Returning Home After Living Abroad Depression. What Is It And How To Deal?

Returning home after living abroad depression, it’s real.

Setting off to live a life abroad is often filled with uncertainty, but it’s also exciting. However, returning home after living abroad can seem like someone clipping your wings….The only thing I can remotely compare returning home after living abroad and the depression that many long-term Expats or even short-term Expats experience is to PTSD. 

Actually I do a disservice to those who truly experience PTSD and don’t want to make light of it in this post or anywhere. 

But if you look at what PTSD is, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, even though moving abroad isn’t “traumatic” for most, it still can be quite “dramatic” and life-changing. That in and of itself can induce quite a lot of stress and subsequent depression. Both before moving abroad as well as returning home after being abroad.

However, moving abroad is a choice. It’s not something you’re thrown into. The stress that Expats and those who live abroad experience aren’t bullets flying over their heads looking to kill them. 

Though the only similarity it does share is being in an unfamiliar land dealing with situations that you’re not accustomed to on a daily basis. 

In fact, this is part of the thrill of going abroad in the first place, isn’t it? 

So when you return home, the familiar and the mundane that most people tolerate as part of their day-to-day existence becomes even more depressing for those who return home after living abroad for a. of time.

The Expatriate’s Odyssey: Navigating the Emotional Landscape of Returning Home

The exhilarating journey of living abroad is a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and personal growth. From the initial thrill of setting foot in a foreign land to the challenges of adapting to a new culture, every moment shapes the expatriate’s perspective.

However, the journey doesn’t end when one decides to return home. In many ways, it’s a new chapter filled with its own set of challenges and emotions.

While the adventure abroad is often discussed, the emotional and logistical intricacies of returning home are sometimes overlooked. Below we will dive deeper into the myriad feelings, challenges, and adjustments faced by expatriates upon their return. We will also include possible solutions and ways to deal with each dilemma an Expat may face.

Whether you’re an expat contemplating a return, someone who has recently moved back, or simply curious about the expatriate experience, this comprehensive guide sheds light on the often unspoken aspects of the return journey.

Expat Depression Returning Home: Delving into Reverse Culture Shock

The exhilaration of living abroad is often met with an unexpected counterpart when one returns home: reverse culture shock.

This phenomenon isn’t just a mirror image of the initial culture shock faced when moving to a foreign land, it’s a complex emotional and psychological response to re-entry.

• Reverse Culture Shock: This refers to the feelings of disorientation and unease that many expatriates face upon returning to their home country. It’s a realization that home might feel unfamiliar or even alien.
  • Possible Solution: Engage in open conversations with friends and family about your experiences abroad and the challenges of readjusting. Seek support groups or counseling tailored for returning expatriates.
• Factors Influencing the Intensity:
  • Length of Time Abroad: The longer one stays abroad, the more profound the changes they might experience upon return.
  • Degree of Immersion: Those deeply immersed in a foreign culture might find it harder to reconnect with their roots.
  • Changes in Home Country: Returning to find your home country has evolved in your absence can be jarring.
  • Possible Solution: Before returning, research and update yourself on the current events and cultural shifts in your home country. This can help in setting realistic expectations.
• Age Groups and Their Unique Challenges:
  • Spouses: They might struggle with re-establishing their roles or finding employment.
  • Children: Young ones might find it hard to fit into schools or connect with peers.
  • Teenagers: This group can face identity crises, torn between the culture they left behind and their native one.
  • Possible Solution: Consider family counseling or workshops tailored for returning expatriates to address age-specific challenges.

Summary:

• Reverse Culture Shock: Emotional disorientation upon return.
• Factors: Duration abroad, cultural immersion, and home country changes.
• Age Groups: Spouses, children, and teenagers face distinct readjustment challenges.

Living Abroad Depression: Navigating Emotional Terrain in Foreign Lands

The allure of living abroad often paints a picture of adventure and new beginnings.

However, beneath this exciting facade lie potential emotional pitfalls that can impact one’s mental well-being.

• Isolation: The absence of familiar faces, places, and routines can create a void, leading to feelings of loneliness and detachment.
  • Possible Solution: Engage in local community events, join expatriate groups, or participate in activities that align with your interests to build new connections.
• Culture Shock: The process of adapting to a new culture, with its unique norms, values, and practices, can be daunting. This overwhelming feeling can sometimes manifest as anxiety or stress.
  • Possible Solution: Educate yourself about the local culture before moving. Once there, be open to new experiences, and give yourself time to adjust. Language classes can also be a bridge to understanding and integration.
• Coping Mechanisms: Amidst the challenges, it’s crucial to find anchors that provide emotional stability and joy.
  • Possible Solution: Establish a routine that includes activities you love, whether it’s reading, exercising, or exploring. If feelings of depression persist, consider seeking professional counseling or therapy.

Summary:

• Isolation: Loneliness due to the absence of familiarities.
• Culture Shock: Overwhelm from adapting to new cultural norms.
• Coping Mechanisms: Strategies to maintain emotional balance and well-being.

