Connect with us

Health

Living Overseas: Tips For Mental Health

Published

on

Moving abroad isn’t just a big physical jump, as any expatriate will tell you. The transition to a new life in a foreign country also means a lot of other things too, such as:

    • Learning a new language
    • Absorbing a new culture and new ways of doing things
    • Integrating into a new social structure
    • Exploring and having fun
  • Choosing the most suitable accommodation
  • Settling into a new job in unfamiliar surroundings

And a whole lot more besides. It’s one of the most significant life and or career decisions people can make. And for a great many, it’s also hugely rewarding. But since we’re all only human, it’s always a good idea to bear in mind that there are likely to be some big challenges along the way as well as potential rewards.

Mental health and the workplace

The UK mental health charity Mind estimates that around 1 in 6 of the country’s workforce is at any one time suffering from stress, depression, or anxiety. Whether the figures are similar in countries overseas isn’t something that there are readily available figures for, but it pays to be aware of these issues and find out more about managing them.

There are a lot of websites with information on stress management, for example. And sometimes it can be beneficial in staying stress-free to know what the stress triggers can be, and how to deal with them. And with the number of UK hospital admissions for stress rising, now is an essential time for all of us to make sure that we can avoid stress where possible.

Staying in touch

On the one hand, when you leave for another country you still have your family and friends at home – so it’s good to keep in touch and get all the same support you’re used to from the people you know best. But at the same time, it’s going to be fun making new friendships in your new destination. If you’re in an area where there are a lot of ex-pats, you may find that there are regular ex-pat meetups that are organized with this purpose in mind.

And remember

Moving abroad is a fantastic opportunity in all sorts of ways. So when you’re out there and making progress with your career and life overseas, take some time out to reflect on just how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved.