Wanderlust: what are we really looking for in distant lands? Dromomania: causes, manifestations, treatment of pathological wanderlust Craving for travel.

Dromomania: causes, manifestations, treatment of pathological passion for wandering

Maria Barnikova

One form of pathological mania is dromomania. On the causes of development, signs and methods of treatment of abnormal craving for vagrancy.

Dromomania- a specific syndrome within mental disorder depressive-manic course, which manifests itself in the presence of an obsessive, uncontrollable, impulsively emerging craving for a change of place of residence in an individual. In psychiatry, such an abnormal wanderlust also has other names: vagabondage, poriomania.

The main sign of dromomania is the development in a person of an irresistible attraction to a change of location: causeless escapes from one's own home, spontaneous changes in one's place of residence, logically inexplicable wanderings. At the same time, the subject suffering from dromania is not guided by the desire to travel: he does not feel the desire to visit exotic countries, visit sights, see the picturesque corners of the planet.

His impulse to change his place of residence is a painful uncontrollable passion to leave the boundaries of the "usual" territory. Dromomania is a recurring obsessive need to go "where your eyes look." Leaving home is never preceded by the development of a route of movement, planning the duration of the trip, preliminary analysis possible difficulties and obstacles along the way.

Typically, the first episode of dromomania, referred to as the reactive phase, is initiated by intense exposure to stressors and follows an unresolved traumatic event. In the case of the subsequent fixation of mania, the obsessive need to wander takes on a severe course.

Progression pathological disorder leads to an increase in the frequency of episodes of leaving home and a longer duration of the abnormal "journey". Over time, an unhealthy habit is formed and consolidated - from time to time or in response to some unpleasant event, leave your home and wander.

Dromomania: causes

Often, dromania debuts during puberty. Runaways from one's own home among teenagers are quite common phenomena associated primarily with the "surprises" of puberty. Such a teenage absence in most cases is not quite normal, but a natural one-time event, directly objectively related to some real problems.

A single departure from the house of a girl or a boy can be explained by the peculiarities of puberty: sharp antagonism, a sharp confrontation with society, a thirst to prove oneself and demonstrate one's independence. As a person grows up, he accepts his individuality, finds his place in the human community, acquires the skills of harmonious interaction with other persons.

However, in some people the propensity to wander takes on an irresistible obsession. A mature, accomplished person begins to be under the influence of an irrational passion for vagrancy. With the development of dromomania, an adult subject is not able to control his impulses to wander, he cannot resist the pathological thirst to leave the house by volitional efforts. Having fallen into the trap of dromomania, an individual in a painful desire for wandering does not stop either the presence of a family, or parental responsibilities, or the need to go to work.

Chronic dromomania is often a concomitant phenomenon various pathologies mental sphere, among which the palm is occupied by obsessive-compulsive disorder. Also causeless and uncontrollable wanderlust is determined by severe course constitutional psychopathy. Regular episodes of dromania are recorded in schizophrenia, epilepsy, hysterical neuroses, depressive states. Start development painful passion to the shoots can be an organic disease of the brain caused by acute violation blood circulation, craniocerebral injury, disease of infectious origin, oncological pathology.

The following circumstances most often act as a trigger for unexpected impulses to “run away from reality”:

• unfavorable atmosphere in the family;
• conflict situation in the educational or work team;
• forced constant contact with asocial elements;
• exorbitant mental or physical stress;
• mental fatigue due to excessive workload and lack of proper rest;
• emotional "press" from the close environment;
• physical, sexual, moral violence;
• sudden intense exposure to stress factors.

Dromamania is most often formed in an emotive type of personality: an impressionable, suspicious, vulnerable, touchy person. An obsessive desire to change the situation is often observed in people who do not have a strong inner core, experience an internal conflict of needs, interests, goals. An individual who does not understand his own desires and aspirations, does not know in which direction he is moving in life, on a subconscious level, is simply afraid of life's realities. In such a situation, dromania is a kind of defensive behavior that allows you to avoid confronting reality, albeit in a very strange way.

Dromomania: stages

Like others psychopathological syndromes, dromomania in its development goes through several stages, as the onset of which the passion for vagrancy becomes more persistent.

Initial phase- reactive stage - manifests itself as the first episode of dromania. As a rule, the first runaway from home, initiated by an experienced personal tragedy, does not last long. Having wandered aimlessly for a couple of days, the person returns to his abode and begins to lead a familiar life. However, the subconscious of a person, already at the initial phase of dromomania, firmly fixes a “convenient” model of responding to stress in the form of runaway behavior.