Moving Home After Living Abroad: The Dual Sides of Homecoming

The decision to return home after an overseas stint is often accompanied by a mix of anticipation and apprehension. While the prospect of reuniting with loved ones and familiar surroundings is heartwarming, the journey of reintegration comes with its own set of hurdles.

• Reconnection: Re-establishing bonds with family and old friends can evoke a myriad of emotions. While there’s joy in reunion, there might also be a sense of having grown apart or changed.
  • Possible Solution: Initiate open conversations about your experiences abroad and the changes it brought in you. Organize get-togethers or outings to rebuild connections.
• Logistical Challenges: The practicalities of moving back can be daunting. This includes finding suitable accommodation, navigating the local job market, and adjusting to the local lifestyle.
  • Possible Solution: Plan your return in stages. Research the housing and job market in advance. Consider seeking the help of relocation services or career counselors familiar with repatriation.
• Emotional Transition: Beyond the logistics, there’s an emotional journey of bidding farewell to a life crafted overseas and embracing the familiarity of home, which might now feel different.
  • Possible Solution: Allow yourself to grieve the end of one chapter while being open to the new experiences the next one brings. If feelings of disorientation persist, consider joining support groups for returning expatriates or seeking therapy.

Summary:

• Reconnection: The joys and challenges of rekindling old relationships.
• Logistical Challenges: Practical hurdles in resettling back home.
• Emotional Transition: Navigating the feelings associated with leaving behind an overseas life.

Coming Back Home After Living Abroad: More Than Just a Physical Move

The act of returning home after an overseas adventure transcends mere geography. It’s a deeply emotional voyage, marked by a tapestry of feelings, reflections, and adjustments.

• Motivations: The decision to return home is seldom impulsive. It’s shaped by a confluence of factors, ranging from personal aspirations and familial responsibilities to professional opportunities or even global events.
  • Possible Solution: Reflect on your motivations and communicate them with loved ones. This clarity can help in making the transition smoother and in setting expectations.
• Cultural Adjustments: While home might symbolize familiarity, reintegrating into its cultural fabric can pose challenges. The norms, values, and even day-to-day routines might seem different or even alien after an extended period abroad.
  • Possible Solution: Engage in cultural refresher courses or community events. Stay patient and open-minded, allowing yourself time to readjust.
• Personal Growth: Living abroad invariably shapes one’s perspectives, values, and identity. Recognizing and cherishing this growth is crucial, even if it means feeling different from the person who first left home.
  • Possible Solution: Document your experiences and reflections. Share your growth journey with friends and family, and find ways to integrate your overseas learnings into your life back home.

Summary:

• Motivations: The myriad factors influencing the decision to return.
• Cultural Adjustments: The challenges and nuances of reacclimating to home culture.
• Personal Growth: Embracing the transformative impact of the overseas experience.

Expats Returning Home: The Complex Tapestry of Repatriation

The journey of an expatriate is replete with adventures, learnings, and challenges. However, the chapter of returning home, often overlooked, is equally intricate and emotion-laden.

• Reasons for Return: The decision to repatriate is seldom one-dimensional. It could be propelled by professional growth opportunities, the pull of familial ties, or even global events that necessitate a return.
  • Possible Solution: Clearly articulate your reasons for returning, both to yourself and to your close circle. This clarity can aid in managing expectations and easing the transition.
• Challenges: The act of returning is not just about physical relocation. It encompasses the complexities of re-assimilating into a possibly changed cultural milieu, rekindling old relationships, and navigating the professional landscape.
  • Possible Solution: Seek out repatriation workshops or counseling to address the multifaceted challenges. Join local community groups or expatriate returnee networks to share experiences and gain insights.
• Embracing Change: Time abroad can be transformative, leading to personal evolution. Simultaneously, the home environment might have undergone its own set of changes. Acknowledging and embracing this dual evolution is pivotal.
  • Possible Solution: Engage in reflective practices like journaling to understand and appreciate the changes. Open dialogues with family and friends can also help in bridging any gaps in understanding.

Summary:

• Reasons for Return: The diverse motivations behind the decision to repatriate.
• Challenges: The multifarious hurdles in the repatriation journey.
• Embracing Change: Acknowledging the dual evolution of self and home environment.

Expat Returning Home Depression: Unraveling the Layers of Emotional Resettlement

The act of repatriation, while often anticipated with joy, can also usher in unexpected emotional turbulence. The journey abroad shapes expatriates in myriad ways, and the process of reintegration can sometimes be accompanied by feelings of dislocation and introspection.

• Reverse Culture Shock: This isn’t just about readjusting to familiar foods or local customs. It’s the deeper, often jarring realization that what was once ‘home’ now feels foreign, leading to feelings of alienation and disorientation.
  • Possible Solution: Educate oneself about the concept of reverse culture shock prior to returning. Engage in activities that bridge the gap between the overseas experience and home, such as joining cultural exchange groups or attending workshops.
• Identity Struggles: Living abroad molds one’s identity, infusing new perspectives and values. On return, reconciling this evolved identity with the earlier self can be challenging, leading to internal conflicts.
  • Possible Solution: Embrace the change and growth. Engage in self-reflection, perhaps through journaling or art, to understand and appreciate the evolved self.
• Support Systems: The emotional upheaval can be overwhelming, underscoring the importance of having robust support mechanisms in place.
  • Possible Solution: Seek out therapy or counseling tailored for returning expatriates. Join support groups where shared experiences can offer solace. Maintain connections with friends from the overseas stint, as they can offer unique insights.

