Original post found at http://www.expatwomen.com/expat-women-confessions/expat-depression.php
Expat Depression
Dear EW Girlfriend,
I have lived in three countries and always thought I was a well-adapted expatriate. However, returning from our recent holiday really threw me into a spin. Since then, I have been riding an incredible emotional roller coaster: crying all the time; losing my patience with my children which only makes me feel worse; and wondering what I am doing with my life. Thankfully, things started to improve after I visited a medical specialist and began confiding in her and taking prescribed medication for depression. One month on, I am feeling much stronger and my self-esteem is slowly returning.
However, here is my extra confession... when I mustered up the strength to tell two of my friends about my situation, they both confessed that they were struggling with depression and were also on medication! Could it be that my expat social circle is full of others just like me who are sometimes struggling to cope, but fearful to tell anyone?
Expat Women Girlfriend
We are so glad to hear you are back on track and returning to your normal self after a rough few months. We also want to take this time to congratulate you for recognizing the signs that something was not quite right within you and reaching out for help. Often the most difficult thing to do is to come to terms with the fact that you may need some encouragement or guidance to assist you with the 'emotional roller coaster'.
Feeling Down. Feeling down or 'blue' every now and then is a normal part of life and can often be a signal that something needs to change, for example: work less; exercise; change your diet; meet new people; and so on. A specific event may have triggered these feelings, it may be hormonal, or it may just be that you woke up one morning feeling a little flat. Almost everybody is faced with days like these and generally a bit of pampering and self-love such as dinner with friends, a good book, a takeaway meal with a movie, sleep or just some private time will regenerate your thoughts and help make you feel good again.
Expat Life. Expat life can certainly be like a roller coaster, so it is not surprising that some of your friends might be struggling at times as well. Nor is it surprising that they, like you, have turned to a medical specialist for someone to talk to. These feelings are difficult to admit to yourself at times, let alone to your inner social circle and that is where trusted medical professionals (who can also suggest medication, if appropriate) can usually help.
The life of an expatriate is full of challenges, new discoveries and new beginnings. Generally this lifestyle evokes many positive emotions, excitement and stimulation. However, not everything and not every day is positive: living away from what is familiar and from your usual support network of close friends and family, can be isolating, frustrating and can provoke feelings of homesickness and depression.
As an expat, you have challenges that you might not have had at home. For example, the language and cultural barriers in your host country may make day-to-day living extremely frustrating. If you were employed previously, you may now have unoccupied time that is leaving you feeling unsatisfied or unfulfilled. And as trivial as it may seem, even missing familiar material items can cause undue stress. All this change and uncertainty can indeed wreak havoc on mental health.
Feeling Down Versus Depression. As your doctor probably advised you, if your "blues" linger and you find yourself more and more disinterested in various aspects of your life, you may indeed be experiencing "depression".
In 2000, the Health World Organization (WHO) reported that more than 120 million people worldwide suffer from depression and that they predict these numbers will only increase.
Depression is often the result of the overly busy and stressful lives people lead these days, not giving themselves enough rest time and not spending enough time with their families. It can be hard work and stressful to say goodbye to friends and family at your previous posting, find and set up a home in your new location, help transition your family, learn your new environment, meet new people and try to establish your life in a new home. Sometimes expats are so busy convincing everyone around them and those at home (and often themselves) just how wonderful expat life is, that they start to deny that living abroad can also bring feelings of unhappiness. Guilt over feeling "down" when living "the privileged life", only exacerbates the problem.
One more reason that expatriates may be susceptible to depression could be the lack of structure in their new lives. This is especially true when they have just relocated, although it can creep up at any time, particularly if a major change has occurred (such as becoming a new parent, divorce, unemployment or the loss of a loved one). A daily "routine" can sometimes provide the safety and security that many expats crave.
Symptoms Of Depression. There are many symptoms of depression and people may experience one, two or all of them. In its simplest form, the lows of depression make it tough to function and enjoy life like you once did. Hobbies and friends hold little or no interest, you are exhausted all the time and just getting through the day can be overwhelming.
