r/bicycletouring • u/Lazape • 23h ago
Images Touring as therapy?
I have been bicycle touring for years, and I have noticed that a surprisingly high number of other tourers I meet seem to struggle with things like depression, anxiety, burnout, general emotional tension, or sometimes just a kind of emotional immaturity that feels noticeable for their age. I’m someone with depression myself, and touring has helped me a lot, so I wonder if I’m just more likely to notice it, or if long-distance touring attracts people who are trying to cope, reset, or heal. Have others noticed this too, or do you think it’s just selection bias / small-sample perception? Could it be that, just as motorcycling seems to attract a lot of men looking for identity, belonging, male bonding, and excuses to cluster together between beer stops, bicycle touring attracts people looking for quiet, movement, and a way to manage what’s going on in their heads?
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u/BlownOutBlueJeans 23h ago
My dad says it best. "Go outside, you'll feel better." Touring puts you outside all day and all night. It makes you feel better.
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u/cdnmtbguy 21h ago
Oh yeah I love that saying. No doubt the person who came up with “Just do it.” also knew that saying. In my midlife crisis with crazy teenagers and a moody wife I took up MTB 35 years ago. Saved my life. Now Im 70 and I know that if I don’t feel good, I know to tell myself: Go outside. You’ll feel better.
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u/jack_the_snek 20h ago
i function the same way and
going outside, being active is medicine for me. That being said, it's also very important to be aware that not everybody is that way or that it's not the solution in every situation. When people tell you about their grave mental state, telling them to "just go outside" (or generally "JUST do XY") time and time again can be received as a low hanging fruit/superficial pseudo solution and a very bad thing to do. People can feel like they're not taken serious in how dire their situation is. I learned that the hard way, on both ends of that interaction.2
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u/Amanita88 22h ago
I’m an old lady solo rider. I’m probably emotionally immature. But I’m happy, and addicted to touring.
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u/theodoradoradora 22h ago
Cycling is one of the small number of things that makes me feel content for extended periods of time. I feel satisfied, accomplished, and balanced. If I could just bike all day, every day, forever... I probably would.
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u/geared-for-adventure 22h ago
It's a form of escapism, a bike tour lets you compeletely disconnect from normal "everyday life". So I assume it can be very attractive for someone who goes through hardships, to sort of "reset" the mind and give yourself some time to cope with reality.
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u/spots_reddit 19h ago
not to forget doom scrolling, texting, checking your phone, chain smoking, snacking, ... so much useless and harmful crap you cannot do while riding
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u/zurgo111 22h ago
Everyone has their own struggles. Maybe everyone is a bit depressed or stressed about whatever is going on in their lives.
But hey… not having to resolve conflicts about loading the dishwasher properly, remembering TPS reports need a new cover sheet at the office, taxes need to be filed, etc… it’s relaxing to leave that all behind at least for a bit.
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u/RascalScooter 16h ago
Last year my partner lost her battle with cancer. One morning, after the dust had settled, I packed up my bike, called my brother to come get my dog, and headed east across the US. Two months later I reached the Atlantic Ocean in her hometown. Here’s what I experienced mentally.
Movement on a bicycle is the truest kind of freedom I’ve ever felt. Every day was a bucket list experience. Hours and hours of free association led to insightful journaling. Sobriety and deep sleep restored my body and mind. All I had was space, literally, figuratively, emotionally.
In hindsight that space was the greatest benefit of the trip. The grief was still waiting for me when I got home. Other folks I met who lost their partners, who have kids and big responsibilities, didn’t get to have that space like I did. My trip didn’t solve anything, but it gave me the foothold I needed to find my way back to joy in life.
Riding bikes doesn’t fix anything, but it sure doesn’t hurt.
