Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Strategies for Dealing with Homesickness
• Method 2 of 3: Talking to Others
• Method 3 of 3: Adapting to a new situation
• Tips
• Warnings

If you left to study in another city, moved to a new place, or just went traveling, you may feel homesick. Symptoms vary, but most often the person feels depressed, restless, and lonely. Someone may miss the simplest things from the house - for example, the usual pillow or the smell of the house. Homesickness occurs in people of all ages in a wide variety of situations, so you shouldn't be ashamed of it. There are several ways to overcome this longing and learn to love a new place.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Strategies for Dealing with Homesickness

1. 1 Understand what causes homesickness. This feeling is due to a person's need for relationships with others, for love and security. Despite its name, homesickness may have no connection with the room itself. Anything that seems familiar, stable, comfortable, and enjoyable to you can evoke this feeling if you find yourself far away from it. Research findings even indicate that homesickness is similar to the longing resulting from the loss of a partner through separation or death.
   • The person may even have anticipatory melancholy, that is, a sense of anxiety, loss, and obsession with home before leaving due to anticipation.
   • Adults tend to experience separation from loved ones more easily than children and adolescents. However, homesickness is completely normal for a person of any age.
2. 2 Learn to recognize the symptoms of homesickness. A person not only misses home - the feeling can cause other sensations that affect a person's ability to function.Learning to recognize these symptoms can help you understand why you are feeling these feelings and take the necessary action.
   • Nostalgia... Nostalgia is frequent thoughts about home and familiar things or people, often idealized. You may be haunted by thoughts of home, or you may be constantly comparing home to your current place and feeling upset because the new place is worse.
   • Depression... People suffering from homesickness often experience depression because they lack the social support they had at home. You may feel that you are not in control of your life, and this increases depression. Frequent symptoms of depression caused by homesickness are sadness, feeling lost, withdrawal from social activity, difficulty at school or work, feelings of helplessness and abandonment, low self-esteem, and sleep disturbances. If you don't want to do something that you enjoyed doing, this could indicate depression.
   • Anxiety... Anxiety is another symptom of homesickness. Anxiety caused by homesickness triggers obsessive thoughts, especially about home and the people you miss. You may find it difficult to concentrate, or you may be under intense stress for no particular reason. You can become an irritable person and respond harshly to people in your new environment. In the most severe cases, anxiety triggers more severe reactions, including agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces).
   • Abnormal behavior... Homesickness can interfere with your daily activities and change your reaction to various things. For example, if you are usually calm, you may feel frustrated and raise your voice more often than before, which could be a sign of homesickness. You can also start eating substantially more or less than usual. Frequent headaches or more intense pains than before are also possible.
3. 3 Most often, homesickness is experienced by young people. While this is completely normal for any age, it is more difficult for children and adolescents to go through this period. There are several reasons for this:
   • Children and adolescents are still emotionally dependent. It will be much more difficult for a seven-year-old to cope with leaving than a 17-year-old.
   • Young people, as a rule, do not have much experience in dealing with something new. If you have never moved, visited a camp, or lived on your own, you are more likely to experience homesickness when you leave. If you are young, it will likely be a new experience for you than if you were older.
4. 4 Keep familiar things close at hand. If there are things from home nearby, it will be easier for you to get used to the new place - you will have a kind of anchor. Items that have sentimental or cultural value to you (like a photo of your family or something related to your culture) can help you feel connected to your home from a distance.
   • But don't overwhelm your new home with too many of these things. To get used to the new environment, it is important to accept the change. It's perfectly okay to bring something with you that will remind you of home, but it's important to understand that you will have to face something new and be ready for it.
   • They don't have to be physical objects. In the age of the Internet, you can, for example, periodically listen to a familiar radio station.
5. 5 Do what you loved to do at home. Research has shown that nostalgic things make people feel better. Tradition and ritual keep in touch with home even when you are away from it.
   • Eat your favorite food from home. Food can help you calm down. Familiar foods from childhood or your culture will help you feel better in your new environment. Try treating your favorite food to new friends to strengthen the connection between the sources of peace you already know and new sources of emotional support.
   • If you are religious, participate in traditional rituals.Research indicates that people with religious beliefs do not feel as much homesick as they participate in such rituals. Find a new place to meditate or pray, or a group of like-minded friends to help you adapt.
   • Find similar activities. If you've played bowling or participated in a book club, feel free to do the same in a new location. Look for something similar in your new environment. You will be able to do what you enjoy and meet new people.
6. 6 Discuss your feelings with someone. Don't think that talking about feelings will only increase sadness - this is a misconception, and this is supported by research. Talking about how you are feeling and what you are going through can help you cope with homesickness. Denying your feelings will only make them stronger.
   • Choose someone you can trust. You can talk to a university psychologist, parent, close friend, or psychotherapist. You will be listened to and given advice on how to deal with your feelings.
   • Remember that asking for help does not make you weak or insane. Being willing to admit that you need help is a sign of courage and self-care, not something to be ashamed of.
7. 7 Keep a diary. This will allow you to collect your thoughts and process information about everything that happened to you in your new place. If you study abroad, in another city, went to a summer camp or moved to a new place, you will surely have many new sensations, and the diary will help you record your thoughts. Research suggests that journaling and event assessment and the way they affect you, they can dull the melancholy.
   • Try to think good things. Feeling lonely and homesick is okay, but it's also important to see the good in what's happening now. Think about interesting activities you have now, or something new that reminds you of home. If the diary only talks about how bad you are, it will increase the homesickness.
   • The diary should contain more than a simple listing of negative thoughts and events. As you record a negative event in your journal, consider why you were experiencing these feelings. This is called thinking in the form of text and is a form of psychotherapy.
8. 8 Go in for sports. Research results indicate that physical activity in the body produces endorphins - substances that improve the emotional state of a person. Endorphins help fight the anxiety and depression that often accompany homesickness. If possible, exercise in a group. This will allow you to meet and connect with new people.
   • Exercise will also help strengthen your immune system. Homesickness can be expressed in ailments (frequent headaches and colds).
9. 9 Connect with old friends and family. This will allow you to feel their support and connection with them, which is very important when adapting to a new place.
   • To fight longing, you need to be confident. Do not allow yourself to become too attached to the people you love who are not with you right now, otherwise you will not learn to live on your own.
   • Talking to friends or family can add to the melancholy of young children and people who are away for a short time.
   • You can spend more time on social media to see what your friends are up to and communicate with them. So it will not seem that they are infinitely far away. But do not devote too much time to this, forgetting about your new acquaintances.
10. 10 Get rid of obsessive thoughts about home. Spending time with the people you left there can help you deal with melancholy, but it can also be a crutch. Don't let attempts to remind yourself of home take over your entire life. If you find that you want to talk to your mom several times a day rather than go out with a new buddy for coffee, start spending more time with new people.There is a fine line between staying in touch with people from your hometown and not progressing in any way in terms of communication where you are now.
    • Schedule calls home. Limit the number and duration of calls. You can even start writing regular letters. This will allow you to keep in touch with the people you love without letting nostalgia get in the way of enjoying the moment.

