Anxiety About Being Away From Home: What Is Homesickness?
Being in a new place, where many kilometers separate what you consider your true home, can be very hard Such is the nostalgia that this situation produces, that there is an expression in English that equates it to a disease: homesickness. It refers to the feeling of missing our home, our family, our friends, our routine… In short, the life that until the moment of moving we had led normally. Obviously, this feeling appears when we change location and move to another country or another city for a while.
Although it is something harmful to the individual, we want to highlight that nostalgia for being away from home is a natural part of development, and almost all people feel it at some point in their lives. In fact, it is a problem that affects thousands of people every year and if not treated properly, it can cause various ailments such as distress, stress, depression or anxiety. According to experts on the subject, in extreme cases, homesickness can turn into panic attacks, leading to social exclusion, lack of sleep, nightmares and concentration problems.
It is a feeling that can last weeks, months or even years. It doesn’t disappear a few days after arriving as many people think. Fortunately, there are strategies that can be used to cope with these negative emotions that flourish when we see ourselves so far from what is known and usual Indeed, excluding a small percentage of individuals who show serious signs of homesickness due to being away from home, the majority of people are able to overcome it and end up enjoying the experience to the fullest. In today’s article, we will analyze the symptoms that appear when experiencing homesickness and based on expert opinions, we will present some useful tips to learn to manage memories of home and attachment objects.
As we mentioned previously, leaving your home and landing in a completely new place generates a physical and emotional impact that causes a series of symptoms. Even if it was a voluntary change, it is normal to feel that way, realize that it is never easy to make the difficult decision to leave everything known aside to explore the unknown.
After all, having fears, insecurities or ruminative thoughts about how to adapt to the new place are completely normal. The problem comes when homesickness interferes with your functionality, quality of life, and overall well-being Following the opinion of psychology experts, we present a list of the possible symptoms or thoughts that may arise when moving to a new city or country:
Say goodbye to homesickness
As you have seen, thoughts and symptoms of homesickness can be very varied and annoying. If you have identified yourself, we want to help you say goodbye to homesickness once and for all. Below, we list some tips or recommendations to learn how to deal with these emotions in the best possible way:
1. Keep in touch with your loved ones
Feeling alone being in a new place is normal and common. Fortunately, Nowadays, thanks to new technologies, we are just a message or a call away from our loved ones Take advantage of this advancement and keep in touch regularly with your family and friends. Even if you have to rebuild your life for a while in another city or country, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to feel supported by your usual friends. Seeing the face of a person close to you, receiving a message from your friend or making an hours-long call with a family member makes many of the bad feelings you experience disappear.
2. Stay busy
It is convenient to clear your mind and one of the best ways is to keep it busy with activities and a routine. For example, it is advisable to participate in the activities that take place in your new destination. Through word of mouth or even through applications, you can find out about the activities that take place in your neighborhood or city It’s a good way to create a routine and, at the same time, explore and familiarize yourself with the new place. Go ahead and delve into one of them. In the end, the important thing is to create a routine that allows you to discover new places, friends and keeps you away from thoughts of nostalgia.
It is positive to avoid, as far as possible, publications from people from your place of origin. Constantly looking at the activities and plans that your friends or family make does not help you focus on your new life. You need to disconnect in part from your old habits because otherwise you will end up with your head in your old country and your body in the new one This is unsustainable and can seriously affect your mental health.
4. Always positive
Thinking and having a positive attitude is of utmost importance to combat the negative feelings that overwhelm homesickness. By trying to get a smile and see life in a different color, it is much easier to interact with other people, integrate into new activities and, in short, incorporate into the lifestyle of the new place. Don’t let sadness and discomfort control your mind.
Remember that there are many people who have been through the same situation as you and even right now, many people feel exactly the same things. Also, keep in mind that it is a temporary phase and therefore, everything passes. Of course, it will pass faster if you maintain a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Although it may be difficult to imagine, you will surely learn new and useful learning from this experience