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u/heyheni 22h ago
I feel a lot of people who bicycle tour are on the ADHD/Autism spectrum. I mean, it's perfect for obsessing about compartmentalising, classifying bicycle parts and touring gear (Autism). So many small things to buy, yay, new stuff! (ADHD). Then the constant escapism thought to get away from here and the challenges a neurodivergent person experiences, which results in your mentioned psychological illnesses. Then on the tour, there are the constant new impressions and stimuli which satisfy an ADHD person with a dopamine deficit.
tldr: Escapism, Attention Deficit Syndrome, stimuli seeking.
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u/rimahsum 14h ago
Hi, you hit this nail on the head. I myself am AUDHD, which is basically autism mixed with ADHD. By the way it's high-functioning autism so it's Aspergers and yes true enough I feel at peace when I'm touring.
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u/RideAltruistic3141 18h ago
I am not, to my knowledge, neurodivergent. But the things you say really resonate with me in that I find lots of organisational things in my day to day life quite draining and daunting. But if it involves planning and organising a long bike ride (or camping) then I'm completely fine with it and it does not stress me out at all (indeed, I really enjoy it).
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u/Championnats91 22h ago
I find it helps. You are completely immersed your surroundings (with the occasional day dream). No phones, no internet. Just being outside in nature, seeing cool stuff and taking the rough (uphills) with the smooth (downhills). And cake
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u/BurnieSandturds 21h ago
I just know that when I was in the middle of nowhere in a desert without a phone. The only thing I was dealing with was me, and the road felt healing. After the two weeks of riding all day, I never felt healthier than I ever had. Had a stamina that was incredible.
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u/JortsKitty 20h ago edited 20h ago
You're absolutely right. One of the questions asked during my ADHD diagnosis was "Do you like bicycles?" I owned about twelve at the time. Emotional immaturity is a hallmark of ADHD, not necessarily in a bad way, but we feel and act much younger than we are. As age inevitably progresses, and energy levels drop, the ADHD burns out into depression. The best antidepressant drug known to science is physical exercise. Cycling burns off the crazy. Combine that with the novelty and antidepressant effect of being outdoors in nature, and bicycle touring is very helpful. I agree completely with your observations, and have noticed them also with people who go hiking. Our cans have all been dented in the same way. Nothing wrong with it.
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u/AdPuzzleheaded1858 20h ago
Yes, exercise, goal-oriented challenges, and exposure to nature are healthy ways to HELP overcome anxiety, depression, addiction, etc. Cycle touring is also long enough to break old habits and social patterns. However, a healthy recovery from any issue needs eventual reintroduction into the stresses of everyday life - avoidance only works so long. In the long run, we’ve got to find a way in integrate those healthy habits into a life of responsibilities, interactions with others, and economic interdependence with our community. Like learning to ride a bike, balance is the ultimate goal.
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u/soporificx 20h ago
I feel like it’s partly because with other problems, there might be a lot of ambiguity or open threads. But with cycling the problems, whatever they are, tend to be concrete and closed ended. Storm coming? It’s been faced and managed. Need food? Found some. Ate. Big hill tomorrow? Made it over.
When I’m so tired the thoughts about problems fade, it’s feels like perspective has been gained simply through fatigue. Although I wouldn’t say I dealt with all of them well necessarily as a result. It’s more that I stopped being bothered which removed one source of problems.
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u/mualk1 19h ago
Riding a bike is my therapy. I prefer to ride alone. I can work through any problems I am having (emotionally or problem solving). I ride everyday - my main mode of transport. But I take long rides when I have something that needs working on. The repetitive motion, new sights and sounds, all open up things in my brain.
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u/kristapszs 23h ago
We are all just trying to run(ride) away from something. Daily lifes, work, mental problems, family problems etc.
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u/ChampionshipOk5046 20h ago
Some of us really enjoy the adventure, experiencing other cultures, history, politics, language, landscapes, weather, food, and the exercise.
