[pct-l] trail blues, suffering from depression

[Dave Encisco <dencisco@rotorwiz.arc.nasa.gov>]

>From: Karl Brandt <brandt@snf.Stanford.EDU>
>When I thru-hiked I found myself getting really depressed in northern
>California. Somewhere around Belden I found that I was having more
>trouble getting out of my sleeping bag each morning and just generally
>wasn't as happy about hiking as I had been. I noticed that the trail
>registers were full of comments about being "in a funk" or "not with
>it today".

Interesting topic, Karl, which few people seem to talk about. Trail
depression or trail anxiety can be overwhelming even when you're
hiking in the most spectacular part of the trail on a sunny day. Low
level depression or anxiety everyone probably experiences: the
weather, an injury or your hiking partner can cause you to be in a
temporary funk. I'm always fascinated how people overcome this,
especially if they hike alone. It could be as easy as Karl suggested:
human interaction and/or go see a <happy> movie. Since I'm a reader I
notoriously seem to take the wrong books; which always puts me in a
funk (I now only read nonfiction while backpacking for any length of
time).

Then there's the next level of depression that many of us don't know
we suffer, or forget that we suffer, until we break our daily routines
and find ourselves naked of ritual and totally exposed (in more ways
than one) to the elements. I've found that those of us that experience
this redefine our rituals and attempt to fill our day with nonstop
activity. A lay-over day or days spent in the tent due to bad weather
can easily send one over the edge or wishing that you asked your
doctor for some anti-depressants before taking off. I've experienced
this several times over the 32 years of backpacking. Fortunately the
reason that I went backpacking was due to a depressing situation so I
was pretty aware of the cause, but I've often wonder how others deal
with this.

And lastly, I'm always fascinated with how people adjust after
completing one of the long treks like the the PCT, AT or Continental
Divide. Post trail depression seems to be quite similar to when a
Peace Corp. volunteer returns from service. I've talked to several
people from this list regarding this experience and I'm always amazed
how these trail journeys change their lives; especially if you're not
a resilient young person who hasn't yet habituated life as someone who
may be in their late 30's and older has (this is just a
generalization; not to be taken as the rule).

Anyone who cares to share their stories or trail solutions to either
depression or anxiety would find an interested ear (or eye) from me.

Dave

===========================================
        Dave Encisco
        dencisco@rotorwiz.arc.nasa.gov
===========================================
* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  http://www.backcountry.net   *

==============================================================================