Van Life Can Cause Isolation, Mental Health Struggles: Experts

• Living off-grid has been an enticing change for many people in recent years.
• Psychologists say that van living can increase one’s connection to the land and decrease stress.
• There are some downsides, such as privacy and social isolation.

For two years, Mitch Goudy and Hope Blanchard, musicians, have lived in a van. The #VanLife hashtag on Instagram has seen over 11 million posts. This couple is part of an emerging community.

Frank Olito reported for Insider that the trend originated in 2011, when Foster Huntington first used it. The trend represents a lifestyle that was envisioned 10 years ago, allowing people to abandon traditional homes and apartments in favor of a simpler, more intimate way of living.

Goudy said living in a van hasn’t turned out as “freaky” as he thought it would be.

“It’s such a change from living in an apartment or living in a house,” Insider heard from him. “But once we got into it and figured out some of the intricacies and differences, it’s just like having a home — you still get up, you still brush your teeth, you still get your day going.”

Licensed psychologist and crisis response expert Diana Concannon, PsyD, who is dean of the California School of Forensic Studies at Alliant International University, told Insider that van living is an attractive option for many because of rising housing costs and the dramatic increase in remote work-life options resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, van living can be challenging for those with mental illnesses.

Van life can deepen someone’s connection to the land

Psychologist Deborah Serani, PsyD, told Insider there are many positive mental health aspects to living on the road and detaching from the modern world. It can reduce stress, increase empowerment and independence, and “deepen one’s connection to the land,” she said.

Kai Branss lives in a van he rebuilt to look like an old yellow school bus. He documents his travels on an Instagram account with almost 25,000 followers. He stated that it was extremely important for him to move from his apartment in Berlin because of environmental concerns. He wanted to recycle or reuse as much material as possible in his bus. This included old loft flooring, which he had found on the street, as well as items from scrapyards.

Branss told Insider the change has benefited his whole life. His mental health has been greatly improved by being closer to nature. For example, he wakes up at the dawn and goes to bed at night.

Living simpler has allowed him to slow down and take more time for reflection.

“You adhere more to your instincts, you know, what is inside of you,” He agreed. “That’s been a huge change for me, and I’m way more relaxed and peaceful and open-minded.”

There are challenges to the idyllic-looking lifestyle

But “there are risks” of van life, according to Serani.

“Researchers suggest that living in small, crowded spaces physically elevates blood pressure, heart rate, and irritability,” She said. “Mentally speaking, depression, anxiety, helplessness, feelings of not having enough privacy, stilted confinement, and the inability to have personal space can worsen well-being.”

Branss agreed his lifestyle is certainly not “all glory.”

“It’s a tough life for sure,” he said. “Because basically you’re living on the street, which means you are exposed to everything and everyone all the time.”

His school bus draws a lot attention and can cause him stress, he explained. He constantly has to check on his water and firewood supplies — things people in permanent dwellings don’t often have to consider.

Blanchard and Goudy both realized that during the coronavirus pandemic’s peak, they had to ensure they were moving around and taking walks.

“It can get very isolated,” Goudy agreed.

22-year-old aspiring influencer Gabby Petito documented her journey traveling the US in a van she owned with her partner Brian Laundrie until she was reported missing. Body cam footage of Petito crying to an officer revealed that she suffered from anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Serani said she would caution those with moderate or severe chronic illness of any kind to “thoughtfully consider the lifestyle and its isolation.”

“Mental and physical illnesses require a great deal of consistency and continuity of care,” she said. “Issues like medication, access to therapy and treatments, and the need to be mindful of triggers and stress-related relapses are vital.”

It’s a hard lifestyle to give up once you fall in love with it

Like most people you may see on #VanLife Instagram, Goudy and Blanchard are in no rush to get back to living in a building. They say they have learned to overcome the difficulties over the years and that it is second nature now.

“We were just visiting my parents, and after a couple of weeks I was like, OK, I want to sleep in the van again,” Blanchard agreed. “It’s like my dream home now.”

Branss is a lonely person who prefers solitude. Branss said that he can spend 10 minutes talking to a friend and enjoy the company of his cat, with whom he takes long walks in the forest. But he doesn’t want to be “the lonely person living alone in the woods,” he said.

Van living is not for everyone. Moving from your home to van life is a major transition. It can be difficult to return to your normal lifestyle if you decide that it is not for you. Concannon says that it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“Unless you are renting a mobile parking space, you will be moving around. A lot,” She stated. “If constant location changes feel disruptive, finding a space to lease or reconsidering van life might be better for your mental health.”

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