1分钟轻松播客 去陌生地方旅行的心理

Have you ever noticed how travelling to a new place makes you feel both excited and… strangely anxious?

Neuroscience shows that novelty activates the brain’s reward circuit. Dopamine release in the hippocampus and VTA makes us curious, eager to explore, and more likely to form lasting memories. That’s why travel feels so stimulating.

But psychologists also talk about intolerance of uncertainty. When we can’t predict what’s next, our body switches into “threat mode”: heart racing, attention narrowing, and sometimes worry.

Cross-cultural studies add another layer: people with high novelty-seeking traits report excitement, while those with high uncertainty avoidance often feel stressed. Even culture matters — some societies embrace spontaneity, others prefer detailed planning.

So the mix of excitement and anxiety isn’t a contradiction. It’s two systems working at once: the drive to explore, and the need to stay safe. Next time you travel, reframe the unknown as a challenge, not a threat — that shift can turn anxiety into adventure.