
When Doctors Thought ‘Wanderlust’ Was a Psychological Condition - gotocake
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/when-wanderlust-was-a-disease
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izzydata
Aren't most mental disorders just behaviors that differ from the norm and make
it difficult for those people to function in everyday society? Some cultures
wouldn't recognize some things as a disorder if it wasn't difficult for those
people.

My point being that I don't understand where you draw the line. If someone had
such a need to wander the world that it meant that they couldn't live properly
in modern society then it seems as much of a mental disorder than most others.

~~~
maxheadroom
> _Aren 't most mental disorders just behaviors that differ from the norm and
> make it difficult for those people to function in everyday society?_

(Story time.) I went to a presentation one time at work about mental health.
(It was part of the government's mental health awareness campaign[0].) In this
presentation, the presenter mentioned bathing/lack of changing clothes as a
marker for possible mental health issues.

As someone who grew up in a very poor area, where the water came from wells
(which oft could dry-up) or the folk couldn't afford but to wash their clothes
once a month in the local washateria (if that), I took issue with this idea.

From a privileged, lower-middle class or above perspective, sure, you could
say that it's a possible indicator of mental health issues; however, if this
were a normalised version of someone's life, having growing up so
poor/destitute, would it _really_ be a sign of mental health issues or would
it just be a byproduct of their lower social-class life?

So, I guess I have to say that the answer to your question is, "yes": Your
"norm" could be vastly different from someone else's.

[0] -
[https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/](https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/)

~~~
anjc
Access to water in Ireland is assumed to such an extent that it isn't even
listed in the ESRI's criteria for poverty. As such, it's very obvious that
lack of bathing/changing clothes will almost NEVER be due to lack of access to
water. Even temporary halting sites must have access to water considered by
local councils.

> From a privileged, lower-middle class or above perspective

Very confused as to why you think 'water' might be limited to the demographic
who work as teachers, Gardaí, and above, or why access to water indicates
privilege.

~~~
jackbravo
In Mexico it is more common to have water shortages on low income areas in big
cities. Whereas rich areas can even have their own water wells.

~~~
tom_
Right, but this post refers to the Republic of Ireland, a sovereign state in
the British Isles, a part of the world where there is, on average, zero
shortage of water in general. It literally falls out of the sky.

~~~
maxheadroom
Because Ireland has no immigration and, therefore, everyone who lives and/or
posts from Ireland is automatically Irish, yeah? /s

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kempbellt
All psychological states are "Psychological Conditions". Whether they are
something that need to be "treated", or not is a different question.

Depending on your upbringing, marrying, and staying in your town might be
considered the norm, and therefor wanderlust, the abnorm. Locals may think you
strange for ever wanting to leave and explore the world.

Conversely, in my upbringing, I resented the idea of staying still and have
lived in a constant state of wanderlust. As have many of my friends. It's a
big world, and there is lots to explore.

Tangentially, I wonder if there is a link between wanderlust, and people who
have to rearrange their bedrooms frequently.

In US culture it may not be as prominent, but in many other cultures, young
adults (students) will frequently take a "gap year" in which they will travel
the world
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_year](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_year)

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lazyjones
Surely there can be both a healthy "wanderlust" borne out of curiosity and
eagerness to explore the world and a pathological restlessness due to some
anxiety disorder? I don't see a convincing case for conflating these two
things. But it does make a good headline...

~~~
asveikau
I have definitely been close to people who seemed to book an unreasonable
amount of vacations to get away from their mood disorders.

~~~
eeZah7Ux
"amount" is not the right metric. It's the compulsive aspect.

~~~
asveikau
That's correct. I am using amount as a proxy for this (less compulsive people
in the same circumstance would have a lesser amount), but I am absolutely
meaning to say it your way.

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DoreenMichele
Settled cultures and nomadic cultures have a long history of friction. Settled
peoples tend to vilify nomads for various reasons.

But, really, being settled came second. Humans began as wanderers.

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kochikame
Some people claim that gen known as DRD4-7R is responsible for wanderlust

[https://www.contiki.com/six-two/wanderlust-gene-
travel/](https://www.contiki.com/six-two/wanderlust-gene-travel/)

Little bit different to what the article is talking about, but pertinent to
the discussion in the comments

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ucaetano
A nitpick: wanderlust doesn't mean in English what it means in German. While
in German it still means "a desire to hike", in English it is usually
associated with travel, a meaning that in German is closer to Fernweh (far-
sickness, as in opposition to home-sickness, which is the literal meaning of
nostalgia, the Swiss mercenary malady).

