Why are so many digital nomads depressed?

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Becoming a digital nomad or solo traveler isn´t for everyone.

A quick Google search will show you the staggering number of depressed digital nomads

People often picture the nomadic life in a romanticized light, where they work from a laptop on a beach and go on exciting adventures all the time.

While this may be true in some situations, every nomad has to deal with some unique problems that come with this lifestyle choice.

There are three hurdles to overcome.

Jumping into a nomadic lifestyle shakes up the ordinary.

This path, as freeing as it is, really tests how well you can adapt and grow. In today’s writing, I want to uncover the real obstacles from a psychological standpoint.

Each is packed with its own set of lessons and reflections.

1) The presence of uncertainty

Humans are not good at handling uncertainty. There is actually scientific evidence for this and our brain has even dedicated circuits to deal with uncertainty.

Of course, to a certain degree, this is subjective because it all depends on how each individual frames the decision to choose a nomadic lifestyle. But I think it is fair to say that by exposing yourself to constant change, you end up destroying the illusion that things are permanent and stable.

Because the truth is, they are not.

Please note that I am not judging here or saying that this is good or bad. I am just pointing out the obvious, which is that everything is fleeting and impermanent anyway, no matter how familiar things seem to be.

To me, this is a spiritual question because it inevitably, at least at some point, points you towards contemplating your own death, which for most of us is a terribly scary prospect.

However, contemplating how brief and precious the many moments we live actually are can be liberating and incredibly rewarding.

If you go through that process and learn to increase your tolerance for uncertainty, then the reward is an increased capacity to live in the present moment as opposed to living in the past or future.

I think it is a worthwhile endeavor but I can see how this can also break you, so it is not for everyone.

2) The need for greater self-discipline 

Self-discipline is a bitch, especially if willpower is the only source that fuels it.

Again, it really depends on how you frame this and, most importantly, what your goals are. But I am just going to assume that the decision to engage in a nomadic lifestyle does not just stem from a desire “to be free” and waste your time on hedonistic pleasures.

For the sake of this article, I will therefore bet that you actually want to build something worthwhile and leave a legacy while embarking on the journey of a nomadic lifestyle.

If that’s the case, then building healthy habits aligned with your goals is going to be key to attaining them. The best book I have ever read on this topic and probably also the most famous one by copies sold, is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

Here is the thing: Nomadic Lifestyle is at odds with a rule of that book:

Rule 3: “Make it easy.”

Building solid habits is hard, and a key element that prevents us, as imperfect as we are, from falling back into bad habits is to make them easy to follow through. Making it easy means structuring your routine in the same way at the same time, preferably in the same place every single day.

You see where this is going, right?

In short, it is all about reducing the effort needed to perform the desired habit, which while traveling is incredibly challenging.

It leaves us with the reality that we need to compensate and be ruthless when it comes to executing those daily habits that are needed to achieve extraordinary results or face utter frustration and thus depression for not living up to our dreams.

3) How do you cope with loneliness?

Let´s start with the obvious. Loneliness will be a constant companion. That’s not an opinion. That´s just a factual observation.

Again, then, it really comes down to how you frame it in your mind.

There are two types of people

Some people think:

"Traveling alone means you have no companions to witness your adventures, leaving you with no one to brag to about the incredible experiences you encounter along the way." (Anonymous)

And some who think:

"Being alone has a power that very few people can handle." Steven Aitchison

or "It is better to be alone than in bad company."

I think an undeniable fact of human existence is that we need intimacy and connection or we die. We are social animals and there is also scientific proof that people with great relationships live longer and happier lives.

That being said, I think intimacy isn´t limited to monogamous romantic relationships. Nor do I think that the duration of any relationship is necessarily linked to the quality or level of intimacy.

How often have you met someone unexpectedly and had an instant connection? I assume more often than you remember. You probably can´t put your finger on why that is the case, either.

It just is, like electricity; either it´s on or off.

I think for men, from a nomad perspective, the greatest skill you can have is the ability to strike up conversations and talk to anyone. Because when you do, you will inevitably meet people who will leave a strong imprint on you. And these connections will make the journey worthwhile

As a man, you just can´t be shy. That is the harsh reality.

By the way, this is also true for men with normal lives, but even more so for nomads, because as nomads, we have to create new relationships out of thin air every day.

Thanks for reading.

Roman

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