Did you ever feel sad or like not doing anything after moving out? Well, that thing has a name – it is called Post Relocation/ Post Moving Depression. Post relocation depression is your mourning period of the life you are no longer going to have and could never bring back. Though the symptoms are different for everyone, this depression is mainly caused by the sadness of leaving something you cherished earlier.
Here are some symptoms of the relocation depression:
• lack of interest
• weight increase or loss
• excessive sleeping or extreme insomnia
• low on energy
• difficulty or inability to concentrate
• feeling on being unworthy or excessive guilt
• getting angrier than normal
• an increase in alcohol and drug consumption
• wasting time by engaging on social media or watching TV
• not leaving the house/ being confined
• not socializing or meeting new people
• low interest or no interest in sex
Combating Relocation Depression!
Moving abroad or to another state is an exciting time but not for everyone. For many, it’s the start of a new adventure, a new chapter, or a new beginning. It’s often a time for some to rethink of all the reasons as to why you’ve moved here and why you are alone in such a big city or country! There are different signs that people show when they’ve moved to other places, so here are some points to consider while helping yourself or someone you know:
- Familiarize yourself with your new home – As one of the best coping mechanism, familiarizing yourself with your new home helps in portraying yourself in few weeks and planning about what to do next with the house, especially if you have moved in with someone! Go all crazy with home decoration if you think that would suit everything in your new home.
- Take it easy – There is no need to hurry up after you move! Take your time and relax after that stressful moving process. Have a good rest and enjoy doing your favorite activity to regain your strength to get in a positive mood.
- Get involved in something local – If you are one of those people who like to socialize, then go out and join local volunteer or sports groups! Try book clubs, a hiking group or cooking group. Just spend your time busy so that you don’t feel alone.
- Familiarize yourself with your new city – Step out of your comfort zone and have a city tour all by yourself! Visit places that you know that you are going to frequent mostly every day. Talk to people you meet on the way from your new home to the market.
- Make new friends – One of the lasting solutions to cope with relocation depression is making new friends. It might not be easy but giving it an initial try costs nothing! Go through the neighborhood and introduce yourself and talk to people. You can also throw a house warming party so as to know your neighbors and make new friends that way.
- Introduce your old things to your new home – To accept this change, surround yourself with things you are familiar with. If you want you can also make your new place same as the old one. Arrange the setting just as it was where you lived before. It will be nostalgic but it will help you move on really well.
- Stay in touch with people from home – Loneliness hit hard when you are not used to relocation! So one super simple way of combating this is to stay in touch with family and friends from your hometown or from wherever you have moved from. According to Elizabeth Hogans, a Personal Development Coach, she believes that reminding yourself that you have people who love and care about you can stop you from feeling lonely or sad. She recommends inviting them to visit your new place and help you realize that moving does not mean that you have cut the ties with your old life. Social media helps you to stay in touch with them, it can be easy to see your old friends, hang out with them and have more time with virtually.
- Change your habits – Try to break off the monotonous life you have been! Start by changing your habits into things that you really love doing. Moving abroad or to another city is step one of changing your habit, so now focus on changing other habits that you’ve noticed disturbed you when you were living in the other country or city. It can be in the form of a new hobby or pastime. How to do it? Make a list of all the things you enjoy and see what’s convenient for you.
- Do something crazy – Okay, once your life you should certainly do something out of the ordinary and that can start when you move to another country or city! Try things that you have only heard of and explore this new facet of yours!
All the best!
