Fear of Being Away from your Family

Blisterman

My girlfriend has this. She hates being far away from home.
I'm trying to persuade her to go away for the weekend, and she wants to, but she can't stand the idea of being away from her family.

Funny thing is, she doesn't live with them. She lives about 2 hours away, so going somewhere 1 hour's flight away isn't that much different travel time wise, but she still is terrified of the idea of being that far away. Also, she can go weeks at a time without seeing them as long as she stays at her house.

She said, she went on a school tour, to france, a couple years back, and she was miserable the whole time.

It's not a fear of being far away from home that's the problem.
She's been half way across the world on trips with her family, no troubles.
And before anyone suggests it, it's not just an excuse cause she doesn't want to go away with me. She's turned down trips to various places with her best friends, which to me seems like she's seriously missing out. Going away on trips with friends has provided me with some of my best memories.

Is this a common phobia? Has anyone else here experienced it? Is there anything you recommend I suggest to her, to help her overcome this?

Trinity

I know its not exactly the same thing, but i wont leave my children. I can leave them overnight (one night-but am up at 8am to collect them!) in my mothers, up the road, but i wont go anywhere thats further than half an hour away from them.

Even going into town the other night i was sweating thinking what if something happens, i just wanted to go local. But i went anyway and was having a laugh and was home before i knew it.

I guess maybe her family should talk to her about it, do they ever go away without her? Dont know if she is too old for seperation anxiety but perhaps her family persuading her is all it will take?

She could call them on the phone every other day. Or how about going away and taking it in baby steps, go somewhere in the countryside first, thats not too far. If she goes weeks without seeing them, maybe its something a little deeper than not wanting to leave them?

MollynOlly

Blisterman wrote: »

My girlfriend has this. She hates being far away from home.
I'm trying to persuade her to go away for the weekend, and she wants to, but she can't stand the idea of being away from her family.

Funny thing is, she doesn't live with them. She lives about 2 hours away, so going somewhere 1 hour's flight away isn't that much different travel time wise, but she still is terrified of the idea of being that far away. Also, she can go weeks at a time without seeing them as long as she stays at her house.

She said, she went on a school tour, to france, a couple years back, and she was miserable the whole time.

It's not a fear of being far away from home that's the problem.
She's been half way across the world on trips with her family, no troubles.
And before anyone suggests it, it's not just an excuse cause she doesn't want to go away with me. She's turned down trips to various places with her best friends, which to me seems like she's seriously missing out. Going away on trips with friends has provided me with some of my best memories.

Is this a common phobia? Has anyone else here experienced it? Is there anything you recommend I suggest to her, to help her overcome this?

It sounds like a comfort zone thing, like she is out of her depth when not in her own surroundings..I.E her people