This trip could save your life.

Nature can heal you. Be open to it.

When I lived in London, I dressed only in black. I owned pretty much only black clothing. I never understood why people would wear bright colours. Black was easy, stylish, flattering and continuously represented my mood.

Wearing black when travelling in vibrant countries like India, Tanzania and Guatemala is not possible. It is not weather appropriate and being the colour of morning, it is not culturally appropriate. Recently though, I am beginning to understand why people enjoy wearing colour.

The day before my 27th birthday I decided I would quit my job and travel again, returning to a lifestyle I thought I had to abandon due to my age. For the last few years a series of events had caused my mental health to become increasingly fragile, I was unable to see the joy in anything, struggled to find the point of living. It took a year of intense therapy, the realisation that the cocktail of anti depressants, anti anxiety medication and sleeping pills I was taking was making me worse, not better and the understanding that conforming to a London life was not what I wanted. Slowly I began to gain the strength needed to venture out into the world alone again and to rediscover the beauty it holds.

When I explained to my therapist my plan to travel again, her positive reaction persuaded me I was doing the right thing. Explaining to my family was a slightly different story. At 27, my parents had hoped I was settling down and settling into society, not selling my belongings and sleeping in bed bug ridden hostel beds half way around the world. It turns out I am anything but alone in using travel as part of my recovery. Many people I am meeting have similar stories. We have all tried conventional careers and been part of society and suffered. Travel gives you a reason to go on, a renewed passion for living, new energies, new experiences. Often when discussing the reasons we are travelling, mental health is a recurring theme. It feels good to open about it, good to be accepting of other people’s struggles. Thankful that we have all chosen this to save ourselves.

My visit to Nepal was a massive step for healing.

Some places may be better to travel to than others. Choose countries that offer wellness and rejuvenation not only partying. South Asia, a haven of yoga and meditation retreats, spiritual healing, vegan food, alternative wellness and conversations about how beer could balance your dosha rather than how many pints you could drink a night. Choose a place that you have been dreaming of. Choose the place where you know you will find peace in the world again.

For anyone struggling mentally, follow your dreams. Look for the thing that could give you hope. Nepal was where I achieved my dream of seeing Everest. My depression was so bad that for a while I never thought it posible. My lifelong dream of following in the footsteps of my favourite climbers, was one of the most defining moments in my recovery.

Views from the yoga studio in San Marcos.

I am currently in the most spiritual place in Central America. San Marcos la Laguna, a small hippy village where meat is hard to find, currency is a smile and everyone is a potential new friend. There are women’s circles, meditation, crystals, mushroom cultivation societies. Kombucha and sauerkraut is sold in every small tienda in town. We talk openly about our feelings. My favourite yoga teacher started the class talking about an anxiety attack. Here it’s ok to be honest about not being ok. It’s so far from the discrimination I experienced in London. I am so grateful for this.

Here I am forced to chat with my Guatemalan colleagues only in Spanish. The conversation is broken and very much about the present as only being able to speak in the future tense allows for that, but for me this is one of my biggest achievements I’ve had in years. The weeks I spent learning in Antigua paid off.

I realise more and more London life is not for me. That I am happier in the small friendly villages in random beautiful mountains. I want to be part of making positive experiences. The yoga community is something I want to be part of. Kindness is vital.

I always used to think London was the centre of the world. I now just see it as a blur of grey and headaches.

I don’t wear so much black now. What I have come to realise is there is colour in the world. There is light. There is love.

I may be even more lost and more confused than I was before, but what I have found in the last 18 months are new passions for yoga, learning languages, an openness to spirituality, hundreds of good people, kindness and a restored passion to explore, for adventure, to enjoy life.

Mental health is a barrier for us all. Even 6 months ago I would not have had to courage to write this.

Buy the plane ticket, eat good food, go on the hike, smile at a stranger.

I did 18 months ago. This trip saved my life.

Have you used travel to help with your mental health? What do you travel for?