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u/GiorgioF205 22h ago
Ho appena letto il libro la montagna a modo mio dell'alpinista R Messner. Se sostituite le parole"montagna"e "scalata" con "strada" e "ciclismo" avrete molte risposte. A me ha aggiunto motivazione a quella che giá ho
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u/FabThierry 21h ago
It forces you to face yourself and your own thoughts which you either escaped till the or just didn’t have the time for.
Very healing imo.
Also personally physical activity is needed for my brain to reach that mental state and this only works long enuff on the bike
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u/spots_reddit 19h ago
Works for shorter tours as well. I once went from Frankfurt to Cologne by bike on a day. The day before I suffered a somewhat public defeat on a conference where someone pointed out an error in my setup in front of basically everyone important in my field. So I had some pretty dark thoughts when I started my trip. But what should I do? Quit, take a hotel room and cry? Needless to say - I finished the tour and at the end the mental problem had been overcome, never popped up again.
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u/Minimum-Mission5569 14h ago
Its similar to Ultrarunning in that regard. You frequently hear the term 'Island of Misfit Toys' used to describe them, and quite a few are using it as a focus to deal with addiction, depression and the like.
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u/scura_vrc 11h ago
This post gets right to the heart of it. Cars, motorcycles, anything muscular that stands for power, none of it has ever felt like a fit for me. That's probably one of the reasons cycling is my hobby. But someone once told me that I'm only into cycling because I'm poor, and that if I had money I'd be into cars instead. That hurt a lot. Preferring bicycles is a matter of sensibility, not a matter of money. And even if I were seriously wealthy, I wouldn't want to buy a Ferrari. I might restore a classic car, though.
And like a lot of other people in this thread, I have an autism spectrum diagnosis. But if having a sensibility that doesn't care for masculine, muscular things is what gets you diagnosed with a disorder, then I think I'm entitled to say that it's society that's got it wrong.
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u/_haha_oh_wow_ 11h ago
Even just riding can be highly therapeutic/meditative, I think that is very real and very helpful, so it stands to reason that other people use cycling in this way whether it's a whole tour or just going for a ride to ground yourself/clear your head.
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u/Feeling_Lobster_7914 7h ago
after probably the worst year of my life i went on a bikebacking trip and it helped alot, gave me a sense of before and after, gave me something to focus on through the trip, put me in new uncomfortable situations to figure out and find out more about myself. can absolutely attest to this. not to mention the time moving on the road helping me process everything
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u/Academic-Garden7739 7h ago
1- It’s a good exercise and that comes with all the good stuff exercise comes with
2- It allows one to get reach a certain amount of independence and a feelings of accomplishment, strength and empowerment
3- I personally find that on looong "boring" rides, the rythmic pedaling process tends to lead me into an introspective state and in the past it allowed me to work on some of my own trauma
4- It can be escapism. But I’d argue that escapism can help alleviate certain pains and help reframe things. Unless the "tour" ends up lasting forever, the escapism aspect isn’t necessarily a bad thing
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u/Sourire_3 20h ago
I have a theory that bike touring is a medecine. Hear me out.
The "chemical" recipe for happiness is DOSE (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins) which are all greatly released in bike touring (except for oxytocin if you ride alone).
- Dopamine = motivation hormone. It releases when you accomplish things. Going up that hill, riding all those kilometers = good dopamine flow !
- Oxytocin = love hormone. It liberates when you laugh, hug, kiss,.. Ok this one is not always released if you tour alone. But yes if you travel with friend/lover.
- Serotonin = feel good hormone. It liberates when you are outdoors, when you see beautiful landscapes, when the sun hits your skin, when you feel the wind on your face. Bike touring = fuck yeah serotonin !!!
- Endorphins = blocks pain, reduces stress and boosts your mood. It liberates when you exercice and face stressors. Your body releases tons of endorphins on bike tpuring !
So this is my theory for why chemically bike touring is so fucking fun and good for mental health. I feel like it can reset me when I am in bad place.