According to the non-profit site Helpguide.org; here are some specific symptoms to watch for:
Feelings Of Helplessness And Hopelessness. A bleak outlook - nothing will ever get better and there is nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Loss Of Interest In Daily Activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social or intimate activities. You have lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
Appetite Or Weight Changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain - such as a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in only one month.
Sleep Changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
Irritability Or Restlessness. Feeling agitated, restless, or on edge. Your tolerance level is low; everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
Loss Of Energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
Concentration Problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
Unexplained Aches And Pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.
Specific reference please click here
Expat Depression
Dear EW Girlfriend, I have lived in three countries and always thought I was a well-adapted expatriate. However, returning from our recent holiday really threw me into a spin. Since then, I have been riding an incredible emotional roller coaster: crying all the time; losing my patience with my children which only makes me feel worse; and wondering what I am doing with my life. Thankfully, things started to improve after I visited a medical specialist and began confiding in her and taking prescribed medication for depression. One month on, I am feeling much stronger and my self-esteem is slowly returning.
However, here is my extra confession... when I mustered up the strength to tell two of my friends about my situation, they both confessed that they were struggling with depression and were also on medication! Could it be that my expat social circle is full of others just like me who are sometimes struggling to cope, but fearful to tell anyone?
Expat Women Girlfriend
We are so glad to hear you are back on track and returning to your normal self after a rough few months. We also want to take this time to congratulate you for recognizing the signs that something was not quite right within you and reaching out for help. Often the most difficult thing to do is to come to terms with the fact that you may need some encouragement or guidance to assist you with the 'emotional roller coaster'.
Feeling Down. Feeling down or 'blue' every now and then is a normal part of life and can often be a signal that something needs to change, for example: work less; exercise; change your diet; meet new people; and so on. A specific event may have triggered these feelings, it may be hormonal, or it may just be that you woke up one morning feeling a little flat. Almost everybody is faced with days like these and generally a bit of pampering and self-love such as dinner with friends, a good book, a takeaway meal with a movie, sleep or just some private time will regenerate your thoughts and help make you feel good again.
Expat Life. Expat life can certainly be like a roller coaster, so it is not surprising that some of your friends might be struggling at times as well. Nor is it surprising that they, like you, have turned to a medical specialist for someone to talk to. These feelings are difficult to admit to yourself at times, let alone to your inner social circle and that is where trusted medical professionals (who can also suggest medication, if appropriate) can usually help.
The life of an expatriate is full of challenges, new discoveries and new beginnings. Generally this lifestyle evokes many positive emotions, excitement and stimulation. However, not everything and not every day is positive: living away from what is familiar and from your usual support network of close friends and family, can be isolating, frustrating and can provoke feelings of homesickness and depression.
As an expat, you have challenges that you might not have had at home. For example, the language and cultural barriers in your host country may make day-to-day living extremely frustrating. If you were employed previously, you may now have unoccupied time that is leaving you feeling unsatisfied or unfulfilled. And as trivial as it may seem, even missing familiar material items can cause undue stress. All this change and uncertainty can indeed wreak havoc on mental health.
Feeling Down Versus Depression. As your doctor probably advised you, if your "blues" linger and you find yourself more and more disinterested in various aspects of your life, you may indeed be experiencing "depression".
In 2000, the Health World Organization (WHO) reported that more than 120 million people worldwide suffer from depression and that they predict these numbers will only increase.
Depression is often the result of the overly busy and stressful lives people lead these days, not giving themselves enough rest time and not spending enough time with their families. It can be hard work and stressful to say goodbye to friends and family at your previous posting, find and set up a home in your new location, help transition your family, learn your new environment, meet new people and try to establish your life in a new home. Sometimes expats are so busy convincing everyone around them and those at home (and often themselves) just how wonderful expat life is, that they start to deny that living abroad can also bring feelings of unhappiness. Guilt over feeling "down" when living "the privileged life", only exacerbates the problem.
