Sicilian Sunshine, Gelato, and an Existential Crisis:

What happened when I gave up my "healthy habits" for a week—and why I came home feeling like an imposter.

I just got back from a luscious week in Sicily. A beautiful, joyful, carefree week where I spent money freely, stayed up too late and woke up early, drank espresso, felt sunshine, and rotated a menu of spritzes, pasta, pizza, seafood, gelato, arancini, croissants, brioches and cannoli.

I usually avoid gluten, dairy, caffeine, alcohol—basically all the fun things. But in Sicily? I leaned all the way in. And here’s the thing: I felt fine. Bloated, yes. But no real pain. No lactose agony. No gluten fog. Just a happy belly and a big smile.

Then I came home.

I had one slice of bakery pizza, and my stomach turned on me. This morning, my body made it abundantly clear that the party is over.

Back to the usual: vegetables, whole grains, protein, meditation. And here’s what’s weird—my stomach feels better, but I don’t.

I feel foggy. Unmotivated. Last night, I binge-watched a TV series (Arcane— I really loved it). This morning, I sat in front of my client notes feeling like an imposter. Like I don’t know anything about therapy. I couldn’t think of what to say or how to guide the session. I felt desperate, uncertain. I even questioned whether I know how to use EMDR, something I’ve trained in. I’m not motivated to get dressed, go outside, do yoga, clean up after myself, do the dishes or pursue my career as a clinical psychologist.

Then I notice: wait a minute, this isn’t like me. What is going on?

Is It Possible the Holiday Broke My Brain?

Short answer: yes. Not permanently. But temporarily, absolutely.
Here’s what I’ve come to understand—both from research and experience.

1. Blood Sugar Whiplash

All the sugar and refined carbs (pastries, pasta, spritz) spike your blood sugar, giving you bursts of energy, followed by crashes that tank your mood, focus, and motivation. Your brain literally runs on glucose—too much, or wildly fluctuating levels, and it gets confused. The result? Brain fog, emotional instability, a dip in executive functioning. AKA: “Why can’t I think like a therapist today?”

2. Neuroinflammation & Gut-Brain Chaos

Our gut and brain are in constant communication via the vagus nerve. Gluten, dairy, alcohol—especially in large, sudden quantities—can inflame the gut, particularly if you’re sensitive. Inflammation here isn’t just a belly problem. It can affect cognition, mood, and emotional regulation. Feeling foggy, demotivated, or insecure after gut distress isn’t a coincidence. It’s biology.

3. Sleep Debt & Overstimulation

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you tired. It impairs memory, focus, emotional regulation, and creativity. It shrinks your access to the prefrontal cortex—your inner “CEO.” Add in overstimulation from travel, heat, language shifts, new environments, and socializing—and you’ve got a nervous system that’s burnt out, even if your mind thinks you were “on holiday.”

4. Chemical Withdrawal

You were riding a chemical cocktail: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, adrenaline. That’s an addictive mix. The dopamine hits were constant. When they stop—when you come home to no gelato, no Aperol, no stimulus—the brain goes into withdrawal. It panics. It flattens. It doubts.

That’s not failure. That’s neurochemistry doing its thing.

So What Can You Do?

This is the part where I tell myself (and maybe you need to hear it too):

You’re not broken. You don’t suck at your job. You’re not a fraud.
You’re simply coming down from a delightful, disruptive biochemical bender.

Here’s what helps:

➤ Re-regulate the nervous system

Come back to structure and rhythm. Wake, eat, and sleep at regular times.
Get morning sunlight. Walk barefoot. Touch trees. Literally ground yourself.
Get back to your routine and your practices: in my case, yoga and meditation, walking outside.

➤ Support your gut

Go back to foods that make your belly feel safe.
Hydrate. Herbal teas, soups, fermented foods, green veggies.

➤ Ease up on caffeine and alcohol

Let your adrenal system reset. Switch to green tea or herbal blends if you can.
Alcohol and anxiety love to dance together. Give them a break.

➤ Move your body gently

Yoga, walking, stretching. Nothing intense. Just circulation and connection.

➤ Don’t make big decisions for a few days

You don’t need to redefine your career while you're metabolizing gelato and vino rosso. I keep having to remind myself of this one.

➤ Practice self-compassion

Talk to yourself like you’d talk to a friend who just got home from vacation and feels a bit wobbly: kindly.

One Last Thing

Vacations shake things up. That’s part of their magic. But so is the return—the ritual of re-entry, the wisdom in noticing what changed, and how. I had a beautiful time. I don’t regret the pasta or the Amara or the pistachio custard. But I also don’t mistake the mental fog that followed as a sign I’m on the wrong path. I notice the mental shift to negative in order to name it and bring my head up above water.

Notice how you feel. Notice if it’s normal.

I’m just coming back to center.

From Aperol to Existential Dread: The Psychology of the Post-Holiday Slump