Intermediate phase- the stage of fixing the pathology - is characterized by the formation of an abnormal habit of vagrancy. At the slightest problem, the subject's consciousness embraces an irresistible desire to wander. The personality becomes unable to resist its obsessive impulses. At this stage, the duration of the period of vagrancy increases, bouts of dromomania occur more and more often. Clinical signs of bipolar depression are often determined.

final stage marks the stage of the final formation of the syndrome of dromomania. The person loses the ability to control his impulsive impulses. During an episode of dromomania, the subject is unable to critically evaluate his condition, cannot influence the train of thought and does not control his own behavior.

Dromomania: signs

Specific signs inform about the development of the pathological syndrome of dromomania. The presence of a manic wanderlust can be diagnosed if a person meets the following criteria.

Factor 1. "Predetermined" escape

As patients with dromomania say, they are pushed to make another journey by a “special” internal state. They are in a feverish nervous excitement. All their thoughts are focused on the "necessity" of another escape. At the same time, they look forward to their euphoria, which arises as soon as they cross the threshold of their home.

Factor 2. Sudden unconscious compulsion to escape

The obsession to leave home and go on a trip always arises spontaneously. An individual suffering from dromania may interrupt the labor process, leave workplace and leave the office without saying a word to anyone. It is not uncommon for a dromoman to wander in the middle of the night while wearing sleepwear. Such a subject leaves home without warning loved ones, while he does not take with him mobile phone to contact relatives.

Factor 3. Indifference to travel details

With dromomania, the subject is absolutely indifferent to how their “campaign” develops. He not only lacks a travel plan, he has no idea where exactly he is going. With dromomania, a person often walks long distances or prefers to hitchhike.

He does not take with him personal hygiene products, change of clothes and shoes, food and water. A person addicted to dromania does not care about financial well-being and does not take money with him. He does not think that he will starve, suffer from thirst, freeze. At the same time, it is not difficult for a dromoman to beg, steal, and cheat in the active phase of “running mania”.

Factor 4. Blatant irresponsibility.

A subject suffering from dromomania is characterized by cynical irresponsibility. During wanderings, the individual is not disturbed by thoughts of unfulfilled work, of an abandoned family, of suffering children, of grieving relatives. He goes into his unreal world, in which there are no such criteria as duties, the need for attention and care.

Factor 5. Reduced criticality

During the period of "binge travel" the individual is unable to control his thoughts and actions. He loses the opportunity to critically assess his condition. He believes that his spontaneous escape from home - normal way solve your own problems.

However, as his abnormal passion is satisfied, the subject with dromomania begins to realize the illogicality and absurdity of his wandering. He returns home and in the early stages may experience minor pangs of conscience. However, very quickly dromomania takes the reins of control over the consciousness of the individual, and the obsessive craving for vagrancy returns again.

Dromomania: treatment

Since dromomania is characterized by a progressive nature, at the first signs of the syndrome, it is necessary to consult a psychotherapist for advice. Conducting psychotherapeutic treatment early stage disorders, will completely eliminate the painful passion for vagrancy.

With the development clinical signs dromomania it is advisable to conduct comprehensive survey patient to determine the underlying somatic or mental pathology. Strategy drug treatment is selected exclusively on an individual basis and is focused on eliminating the underlying disease. As a rule, the treatment program includes antidepressants, drugs that stabilize the emotional status, anti-anxiety drugs.

The main emphasis in the treatment of dromomania is made on psychotherapeutic measures and hypnosis. The doctor's work is aimed at eliminating the subconscious destructive program that controls human behavior. Teaching relaxation skills and ways to respond constructively to stressors, minimizing psychotraumatic factors, identifying the triggers of mania give a chance to completely get rid of the painful wanderlust.

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“My son constantly runs away from home. Every time we can’t find a place for ourselves, we look for police, call hospitals ... And after a few weeks our child is returned home. Our family is prosperous: we don’t drink, we don’t swear, so there are reasons for leaving I can’t find it. I tried to talk to him, find out why this was happening, but I didn’t achieve anything ... " A. K., Rostov

Here is a letter that came to our editorial office. Indeed, every year hundreds of children Rostov region go on solo trips. What drives them to seek adventure? Unfavorable situation in the family, an attempt to challenge society or illness? We decided to talk about this with the associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Russian State Medical University, a psychiatrist the highest category Alexey Perekhov.

Dromania in adults is rare.