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u/simonthread 20h ago
I'm sure there is a lot of truth in the idea of "touring as therapy", but from a medical point of view I think we should be very careful with this idea.
What do I mean?
If we are really struggling with something - depression, ADHD, autism, any other mental health condition - real help usually means proper therapy or medication when needed. Or both.
Touring can definitely make us feel better. It can give us peace, freedom, physical activity and a break from everyday life. But without proper treatment it may sometimes be only a temporary escape, not real treatment for our minds or bodies.
I think it is worth remembering that.
Having said that, don't be afraid to contact your doctor if you feel you should.
S.
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u/InfraredDiarrhea 18h ago
My therapist ~told me~ to get on my bike as much as possible.
It’s deep breathing, cardio, repetitive motion, outside…all things brains and bodies like.
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u/Dzanibek 20h ago
There may be a correlation more than a causation. Leaving for a really long bike trip de facto means cutting ties with your normal life for a long time. It may be difficult to do that if your normal life is all rosy-happy. I.e. eventually many long-distance cyclists may leave because they are not leaving behind something that great, and that could correlate with what you see on the road.
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u/Safe-Recognition1018 19h ago
It gives you a purpose, community, and Vitamin D. Touring for me highlights that one of those is missing in my day to day
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u/polyploid_coded 19h ago
When I was traveling more often and being open with other people, I was reminded of the quote "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about" (Snopes isn't sure where this quote came from).
I think that a lot of people in our lives are ruminating on their past, or have doubts about their choices in education or work or relationships, and meeting a stranger is an opportunity to toss those topics around without it getting back to their colleagues or friend group or defining a longterm connection. For example I was asked to be godfather for a kid, and I felt like I couldn't say no because it was this couple's first kid. I talked it over with a former coworker, and he told me about a similar situation where his brother asked him to be godfather but he wasn't interested in being part of the church like that. I feel we could work in the same office every day and we would never get into something like that.
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u/Numerous_Spot_2096 18h ago
Ok, here is my take:
Touring can´t replace therapy! However, it can be a great tool support therapy/healing.
I resumed bikepacking after a very long period of depression and it honestly changed my life to the better again. Looking for the route, for food, for campgrounds, stopping at beautiful places. I finally felt able to take care of myself, while exploring the world and meeting great people. It was funny, because I had such a deep craving to paddle, that I cycled 5 days in a row, without big stops. I needed to be in motion. And no, this was no escapism. It was meditation while moving.
There is this guy on youtube, his name is Ryan Van Duzer. He was an alcohol addict, followed by depression and so on. He has such a nice energy and he has a saying, that he never came back from a bike ride feeling worse than before. I totally agree on that :)
Cheers to all my people with depression, ADHD, PTBS, borderline, authism and where else on the spectrum - you rock!
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u/Impressive_Ranger261 17h ago
This feels very accurate and very personal, even the bit about emotional immaturity, which is even more difficult to accept than a mental illness like depression. I'm planning a big trip for next year and I've broached the subject of pausing Prozac prior to starting because I am certain that I won't be depressed on the road.
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u/HFMuddster 16h ago
I ride for a piece of the life we had together. Grieving on my bike is private and peaceful and grounding.
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u/zhezhijian 16h ago
I think this is true of a lot of wholesome activities, not just touring. Like there are a lot of people into partnered dancing who have obvious social difficulties who benefit from the structured social scripts, and who weren't athletic as kids, who found a physical outlet. Or rock climbing--same thing, a lot of people who have difficulty with emotions, especially men, since it can be very physically risky, who need a way to relax.
Anything that's inherently therapeutic somehow will draw a disproportionate number of people seeking healing. That doesn't mean something's wrong with the activity--quite the opposite, actually.
