Finally, when you ask about their plans and life expectations, you discover that they have replaced all of their dreams to travel. Their job is now just a means to an end, they do not seem interested in going out every weekend, or worried at all about finding someone to marry; and the worst, they are still wearing that “I love NY” t-shirt for more than a year, and they do not seem to care.
The travel bug is highly contagious and there’s still not cure to treat it. It is advisable to be patient and learn to live with it. Take precautions if you want to keep your job and your family’s stability, pay your Netflix subscription in time, and assume the fetal position to calm your anxiety for traveling if it’s necessary.