Alexey Yakovlevich, there is an opinion that the cause of the passion for travel in adolescents is often the disease of dromania. Is it so? - It's a delusion. In only one case out of hundreds, the cause of a teenager's escape from home can be dromomania (from the Greek dromos - "running", "path" and mania) - an irresistible craving for vagrancy. This is disease state, in which children and adolescents suddenly have an acute desire to leave, run away from home without any visible reasons. Moreover, this desire does not arise urgently, but accumulates day after day. A person is tormented, trying to drive these thoughts away from himself, because of this, he has a melancholy-evil mood, and in the end, in order to escape from this state, he breaks down and goes. Without preparation, without a goal, often he himself does not even remember where he was and what he saw. Moreover, during the trip, the dromoman eats almost nothing, often drinks alcohol and is in a lost state. Such people are easily distinguished in the crowd by their absent, confused look and increased nervousness. The attack lasts from several days to several weeks and usually ends with a strong desire to return home. - You're talking about dromoman children. What about adults? - There are far fewer of them. Dromamania in its purest form (as aimless vagrancy) in adults is extremely rare. But very often there are similar states when a person prone to dromomania chooses more socialized paths: constant moving from place to place, travel, etc.

high speed travel

So why does this disease occur? - Most often, this disorder develops in combination with other disorders, as a consequence of head bruises, concussions. Often dromomania acts as a reflection of schizophrenia, epilepsy, hysteria and other disorders. Moreover, mainly men are disposed to this disease. Eliminate the disease (along with other symptoms) is possible only with special treatment. In the practice of Dr. Perekhov, there was a case when the parents of a dromoman turned to him. The boy was born with a birth injury. He suffered from sleepwalking (sleepwalking) and sleepwalking. And at the age of 12 he began to leave home. Upon his return, he cried, asked for forgiveness, but after a while he disappeared again. The teenager came to Dr. Perekhov only at the age of 14. After the prescribed course of medical and psychological treatment, the patient recovered. - Four years later, before being drafted into the army, he again appeared with us. During all this time, he never ran away from home, he learned to control himself, but we still did not let him into the army ... - Have there been cases when patients applied themselves? - This is a rarity, but still there were several such cases. One of the patients in the conversation admitted that sometimes he "covers", he cannot control himself, he gets ready and leaves wherever his eyes look. Once in this way he found himself in Moscow. He realized that something strange was happening to him. Then he came to us ... Along with cases of true dromomania, psychiatrists are faced with diseases that have nothing to do with this syndrome, although the symptoms are the same. A few years ago, there was a unique case in Rostov - there are about twenty such cases all over the world. Rostovchanin K. was going to buy household appliances. He took a large amount of money, a passport, got into a taxi and ... disappeared. The police searched for him for three days: many versions were developed. But suddenly the "missing" called: "I'm in Novosibirsk. Send money for a return ticket ..." At the airport, a thin, dirty, ragged husband was walking towards his wife. On the face of stubble, in the eyes of fear. The “traveler” answered all the questions with the same answer: “I remember that I got into a taxi. Then it’s empty. unfamiliar city, near the showcase of the bakery. It's cold outside. Everyone is in a coat, and I am in a suit. I want to eat and sleep ... "Later, in her husband's pocket, the wife found air tickets: Rostov - Moscow, Moscow - Tallinn, Tallinn - Yekaterinburg, Yekaterinburg - Astrakhan, Astrakhan - Chita, Chita - Novosibirsk ... Breaks between flights are several hours. For for three days he flew around almost the entire former Soviet Union.After a while, the attack recurred.K.'s relatives took him to a psychiatrist.The examination revealed that the patient's brain was growing malignant tumor, the result of which was pseudodromomania. Unfortunately, it was too late to operate on K....

And if you just like wandering...

But how to distinguish true dromomania from imaginary one? - Cases of imaginary dromomania are hundreds of times more common. And if we are talking about teenagers running away from home, then this is ordinary vagrancy. And you can always identify its causes: it is either a protest against excessive demands in the family or at school, running away as a reaction to fear of punishment, domestic violence, vagrancy as a result of fantasies (after reading adventure books, watching movies) or as a way of manipulating relatives. For example, in a family where a teenager is constantly bullied, the child often sees only two options - either suicide or escape. And it's good when the choice is made in favor of the second. In addition, vagrancy is typical for adolescents with certain structural features. nervous system. Unstable, anxious, suspicious, closed, with a hysterical form of behavior - in each case, the problem can be solved only with the help of an individual approach. It is more difficult with antisocial children, homeless children, for whom vagrancy is a way of life in which they are not burdened with obligations. It is much more convenient for them to live at railway stations, use drugs, alcohol, sniff glue. Therefore, you can no longer lure them with any social benefits. - So what should parents do if they cannot keep the child in the family? - If a child has left home at least once, this is a direct signal to contact a clinical psychologist. If the psychologist determines that this is not a form of protest and there is much more serious reasons for anxiety, then you already need to turn to psychiatrists. And in no case will the police help you, as your parents think about it. Yes, a teenager will be found, brought home, but only doctors of the soul will help you figure out the reasons, choose the right course of action and get rid of the problem.