Summary:

• Reverse Culture Shock: The disorienting experience of feeling estranged in one’s homeland.
• Identity Struggles: The internal tug-of-war between the evolved self and the previous identity.
• Support Systems: The crucial role of external support in navigating the emotional maze of repatriation.

FAQs and Conclusion

Expats return home for a variety of reasons. Some expats return home because they’ve set themselves a time limit for living and working abroad, gaining experience and possibly learning one or two languages. 

These skills and experience they can then use in their future careers. 

Other experts return home because they’ve worked for foreign companies abroad and their companies are repatriating them. 

I personally know of expats who I worked with who married a local then had a child. It seemed like whenever a colleague got married and had a child, the clock started ticking. 

The reason for this is they didn’t want their child to go to the local schools and wanted their child to grow up and go to the schools that they went to in their home countries. 

So it was almost like four or five years maximum from the date they had their child to the date they were going to repatriate. 

Some expats are peace corps volunteers and do a year or two abroad. 

Others are missionaries who are assigned to a country to do their work for a year and then come home. 

There are many reasons why expats return home, just as there are many reasons why expats don’t return home and remain abroad for the rest of their lives.

What do you gain from living abroad?

The experience you gain from living abroad is of first, having the courage to set foot in a foreign land to begin with, not many have that kind of courage back home, I’m sure. 

You have to navigate in an unfamiliar environment and quickly orient yourself. Finding a place to live, places to eat, a place to work and earn money, learn the local language and get a social life.

Of course navigating through all the bureaucracies and legal issues that living abroad entails for the expat as well adds to the experience you gain from living abroad. 

If I had to sum up what you gain from living abroad it’s mostly the qualities of a good self-starter.

Does living abroad change you?

How could it not? It could be traumatic or exciting, but definitely thrilling and life changing. 

It’s all what you make of it. 

However when you go home, it may seem like nothing’s changed or everything’s changed. But one thing is for certain, you have changed.

What kinds of problems do expatriates face when returning home?

When the smoke clears and the excitement of returning home dissipates, you’re basically left starting anew. 

Depending on your situation, you may at the very least need to reconnect with family and old friends. 

However, you may find that many of them have also moved on with their lives and you may not exactly fit in anymore, or some may have even moved away. 

If you’re repatriating back to America you may notice a lot of the things that were familiar to you when you left or gone. 

Things in America are constantly changing, even the landscape and the buildings. Life in many American towns and cities lacks a sense of history. Always tearing down the old to make way for the new.

Other more logistical problems expatriates may face returning home are: 

• Re-establishing an address and residence.
• Finding accommodations both short and long term.
• Buying a car or getting some form of transportation lined up.
• Getting a job and going on interviews.
• Updating your resume’, trying to make it relevant to the opportunities you’re seeking in the US.
• Re-establishing credit.
• Buying furniture, kitchen appliances, pots and pans, plates and silverware, linens etc. 
• Getting used to the fact that you’re no longer an expat and that loss of status that expats normally enjoy in most countries abroad. At the very least, not being different than the local population, because now you will be one of them. 
• Making new friends. 
• Getting used to the mentality of your home country. 

These are just a few of the problems expatriates face when returning home from abroad. But these aren’t the only ones.

Returning home after living abroad depression, conclusions.

Returning home after living abroad, you may encounter not only many of the same feelings and anxiety you had before you left for your first country, but also depression. So how do you get over the depression of returning home after living abroad? 

First, treat going home and approach it the same way as you would going to a new country for the first time. Because in many ways it will be. 

Try not to fall into the trap of the familiar. Because, although many things will seem familiar and second nature, they may not be. 

Just as you have changed during your time abroad, so have not only your friends and family but your country as well. Have a plan. 

If you’re returning home from abroad it’s usually because of a reason. That reason is your compass. Plan all your steps in pursuit of that reason. 

Treat things like finding accommodations, places to live, transportation, even little things like where to shop for your groceries or other incidentals like you would as if you were moving to a new country. 

Don’t forget many times your home country has a lot of incidentals that you can easily overlook, but will need to take care of. For example, getting insurance, including health insurance, car insurance etc. Driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations, going to the DMV, if you’re American, etc. 

If you’re renting or buying a new apartment or house, don’t forget that all the utilities that may have been in your landlord’s name in your last foreign country, will now have to be in your name. 

In the United States landlords normally don’t put utilities like electricity, gas, phones etc. in their names, even though they own the house or residence, but in the tenants’ names. 

Don’t forget that living in the West, especially in the United States, many things will depend on your credit. You may have to reestablish your credit for example. 

There are many other things that you will need to take care of that should keep you preoccupied from getting the depression that may happen as a result of you returning home from abroad. 

Deal with the depression, feelings of anxiety and frustration of returning home after being abroad in the same way you treated moving to a new country, because in many ways it is.