Emigrating to another country is one of the experiences capable of changing life in a more radical way, especially if the destination is a region in which a culture very different from ours predominates.
It’s not just about ending up in a place where the support capacity of friends and family has been drastically reduced; Furthermore, in many cases you have to adapt to another way of living, or even seeing life. Realizing that for years we have been taking many things for granted can shake our world and put us in a situation where we feel vulnerable.
That is why in psychology we often talk about immigrant anxiety, a phenomenon capable of emotionally draining those who decide to continue with their lives in places very far from almost everything they know and perceive as familiar. In this article we will see what it consists of.
Anxiety is both a psychological and physiological phenomenon based on the activation of the nervous system and the entry into a state of alert, which occurs habitually in almost all people; For example, when speaking in front of a large audience, when feeling that an exam is approaching, when feeling that we are in danger or that we are exposing ourselves to some risk, etc.
This implies that it is not something negative in itself, since it helps us adjust to the challenges that life poses and be able to give them the importance they deserve.
However, Sometimes anxiety makes us have such a hard time and for so long that it becomes a problem This is linked to the fact that some people develop problematic behaviors to try to deal with the discomfort caused by the anxious state, which reinforces the problem; For example, the appearance of addictions often appears as a method to feel instant relief and stop suffering from something that produces anxiety or stress, but at the same time, in the medium and long term it feeds the constant appearance of that state of alertness and irritability.
The fact of emigrating can expose people who do so to a high level of anxiety, because Practically overnight, when settling in a new country, they begin to have many fronts to attend to
Maybe they don’t have a good command of the language and without it they can barely move around the city; or maybe they can’t even find a rental with a contract; or they may even have to fear for their integrity due to racist attacks, in some cases. And, of course, the feeling of loneliness also abounds in a society that is partly seen as something strange, alien to oneself.
This combination of several “fires to put out” generates an emergency situation in which the simple task of deciding which problem to address first already seems titanic.
To do?
These are some tips to manage the situation in the best possible way You can apply them to your case if you have emigrated and you believe that this has led you to develop a persistently high level of anxiety.
First, spend some time simply putting together your ideas about what to do to adapt to the way of life you want in this new country, without fear of believing that it wastes your time
This will help you avoid making blunders and improve your chances of thriving both materially and psychologically in this new place. In case you have many doubts about which path to follow, establish two or three possible routes of action in parallel, so that even if one fails, you have the other prepared.
2. Structure your day to day
Once the previous step has been completed, it is time to optimize your time management ; This will prevent you from feeling like you are losing control over your life. You should make a schedule and physically put it in a place that you see frequently, so that you memorize it and commit to it.
3. Accept a certain level of discomfort
Don’t feel bad for feeling stress or anxiety, it’s not a failure. Don’t try to “erase” that sensation from your consciousness either, because that will give it more strength. Simply assume that you can’t control everything that goes through your head, and instead of trying not to think about it, focus your attention on aspects of reality that you find stimulating or pleasant.
4. In case of major problems, go to the psychologist
If you think that nothing works, do not forget that no matter how much you have moved to live in another country, the Internet still exists; In the network it is possible to have psychologist services since many of us offer online sessions by video call.
If you are interested in having professional support to deal with migration anxiety or any other form of psychological discomfort, contact me. I am a psychologist specialized in the cognitive-behavioral intervention model, one of the most effective for treating emotional disorders, and I provide care both in person in Madrid and through online sessions by video call. To see my contact information or more information about my work, go to this page.
