sudden urge to travel

Does anyone know of a disorder that causes a sudden urge to travel? I don't mean just to take a vacation--but a true feeling like "I HAVE to go to a certain place NOW". Sort of zoning out, no thought except to get to the destination. My son has done this twice in less than 4 months. He cannot answer questions coherently during the episode, and after it is over he is very emotional, scared, does not understand why he felt that way. He does remember what occurred, but it is hazy, like remembering a dream. The 2nd time it happened he drove to NYC, parked his car (which has still not been recovered) and walked for 4 days, sleeping on the streets, eating what was discarded, etc. When he came out of it, he was able to call and tell me what city he was in. The police took him to the ER-where labs, drug and alcohol screens and a head ct were all negative. We drove up and got him, and have kept him with us for a few weeks--and he seems fine, but I am very worried about him. Psych services couldn't really find anything--gave him a dx of adjustment reaction, but said to find a doc at home. He has no insurance, and it will be a few more weeks before we can take him back to KY to see what help is available. But the people I was able to contact said he probably would not qualify for any help, because he had not been diagnosed with a severe mental illness. This is such a frustrating experience, and I am grateful for any suggestions.

Mania in Bipolar?

A difficult one to poke my nose into gypsy mom. It sounds very much like a psychotic event, I had one that lasted from May 2005 and ended in June 2009. I would really need to know what he was or had been taking at the time - legal or otherwise to assess whether it was drug related.
Other than that, my research has taken me to Chromosome 22 - this little DNA bugger is full of imprinted genes - genes that when triggered cause things to happen physically, mentally etc. Most are dormant genes that were part of our ancient survival mechanism _ I believe that the Bi-polar gene is in this region of the DNA. SO, if a dormant (in most western cultures) nomadic gene was triggered; like geese fly south in the winter etc., your son may have suffered such an event. However, mention this to a psych and you may end up being treated yourself. I have done extensive private research (because of my own problem) and I was amazed at what I found. Or, it could be just a dietary trigger; Goggle this (abc steve simpson law of locust )

I hope you find an answer, however let him get involved too don't treat him like an outsider and don't imagine for one moment that professionals will have an answer - its just far too hard for them.

I was in ER one night. This Canadian guy had been there for 48 hours while they did test after test. I poked my nose in and asked what his problem was - it was a respiratory problem - he had flown from Canada to Perth Western Australia (where I live) from winter/fall to summer/spring. Step off the plane and choked with an asthma attack. I asked if it was okay indoors - he seemed alright in the hospital - he said yes. I told him it was pollen this city is full of it - and the so called doctors didn't have a clue and the cost of test and hospitalisation was amazing. Common sense and a good general knowledge can solve most problems.

Take care darling and all the best for wandering boy - Love Jasmine

Thank you for your comments guys--we got the most wonderful news right after I posted--As of Jan 1 he will be able to go back on our insurance until he turns 26! We have great coverage through my husband's union, so he should be able to get evaluated by neuro and psych both!!!! I'm so relieved about this!! Also, we actually got to bring him on home and I will be able to stay with him for as long as I need to. We did figure out that he doesn't remember as much about the episode as he thought. He got a letter that said he hadn't shown up for court, and has no memory of getting pulled over. That happened the first day of the event. The more he talked about it, the more he realized he only had blurry "snap shots" of the time. He remembers driving for a long time, but not the actual details of the trip. And he said he knows he spoke to a few people, but doesn't know what they talked about. He has never been on any drugs--doesn't even smoke cigarettes. They tested for almost everything (drugs) you could think of at the hospital--nothing came back positive. My other son--who does have some rougher friends said he looked and acted like someone who had ingested an hallucinogen-which I hate to say he has had a little experience with. But this one has never taken anything.

there are many medical and mental disorders/problems where a person travels and cant explain why or how they do it. for example -

dissociative fugue
amnesia
alzheimers
sometimes schizophrenics go on the move because their voices/alter egos, hallucinations and delusions tell them to,
medication symptoms of disorientation and restlessness

there are other mental and medical problems besides these.

only he and his treatment providers can say why this is happening for him.
my suggestion contact them let them know whats going on and request a full battery of tests that can help diagnose the problem.

I once, out of the clear blue sky, walked away from husband, child, and a decent full-time job, hopped a Greyhound, and went to Omaha, Nebraska. I'd never been there in my life and didn't know anyone there. Why? I couldn't provide a rational explanation, except that I was feeling overwhelmed and needed a change. Not one as extreme as that, of course, but I did need one. At the time I was not diagnosed with any mental illness, nor was I on medication. Later I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, and Avoidant Personality.

Other sudden "flights" have included trips to San Diego, Phoenix, Memphis, and Dallas. I now live in the state of Washington, but that was a planned move, not a flight.

I'm from Kentucky too, but even though that state's mental health system has its serious flaws, I don't think it's a matter of just wanting to get out of there. It only so happened that I found what I needed elsewhere. I'm sure others would do just fine there.

This season is my fourth straight Christmas at the house my husband and I are now living in. That's longer at a stretch than I've ever lived anywhere in my life, even as a child. I think I was just plain unstable, and so accustomed to constant upheaval that I didn't know any other way. I don't have the urge to just take off anymore, and I think one thing that helps is the occasional get-away for the weekend, and the fact that we travel on vacation.

I did that once...drove all the way to Texas to see my grandparents. Just out of the blue. I have no idea why I did that. I think I was manic at the time.

I've done that too more places than I can count. Was maniac or hypomaniac at the time. Got help and changed jobs to one that involved travel to curb the need to just to go off wherever whenever. This way I had new experiences and could get away but on better terms.

The thing that seems to describe his experience most closely is dissociative fugue. It is purposeful travel, he feels he must get to a certain destination. But he does have some memory of the time before whatever this is wears off. The information I have found says that with a fugue state a person cannot remember what happened during the event. We are very concerned, and so glad he will have insurance coverage after the first. Apparently, you can only qualify for mental health care through medicaid, etc. if you already have a diagnosed mental illness--they couldn't say what a person is supposed to do to get diagnosed. But the change in my husband's insurance will allow all of the children to be on our policy now until age 26--so at 21 my son has several years for us to work on it!

if you are looking for a purposeful travel then dissociative fugue most likely isnt it. dissociative fugue isnt a purposeful travel. its an impulsive type travel associated with the flight or fight response and it happens after a traumatic, highly stressful event.

to get an idea what this is like - have you ever had someone scare the heck out of you? you know that feeling of gasping and holding your breath and sudden urge to run the other direction.

thats what dissociative fugue is like. a traumatic or highly stressful event happens and the person takes to reflexive flight to gosh knows where and usually begins a whole new life as a different person because they have no memory of who they are, no memory of family and friends and why they are in that new location. theres no purpose to this kind of travel it just happens spontaneously.

Alzheimers on the other hand is a purposeful travel. people with this disease tend to travel to places and people they remember from the past because they have trouble remembering the present.

there are other mental and medical problems that have a purposeful type travel too.

I am not saying he has this or any other travel type problem, But some of these travel type problems do have purposeful travel and some dont.

it would be best not to try and fit him into one or the other. you diagnose him with one and it turns out to be something different you could be doing yourself and him more harm than good.

let his doctors do the diagnosing. if one doctor cant tell him and you why he does this contact another one and then another. sooner or later as his other symptoms rule in and out the various types of travel problems, his treatment providers will be able to tell you what kind of travel problem this is and how to fix it.