What we travel industry folk see as totally natural is, in some extreme cases, considered to be a disorder among medical professionals who believe there is such a thing as ‘too much travel’.
In an interview with Condé Nast Traveller, Dr. Michael Brein, a social psychologist specialising in travel and intercultural communication, said that “yes” travel addiction does exist and it is possible to take too many holidays.
The disorder was first recorded back in the 1800s when a French-man admitted himself to a hospital in Bordeaux where he claimed to have zero recollection of the last five years, during which he travelled across Europe.
At the time, doctors diagnosed him with having “dromomania”, which today is sometimes referred to as “vagabond neurosis” and is defined as suffering from “an abnormal impulse to travel”. Those with the extreme condition are known to sacrifice almost anything – money, family and security – to fulfill “their lust for new experiences”.
Dr. Brein described the addiction as more psychological than biochemical and said it was “incredibly complicated” to determine the cause.
“Like anything, if you let it overwhelm you, it can have serious effects on other aspects of your life.”
Dr. Michael Brein
So how will you know if you’re one of these travel addicts?
As mentioned earlier, you’re willing to give up any to travel. This means sacrificing your entire life just to tick off certain cities, mountains, cultures and more.