Hey Joiningcommet, thank you so much for posting here, I'd like to warmly welcome you to the forums.
I'm sorry to hear that you're going through this. Sometimes, what's going on in our mind can manifest in physical, somatic ways, as the nurse you spoke to has also suggested. If it's feasible and you'd feel comfortable doing so, would you be open to having another chat with your GP about going to see a therapist, counsellor or psychologist to uncover what might be going on and offer you some professional advice? Particularly if travelling is something you regularly partake in, it may be helpful to have a kind of strategy or plan for when you're away and/or not feeling so well, beyond the relief that pills can offer.
In the short-term, do you find that podcasts and videos are helping at all? If that's a medium that you like and are familiar with, ASMR can often be really good for easing anxiety, if that's something you'd be open to listening to. Some people, including myself, find it really relaxing.
I'm always a big fan of journaling, too. Journaling can be anything from writing down how you're currently feeling, or something that's been on your mind recently, an event that's happened in the past... even if it's a couple of sentences when you're feeling particularly upset or nervous. Whether it's in a physical book or on the Notes app on your phone, it can be a great way to let it all out of your system sometimes.
If you need another short-term strategy that is quite discrete, stress balls are often good for grounding yourself and allowing yourself to get out some of that anxious energy. If you're travelling, these may be especially helpful.
I assume you flew out a few days ago given the date on your post, how are you feeling now? Have you tried anything thus far to soothe your traveling anxiety if you've had any?
I hope this helps, and I really do wish you all the best. Having anxiety is no fun, particularly when it starts affecting your physical health. Please feel free to keep chatting with us here, and if you feel like it, you can have a browse through the Beyond Blue forums and see if advice from any other threads resonates with you at all.
Take care, SB