One more reason that expatriates may be susceptible to depression could be the lack of structure in their new lives. This is especially true when they have just relocated, although it can creep up at any time, particularly if a major change has occurred (such as becoming a new parent, divorce, unemployment or the loss of a loved one). A daily "routine" can sometimes provide the safety and security that many expats crave.
Symptoms Of Depression. There are many symptoms of depression and people may experience one, two or all of them. In its simplest form, the lows of depression make it tough to function and enjoy life like you once did. Hobbies and friends hold little or no interest, you are exhausted all the time and just getting through the day can be overwhelming.
According to the non-profit site Helpguide.org; here are some specific symptoms to watch for:
Feelings Of Helplessness And Hopelessness. A bleak outlook - nothing will ever get better and there is nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Loss Of Interest In Daily Activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social or intimate activities. You have lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
Appetite Or Weight Changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain - such as a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in only one month.
Sleep Changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
Irritability Or Restlessness. Feeling agitated, restless, or on edge. Your tolerance level is low; everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
Loss Of Energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
Concentration Problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
Unexplained Aches And Pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.
Specific reference please click here
Helping Yourself. One
of the fastest ways to ward off feeling blue is to put some structure
and organization into your daily schedule. This will ease the insecurity
that comes with living abroad and often contributes to depression and
anxiety. Make a to-do-list before you go to bed so you wake up and know
what you are going to achieve today. It can be as trivial as buy milk
and menial as do the washing, but it gives purpose to your day and
hopefully a feeling of accomplishment at the end of it.
Seeking out the familiar may also help. If you are living in a country vastly different from your own (or even if you are not), make a special effort to locate some familiar foods, watch familiar TV shows or DVD's, speak to friends and family back home or surf the internet for your local news or celebrity gossip. Exercise, eating well and taking care of yourself are obvious remedies but admittedly, can sometimes be hard to focus on if you are depressed. Reportedly exercise is the number one, non-medicinal way to help overcome depression, so if you can motivate yourself for a brisk 20 minute walk each day, the benefit should really pay off. Seeking professional help in the form of counseling and medication is also beneficial, because as you have discovered, together these will lift your mood and get you feeling like you want to help yourself again. You Will Be Okay. Thankfully, depression no longer has the same negative stigma attached to it that it did a few years ago. More and more people understand that depression is a very real issue, so do not be afraid to acknowledge that you need some guidance and a shoulder to lean on at some stages in your life - that is perfectly okay. With some help, and with some time, know that you and your friends will be perfectly okay too. |
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EW Girlfriend
February 2011 |
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Our Expat Women
Girlfriend is originally from New Zealand. She has been living abroad as
an expatriate since 1996. She has an educational background in Human
Resources and Cross Cultural Psychology and has worked with expatriate
support issues at the private, corporate and non–profit level. In 2004,
she saw a need and established an English speaking hotline in her expat
location, offering free mental health support to the growing expatriate
population. The hotline provides confidential and anonymous support and
information via trained telephone volunteers and is funded through
corporate sponsorship. Our Expat Women Girlfriend has always been an
active member in the various expatriate communities she has lived in,
providing cross–cultural awareness training and informal counseling
sessions with a particular focus on the 'trailing spouse' and family.
*Disclaimer: This column is intended to be of general interest to ExpatWomen.com visitors. Its suggestions and/or inferences are generalizations and do not address the needs of individuals, nor should they be relied upon in any shape or form. Please seek professional advice/counseling/therapy if you genuinely need assistance to talk through issues in your life right now. |
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*Disclaimer:
This column is intended to be of general interest to ExpatWomen.com
visitors. Its suggestions and/or inferences are generalizations and do
not address the needs of individuals, nor should they be relied upon in
any shape or form. Please seek professional advice/counseling/therapy if
you genuinely need assistance to talk through issues in your life right
now.
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