Svetlana Lomakina

By the way

There are cases when, having arisen in childhood, dromomania persists in adult men and women, and the woman is not stopped by the presence of small children, whose health is endangered during vagrancy .. Can professional travelers be called dromomania? After all, they also cannot stay in one place for a long time, they are also attracted by the wind of wanderings. However, unlike sick people, they embark on a journey quite consciously, not spontaneously, they think over the route in advance, etc. And most importantly - they remember all the trips very well. And yet, it is quite likely that mild form they have this mental disorder. For example, the Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia classifies the famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov (pictured) as a dromoman, constantly leaving home on seafaring wanderings.

Do you have a friend who is never in the same place for more than one week? If yes, then you are familiar with this situation: he always sends you photos of exotic food or places that you had no idea existed. He returns home only for a day, tastes his mother's treats and sets off again on the road. Travel has become the norm for this man. He is not embarrassed by either airplanes, or yachts, or the hardships associated with a tiring road.

This begs the logical question: who is sponsoring all these trips? Maybe your friend suddenly fell into an inheritance or his work allows him to be anywhere in the world? Or maybe he travels the world teaching yoga, or wanders the streets of cities like a street guitarist? However, he does it, and your inner voice keeps saying this guy is wrong.

Travel Addiction: Myth or Reality?

But what if your friend does not belong to himself and has long been trapped in an unusual addiction? To answer this question, you will have to ask the experts. After all, if there are people who are ready to part with large sums in the casino, why not be people who spend six-figure sums on travel, examining the most remote corners of our planet?

Addiction or obsession?

A person who has an obsession with something must meet three characteristics: he strives to conform to a certain pattern of behavior, he does not see the harmful consequences of his occupation, and he cannot interfere with his desires. Wanderlust does not match any of the three parameters. That is why it cannot be defined in the category of "mania". Although the desire to travel somewhere again can be quite compulsive, from a neurological point of view it is impossible to prove instant gratification. Going on the next trip, the traveler never knows whether he will like it or not. “There is no evidence to suggest that the committed tourist is in for a dopamine blast,” says Dr. Daniel Epstein, a Florida psychotherapist who specializes in the study of human addictions.

Why does travel make us happy?

So why can't some people stop traveling? Why are they excited as soon as their flight is displayed on the scoreboard? Why do they buy themselves a new suitcase every year and why put up with staying in hotels? There is no doubt that travel makes people happy. From time to time we like to change the environment and are happy to get acquainted with a foreign culture. However, this does not make us obsessed maniacs.

A long road is usually tiring, and after a two-week stay in a foreign country, you are strongly drawn home, to your comfort zone, to your usual activities. Most people get tired of endless flights, for example, artists on a world tour. All they dream about is to see family and friends as soon as possible. Perhaps, not only psychology, but also genetics is to blame for the addictions of some of us.

Mutating gene

People are genetically programmed to lead a "sedentary" lifestyle. The development of ancient tribal communities clearly confirms this trend. However, not every person is subject to this genetic model. Scientists claim that the DRD4 gene, which is responsible for controlling dopamine, has the ability to mutate. This state is usually associated with increased anxiety and anxiety. The DRD4-7R mutation occurs in almost one-fifth of the population. Agree, very impressive figures. And that means twenty percent of people tend to experiment. All of them are happy to try new foods, take risks in business and often change sexual partners.

If we take into account the average young European, who is not yet firmly on his feet, it is possible to explain the popularity of hostels, as well as why many of them cannot sit in one place. Now it becomes clear why they hitchhike and embark on various adventures. The mutating DRD4-7R gene whispers to its owner about the extraordinary tightness of the Western or Eastern Hemisphere.

Other preconditions

According to scientists, this gene is more common in people whose DNA goes back to migratory populations. For example, it is much easier for Americans to break away from their homes and move to the other end of the country. There are many more convinced travelers among them. Although there is no sound scientific evidence to support this trend, there is still some correlation.

