What is wanderlast syndrome, or what it means to have the 7R gene
If you constantly want to travel, discover new places and see unexplored corners of the world then you may have Wanderlust Syndrome, or you may have the 7R, the adventure gene.
What does Wanderlust mean
The meaning of Wanderlust comes from German; it’s composed of the words wander which means to wander, and lust, obsession, desire.
The meaning of Wanderlust Syndrome is therefore the obsession with travel, so strong that it becomes a syndrome that drives those affected to constantly want to travel and visit new places.
What does it have to do with the 7R
According to recent scientific studies, Wanderlust Syndrome is linked to a gene in our DNA.
The desire to travel, to have new experiences, to be comfortable in adventure and not in routine, reside in a variant of the DRD4 gene, which has been associated with dopamine levels in the brain.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain and is known as the hormone of euphoria because it’s linked to the sphere of pleasure and is associated with morbid curiosity and restlessness.
According to these studies, the related specific gene would be DRD4-7R, which for these reasons has been renamed Adventure Gene.
The presence of this gene would be in those people who are more inclined to take risks, to explore new places, ideas, foods, relationships and who generally welcome change, progress and adventure.
Not all of us have the 7R, the Adventure Gene. Only 1 in 5 people have it, that is 20% of the world’s population.
If you fall within this percentage, you don’t have much chance of escape: it’s written in your DNA.
What are the symptoms
The symptoms of Wanderlust Syndrome are often obvious.
We talked about the desire to try new experiences, explore, taste, do extreme sports, get to know new cultures and above all it’s characterized by an irrepressible desire to travel.
Those with the 7R gene can be recognized by many characteristics, let’s see what they are:
- Even if you’ve just returned from a trip, you’re already thinking about the next one
- Where you grew up is important, but not as important as discovering new ones
- Save money for your next trip
- Even if you visit an unfamiliar place, you feel at home
- Tour guides are important, but not like your spirit of adventure
- You are not afraid to stay far from your friends, because you know that if they are true you will always find them again
- The only reasons why you come home from time to time are your family, close friends and any “duties” or needs.
- When you read an article or post about a place that appeals to you, you start searching for information non-stop
- If you can, you give travel advice to anyone who needs to travel
- You keep memories of every trip and every experience you’ve had
- In the house there’s at least one globe or a geographical map
- When you see a geographic map you study it to find your next destination
- You have a “Travel” folder in your browser bookmarks
- There are more travel posts on your social accounts than anything else
- In bookstores you always end up in the travel section and often come out with a new guide
- The best gift to give you is a voucher for a trip or a guide (suggest this link to your friends or partner* for a gift you might really like 😉 )
- The gift you like the most is a voucher for a trip to be shared with the person you give it to (see above 😉 )
- You always have your suitcase close at hand, not in the cellar/attic, but at home, perhaps in the closet
- What keeps you alive is the idea of the next trip
- You know the time zone of even the most remote places
- You can say “hello” and “thank you” in at least 6 different languages
- Those who don’t like to travel are usually not very nice to you
- When it comes to travel your eyes light up
What’s the cure?
The cure? Do you really want a cure for the most beautiful syndrome in the world?
The only thing that can alleviate the suffering of having the 7R is travel, travel travel!
Take that train, that plane, do that “madness”. Follow your instinct, try that sport, that adventure.
You have the 7R, you can’t repress it, because if you brake it, it will come back stronger than before.
Do you have the 7R too?
Do you feel the same symptoms too? I’ll wait for you in the comments to know about you.
In the meantime, take the Adventure Test to find out how much 7R you have in your DNA.
If you want to contact professionals to help you organize your personalized trip in line with your interests, with your preparation and your desire for adrenaline, contact me to arrange a free phone call a start creating your trip.
Have fun!
