Comments on: Depression and expat life: something we don’t talk about enough

By: B

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 19:51:44 +0000

im still in this rut. i dont want to go nuts here, but im starting to feel jealous of my husband who gets to go to work and has all these after work events and travels and im here…home.. The job i left behind is not easy to get here, so i keep asking what now. i dont know! and im losing patience over myself because i cant figure out where to begin. way open to advice here, haha.

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By: clara@expatpartnersurvival.com

clara@expatpartnersurvival.com — Fri, 12 May 2017 17:09:06 +0000

Thank you and I’m so glad this helped you x

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By: Bumpy

Bumpy — Fri, 12 May 2017 13:42:03 +0000

ey important article and echoes a lot of what I regularly think. Thanks for highlighting this. I have had regular bouts of depression over the last 8 years of my expat life. For me it wasn’t the initial move that I found tough, there was a lovely honeymoon phase when everything was exciting. It was actually a few years in when my first child was about 18 months that I realised how lonely I was, how my career had stalled, how I was struggling to integrate and make friends. Luckily I have found a great therapist but it is still tough. My fellow expat friends aren’t always so keen to lend an ear…. I don’t think people really want to hear that someone is ‘depressed’. Or maybe i have the wrong kind of friends here….. and so the vicious circle continues!
Makes me feel better to know there are others who empathise xx

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By: Expats and change fatigue - Relocation Africa

Expats and change fatigue - Relocation Africa — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 08:32:22 +0000

[…] part of expat life we have to get through. Others may find themselves in the grip ofdepression. Expat depression is real and well documented online. Please seek medical help if you feel this sounds like your […]

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By: Expat burnout and change fatigue - when it all gets too much

Expat burnout and change fatigue - when it all gets too much — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 06:30:00 +0000

[…] part of expat life we have to get through. Others may find themselves in the grip of depression. Expat depression is real and well documented online. Please seek medical help if you feel this sounds like your […]

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By: clara@expatpartnersurvival.com

clara@expatpartnersurvival.com — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 11:02:06 +0000

Hi Joe – I am so sorry you are feeling this way. If you haven’t already done so can I recommend you look at my series on expat depression and in particular at this post which includes links to professionals who might be able to help you? https://expatpartnersurvival.com/2016/03/18/a-series-on-expat-depression-7-seeking-professional-help/

The other posts can be found here https://expatpartnersurvival.com/tag/expat-depression/

I hope you will find something helpful in these articles but remember, you are not alone in feeling this way and the fact that you have been an expat for 14 years doesn’t matter – lots of things can trigger depression and the initial move is just one of them.

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By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 10:18:14 +0000

I don’t feel good. Something is wrong. I feel stuck in a rut and I don’t know what to do. This is my 14th year living as an expat. I now have a fantastic wife and 2 wonderful kids but feel very lonely and isolated here. I feel so sad at nightime.

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By: clara@expatpartnersurvival.com

clara@expatpartnersurvival.com — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 15:34:48 +0000

I really hope you find like I do that once you settle into life in SA it is a wonderful place to be. A week is no time at all and you know you will have ups and downs over the next few months. But with the weather as gorgeous as it is hopefully you can get outside into the sun every day, which is one of the best things to help improve low mood. X

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By: Postcards from Josefine

Postcards from Josefine — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 11:31:10 +0000

Thanks Clara! This is just what I needed today, one week in my new country and I kind of feel all the things you’ve described in this post – just like in the beginning when we had moved to Switzerland only this time with a baby, we’re even further away from home and the cultural differences are a lot bigger! Feels good to know I’m not the only one feeling like this and that things hopefully will get better once we’ve moved in to our house and settled in a bit!

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By: clara@expatpartnersurvival.com

clara@expatpartnersurvival.com — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 05:35:51 +0000

It’s definitely not something we should be afraid of. And you are right Jessica, there is a difference between actually feeling depressed and having depression. The lines are easily blurred though so as you say, always worth going to the doctor. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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