Influencer who was skyrocketed into social media fame by documenting her solo travels breaks down in tears as she reveals her nomadic lifestyle has left her feeling ‘isolated and lonely’: ‘I need help’
A solo travel influencer got emotional as she revealed the downsides of her nomadic lifestyle – admitting her mental health is at an all-time low and she now suffers from panic attacks.
Ella Jae, 21, from Sydney, embarked on her first solo adventure in 2022 and has since been traveling the world alone for two years – while documenting her efforts online.
Despite the exotic places the content creator has traveled to, Ella recently posted videos to her TikTok admitting that going on permanent vacation has its downsides — even if it looks perfect on social media.
She has now revealed that she has felt isolated and lonely since she started traveling alone, and announced she was cutting “her solo trip” short to get home because she felt like she “needed help.”
“There are a lot of things going on here, and there are a lot of reasons why I’m going home.” she explained in a video posted on her TikTok.
Solo travel influencer Ella Jae, 21, from Sydney, revealed the downsides of her nomadic lifestyle and admitted her mental health was at an all-time low
Ella embarked on her first solo adventure in 2022 and has been traveling the world alone for two years since then
‘The first is that I just don’t enjoy traveling like I used to. Especially in Central and South America, where I speak English and not Spanish.
“I just think I need the support of my friends and people I love.”
“I’m having a really hard time being alone and I’m done doing it on my own,” she admitted.
“I have experienced that fully as much as possible and I no longer get out of it what I used to get out of it,” the weary traveler continued, adding that she now feels sufficiently independent.
Ella, who said she actually travels “full time,” further explained, “Now I’m at a point in my life where I have to lean on people, and I can’t lean on myself anymore because I actually think I’m becoming crazy.’
The content creator assured followers that she still wants traveling to be a part of her life, but added that she has come to the conclusion that she prefers to do it with other people.
‘It’s normal to need a service and want a service [and] I have already fully experienced what solo travel has to offer,” she revealed.
Ella’s other reason for wanting to pause her journey was due to the relationships she had built during her journey – with her admitting that she no longer wanted to make short, transactional connections.
Despite the exotic places the content creator has traveled to, Ella posted videos on her TikTok, admitting that living on a permanent vacation has its downsides – even if it looks perfect online
Ella said she wants to come back to the places she planned to visit when she is ready and in a better mental state
“It can be very tiring to go into hostels and have people cycle through your life,” she added.
“You finally get to know someone and you finally build a bond and then they leave or you go away – so you can’t always coordinate plans or travel together – you end up recycling the same conversation.”
While she acknowledged that the friendships she formed were “beautiful”, Ella said she is now at a point in her life where she wants to foster deeper relationships with her old friends she left behind in Sydney.
‘I could not do it [foster deeper friendships] because I was going out, traveling and developing these temporary connections – and there’s no stability in that.
Ella admitted that her mental health has become so bad that she can’t even leave the hotel room.
Ella explained that she no longer enjoys traveling as much as she used to, adding that she has felt isolated and lonely since traveling alone
Ella’s comments section was full of supportive messages from her followers, many of whom said they could relate
“I can’t do a shared dorm because I’m just too weak,” she continued. “And even when I do go outside, I don’t find the joy in things and it just feels like a waste to be in such a beautiful place and not enjoy it.”
Ella said she wants to come back to the places she planned to visit when she is ready and in a better mental state.
Despite her hardships, Ella urged her followers not to let her video discourage them from taking a solo trip. She said it’s still the “best decision” she’s ever made.
“I still want to inspire people,” she emphasized. “I think you know when your time is running out and if I’m in that state, I shouldn’t be doing this right now – it’s the opposite of what I need.”
Ella’s comments section was full of supportive messages from her followers, many of whom said they could relate.
‘I’ve traveled a lot alone [when I was] I got younger and as my brain started to develop I longed for people to share experiences with,” one person said.
‘Solo travel is BRILLIANT when you feel like it, and HELL when you don’t. Sounds like a good decision: go home safe,” encouraged another.
“You’re not letting anyone down,” someone else assured. “Your messages bring joy wherever you are. You are doing a great job sharing this message.’
‘This is exactly the right decision. Well done you!’ spotted another user.