Living Over Seas

Living abroad can lead to its own set of problems, relationships and friendships can be come distant and strained, feelings of isolation and desperation can well up affecting your ability to cope in times of change.

Adjusting to a new life in a new country can start off well but in time some people find it hard to leave behind family and friends and this can contribute to feelings of depression or isolation.

People have to seek out work wherever they can find it.

Employers are sending their staff over seas for longer and the recession can make it some times harder to say no. Less work and more expectation can reduce the options available. Opportunities for advancement in a career is more likely to send people to other countries if they want to earn the money for themselves or for the family.

Some do it from choice but find the reality and actuality are not what they expected to be, this can leave them feeling home sick or find that the regret is becoming overwhelming.

Some have no choice if they want to continue to work or if they need the money and cannot find any other way of providing the income they require.

Culture Shock

Living in a new country?

Culture shock is often felt when people move to a new country to live, maybe you have move to work there for a few years or started a new life abroad.

It is felt more in countries that are very different from your old culture and speak a different language, but that’s not always the case and people moving from one English speaking country to another can also feel that the transition is harder than was first understood.

Some of the common changes felt range from depression to increased irritability, low moods and feelings of isolation, as well as amplified feelings of stress and anxiety and other symptoms. Therapy can help by helping you modify your way of handling your thoughts and feeling while adjusting to the new environment.

People who have issues can find that they have no real problem until they find themselves away from the normal social support network they have built over a life time.

Some feelings can seem to come from nowhere, all of a sudden you can find your self losing confidence or feel anxiety is affecting your performance and ability to cope with general stress.

People can find that normal activities that gave them no problems before start to interfere with normal life, they can start drinking too much or eating more and even turn to gambling or seek out comfort in the sex industry.

However it is affecting you there is some hope, therapy can help by rationalising or validating your thoughts and feelings towards understanding behaviours and reactions that can allow you to adjust to new environments and changes in relationships while away.

Relationships can change or one partner is finding it harder to cope and this has become a real issue over time.

Learn to understand your self and others and help make the right choices at the right times.

Expatriates