Psychology matters too

If we abstract from genetics, we can find another curious pattern. From the point of view of psychology, an avid traveler is not yet a fully formed personality. On trips, this person is looking for something that he cannot find in his ordinary reality: the meaning of life. Well, in part, single people are looking for new acquaintances and romantic hobbies there.

Can an obsession with travel be harmful in any way?

The problem lies only in getting used to this way of life. When you are 20 years old and not sedentary, sooner or later you will have to settle down. And then you will fully feel the hardships of existence. It is difficult for you to find a suitable job, because your resume says that you did not stay long in the same place.

Conclusion

There is nothing wrong with traveling, as long as you do not understand that in this way you are trying to escape from reality. Evasion of responsibility, from family, household and professional problems really gives cause for concern.

Travel- for many a fabulous dream! It makes you forget about daily worries and imagine yourself somewhere far away, where everything is different…. It makes you want to throw away your laptop and go to discover and feel the whole world and its content, constant diversity… This craving makes you leave cozy comfortable places, strive somewhere, drive, run, fly. Love to travel slumbers inside every person, just for someone else that very day will not come ...
Thrills, carelessness, a constant carnival of changing faces, impressions, colors. Acquaintance with new corners of the country and ethnic cuisine - and all this is a discovery and wonderful sensations. Once knowing trips and man cannot imagine himself any longer without them.

Passion for freedom!

Certainly, traveling, we have to depend on many circumstances and situations: the movement of trains, planes, look for places to stay. And only by moving along your own route can you feel liberated from what recently was almost the meaning of being and occupied all thoughts and plans: everyday worries, deeds, office worries, gasoline prices and exchange rates. In new places, people get a unique chance to rethink and re-evaluate all the values ​​of what happened, understand what they really need and make decisions that can change lives.

Just a few days and already again you need to run, hurry, so as not to be late for the liner or train, which will be taken to another place, for other impressions and sensations. And again new acquaintances and still unexplored corners, informative walks and exciting excursions. Time in the next town flies by unnoticed. And again a kaleidoscope. And again villages, cities or countries, people and the world. Only freedom does not change. Freedom that gives wings to every wanderer. In search of freedom, including from themselves, in anticipation of new wonders that they have never seen, people set off on a journey. They refuse the usual sofa, the same faces, repeated days. In each new place, new city, every traveler with pleasure begins to absorb everything unusual and unusual. Here absolutely everything around is completely different for him, so attractive and long-awaited.

Bright colors and emotions that do not refuse

There is not much travel. Even more, each time it is expected with even greater excitement and anticipation of a meeting with a still unexplored place. What is it like gambling pushing for constant movement and change of scenery.

There is knowledge known only to travelers. For the sake of it, you can endure tedious journeys or flights, change of time zones and long waits at the airport or train station. Such an inexplicable state, when a person belongs only to himself and the expanse leading forward. And no one else, when all the possibilities are open.

This feeling did not arise just like that, every person is born and then rejoices all his carefree childhood with a feeling of complete freedom. Where there is a place for a miracle! And only when growing up it goes into the subconscious, closes with a layer of routine growing problems, worries and anxieties. And suddenly, these half-forgotten sweetish and quivering sensations of boundless freedom return after crossing the border, not only the visible borders, but also those internal ones, behind which he himself hid.

For the sake of a feeling of boundless freedom and a complete rejection of everything that interfered, pulled back, rejection even of ourselves, of who we were, we go on a journey. Deep in their souls, people still remember why they were born, grew up, and matured. Dreamed, fantasized and loved, made plans. This feeling is always within us, we just sometimes do not notice it. But it does not disappear anywhere, but only flares up brighter when the trip begins to be planned. And now, the tickets are already booked ... And the heart beats faster!

What gives us travel?

Journey - good word, these are not only different cities and countries. These are strange, heart-rending feelings, a complete sense of independence from the unloading world and circumstances. This is a wonderful state, an opportunity to overcome your fears of the unknown and leave all the problems and worries that prevent you from breathing. full chest Fresh air change.

Traveling, we overcome many borders - between cities and continents, what was unknown becomes familiar. Monochromatic days and bright holidays are changing, the wind of freedom is blowing. But the most important thing is that you not only get to know the world in all its diversity and color, but also overcome your internal boundaries and barriers, freeing yourself from everything rubbish, unnecessary and alluvial, reborn to another, more interesting and exciting life.

For unbridled emotions and explosive feelings, rare but such sweet finds, for finding one's "I", as well as for the newfound harmony of one's world, everyone loves traveling so much!