The Importance of Mental Health During Relocation

When moving to a new country, there are many factors to consider: Where will you live? How will you obtain the necessary documents? What school should you send your children to? However, there is one aspect of moving that many people overlook: mental health.

Changing countries is exciting, but it can come with many emotional challenges such as homesickness, isolation, culture shock, anxiety, and loneliness. A 2012 study found that “expats were three times as likely to express or endorse feelings of being trapped or depressed.” Additionally, 50% of expats surveyed were found to be at a “high risk of internalising problems, such as anxiety and depression” (https://www.william-russell.com/blogs/top-tips-for-good-mental-health-as-an-expat/). 

Despite how prevalent these problems are, many people preparing for a move don’t anticipate them. Why is this? Perhaps they are so stressed and overwhelmed with the many logistical and legal issues they have to tackle that they neglect to consider their internal world. Perhaps they are so excited for the move and the adventures to come that they don’t believe mental health will be a problem. Or perhaps they’re just not in the habit of checking in with themselves, maybe even holding some stigma around therapy and mental illness. Whatever the reason, taking some time to plan ahead in this regard can make the transition much smoother. Even if things do go perfectly and you do end up very happy, therapy can still be beneficial for anyone.

Therapy in Barcelona is a team of expat therapists that supports adults, couples, children, teens, and organizations from Barcelona’s international community. Don’t hesitate to book a session with one of their trained english-speaking therapists at therapyinbarcelona.com