Are Your Travel Goals Result Of Travel Dysmorphia? This Is How Psychologist Define It

You must have heard of Body Dysmorphia, but Travel Dysmorphia has become a new rage on the internet. In the past few decades, social media has already given us several health concerns to talk about, and travel dysmorphia is the latest on the list. However, it is not a diagnosable disorder but a mental condition fuelled by the internet, shaping your travel goals.

To understand more about how this new form of dysmorphia is shaping your travel plans and mental health, we reached out to Himanshi Sharma, a Psychologist, Yatharth Hospital, Noida. Here’s how she defines travel dysmorphia and shares suggestions to keep your travel emotions safe.

What is Travel Dysmorphia?

If you are constantly feeling left out because you haven’t travelled enough, your trips don’t look Insta-worthy, and this has started taking a mental toll, you might be the victim of travel dysmorphia.

According to Psychologist Himanshi Sharma, “Travel dysmorphia is basically a state where a person feels that their trips are never good enough. Even after planning well, they keep comparing their travel plans with others and feel they are missing out and not living enough.”

People eventually compare their real experiences to the polished travel photos and reels they see online. This creates pressure to do more, leading to spending more time and money on places and activities they do not genuinely connect with, disturbing their mental peace.

She further stated that it is not a medical disorder but a growing emotional reaction and pressure linked with comparison and unrealistic expectations around travel.

Travel Becomes Stress

Travel starts feeling like a crisis when the focus moves from experience to performance. “Due to Travel Dysmorphia, slowly, the joy of travel shifts into competition and comparison, and individuals start feeling stress when missing spots, not getting perfect photos, or not matching others' lifestyles,” Ms Sharma stated. “You might see people in a panic if they miss a trending spot for the sake of an image. This creates mental overload, making you feel travel is like a race rather than a break.”

This phenomenon also creates guilt, restlessness, and fear of not doing enough, even after coming back from the trip.

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Social Media Fueling Travel Dysmorphia

Sharma highlights that social media shows only the best parts of someone's trip—perfect photos, edited videos, and planned moments. When we keep seeing this, we start believing that our trips should also look like others. “In the current scenario, there is a trend of going to the mountains and festivals mainly to create content, which adds even more pressure to make every trip look aesthetic. This makes viewers feel a strange urge to miss what the world is experiencing and end up making plans based upon the social media image of places.”

The expert stated that mentally, this phenomenon does not just put pressure on you to spend more to chase a perfect trip; it also leaves you in a socially awkward situation where you feel distinct from people, making you feel lonely, further impacting your mental health.

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Signs To Know If You Have Travel Dysmorphia

Psychologist Himani Sharma shares that while this is not an actual mental problem, it can leave you in stress and panic, potentially worsening an already existing mental disorder. However, she also shared a few signs to figure out if your anxiety is because of Travel Dysmorphia:

• You feel your travel plans are never good enough, especially to post on social media.
• You compare your journeys to others all the time.
• You keep checking social media for better destinations or experiences.
• You feel low or guilty after returning from a trip.
• You end up disturbing your budget just for an Insta-worthy moment.
• You feel pressure to travel so that you don't fall behind.

Get Your Travel Feel Back

In travel dysmorphia, individuals keep distorted expectations and dissatisfaction because comparison with others eventually kills the joy of travel. The purpose of travel and exploring new places is to refresh the mind, instead of exhausting it. Ms Sharma shared a few tips to get your travel feel back:

• Travel for what you enjoy, not for things that only look good on social media.
• Reduce scrolling before and during your trip. Let real moments guide you, not what others post online.
• Choose slow travel and let it soak you in, instead of keeping a tight schedule just to check a list.
• A cup of tea, a friendly local chat, or a quiet walk can be more meaningful than rushing to the top 10 spots.
• Take pictures for memories, not for likes or approval.
• Practice slow breathing and observe your surroundings. This helps you stay in the moment and enjoy the trip as it is.
• Try to write down what you enjoyed and felt throughout the journey. This will help your brain remember real moments rather than comparing your holiday to others'.

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Bottomline

Travel Dysmorphia turns your peaceful moments into pressure. If you stop treating travel as a performance, you can enjoy it as a pure exploration, relaxing your mind and body. Permit yourself to travel in your own style and at your own pace, as the best trips are not the ones that look perfect but are the ones that feel honest, peaceful, and truly memorable.