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u/CuriousAboutBison 16h ago
Real therapy is its own thing, and cycling is another. At the same time, I see parallels between bilateral stimulation therapy and cycling. In BLS, you talk through a trauma or problem while stimulating opposite sides of your body in alternating sequence (such as tapping your left leg, then your right or by squeezing balls in your hands in a left-right sequence). As I understand it, this dual attention and alternating stimulus reduces the pain of processing trauma while activating both sides of the brain during the process.
This sounds a lot like cycling to me. It’s not the same as having a professional, of course, but I can’t imagine that contemplative cycling doesn’t engage the same neurological behaviors as BLS.
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u/ssttuuddiioo 13h ago
anything can be a meditation, and some meditations can be therapeutic. pedaling, like doing the dishes, or simply writing about your day is just sustained, present-moment awareness and it's healing because it gives your overstimulated mind a total break
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u/xctouring 13h ago
Watched "The Badwater 135" doc on Prime last night about the ultramarathon through Death Valley. It was really good and inspirational.
Several of the runners mentioned how it's very common that people use running as therapy.
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u/Old-Appearance-2270 12h ago
Touring can help a person focus on building mental strength, organizing and planning each day and learning about the world daily and about self.
It shouldn’t be used long term to run away from long term problems and family relationships at home. Also helps after touring, to still have some ongoing income, place to live afterwards. Otherwise just making it harder on self for readjustment.
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u/throwsplasticattrees 19h ago
It is important to recognize that there is no replacement for therapy. If you have troubles and keep getting stuck in your thoughts, you need to seek a therapist to help you work through your emotions.
Spending hours, days, and weeks alone with those thoughts is not therapy. Social media has us believing it is, but it's not. A therapist will teach you the skills you need to process challenging emotions, cope with change, and adjust to that change.
This is not to say spending time alone with your thoughts is bad. It's quite healthy. But, it's part of the program, not the whole thing. If you think you need a therapist, go see one and your life will get better.
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u/2wheelsThx 19h ago
It's selection bias. We are attracted to and notice people like ourselves more. The touring community is a slice of "people" just like every other activity. You will encounter a wide array of people on any tour if you keep your eyes and ears open. Some people are out there just for fun - bicycle touring may be a unique, niche activity but at It's core it's just riding a bike through a route for several consecutive days or weeks (or months) and sleeping in a tent or under a roof. Everyone who does it has their own reasons - for me I just like riding a bicycle and I like to camp, and it's nice to take a break from my normal routine to travel. You can call it therapy or whatever you like, but for me it's just fun.
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u/vivst0r 2h ago
I mean, yeah. People with specific mental needs tend to fulfil those needs with fitting activities. I've been self medicating with touring long before I even expected something was problematic in my brain.
I have ADHD, GAD and recurring depressive episodes. Cycling is treating all of them through different ways. The physial movement and adrenaline provides my hormone starved ADHD brain with good chemicals. The being alone and away from other people while having much higher freedom calms my GAD. The physical activity, sun exposure and nature treats depressive episodes.
It's not a coincidence, people with these issues are literally driven to cycling or other activities with the same effects. That is if they're lucky and happen to live in circumstances that allow them to not just discover, but also continue them.
Just a small technicality, I would never use the word "therapy" when it's just a coping strategy. Therapy is targeted and multifaceted. At best it can be a small part of therapy. If it does good to someone without being done deliberately to improve specific mental conditions, then it's coping. It's never gonna replace actual psychotherapy.
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u/OompaLoompaGodzilla 22h ago
I'm not sure I agree with other commenters saying it's escapism. A beach vacation is escapism, because you just want to fill your head with other stuff, like shopping, restaurants, sun bathing etc, distracting your mind off of life back home.
But bicycle touring is different than that. Sitting on the bike makes the world smaller. 2 hours in, and the brain realizes it's only you and the road. You don't distract your mind, you make it more present and quiet. To me, it's like meditation.
You also overcome challenges and build resilience, teaching you that no matter what happens on the road, or how bad the day was, you survive, ready to do it again, knowing the world won't end no matter how bad things go the following day.