Method 2 of 3: Talking to Others

1. 1 Make a list of what you are missing. More often than not, people miss their loved ones. Make a list of the people you miss and the things they've brought into your life. What memories do you value? What did you do together? What did you like about the character of these people? Finding people who are similar to those around you before will give you emotional support. It will also help you adjust to a new place or situation.
   • Find similarities between the new place and the old one. If a person can find something similar, he is less likely to feel melancholy, because he often thinks about good things.
2. 2 Do something. Finding new friends in a new place is not easy. It is best to force yourself into situations where you will be forced to meet new people, especially those with similar interests. If you start doing something new, you can distract yourself from homesickness.
   • For example, if you went to study in another city, you can join different clubs and associations. This will allow you to meet new people, and most students like you will feel homesick in the same way.
   • If you've moved on to a new job or moved to a new city, it may be difficult for you to find new friends. As a rule, after graduation, it becomes more difficult to find new friends. It is important to do everything regularly: if you start attending classes that are held frequently, your chances of making friends with someone will increase, since you will meet the same people all the time.
3. 3 Share your home memories with others. The most effective remedy for homesickness is making new friends. If you are supported by new people, you are unlikely to have any problems with longing, even if you do. Sharing your memories of home with others will lift your spirits and make it easier for you to talk about home.
   • Throw a party, treat your friends to your favorite homemade food and share your traditions with them. It doesn't matter if you went to study abroad or just went to university in a city a couple of hours' drive from your home country - it will help you feel better. You can throw a culinary party and teach friends how to cook your favorite food, or simply treat new acquaintances to traditional snacks.
   • Share your favorite music. If you grew up where they love folk, get people together, introduce them to each other, listen to music and play board games. If you've listened to a lot of jazz, turn on jazz. Music should not be directly related to the home - it should only remind of it.
   • Tell funny stories that happened to you at home. You may not be in the mood for humor, but it's still worth doing. This will strengthen your bond with home and making new friends.
   • If you have moved to a place that speaks another language, try teaching new friends to speak simple phrases in your language. It will be fun, interesting, and rewarding.
4. 4 Be bolder. Shyness, stiffness, and vulnerability often accompany homesickness. If you don't take risks, you will lose opportunities to participate in something that can help you adapt. Accept invitations even if you don't know anyone. You don't need to be the center of attention! Just come and listen to others and that will be enough to get you started.
   • If you're shy, come up with an achievable goal: to meet and talk to just one new person. Over time, it will become easier for you to connect with new people.Listening to the other person will make it easier for you to improve your relationship with them.
   • Even if you don't make friends with anyone at an event, you can prove to yourself that you can handle new and unusual situations, and this will increase your self-esteem.
5. 5 Get out of your comfort zone. It is very convenient to do the usual things, but it is also important to take yourself out of your comfort zone in order to grow and change. Studies have shown that moderate levels of anxiety (such as learning new things) can improve performance on intellectual and interpersonal tasks. If you are too comfortable, you will not be able to get used to the new environment.
   • Start small. If you try to fight your biggest fear right away, you might be defeated. If you throw yourself headlong into everything new, you may not be able to cope with all the new emotions. Set small, achievable goals that you will challenge yourself with.
   • Go to a new restaurant. Agree to sit down at a table with a stranger in a cafe. Ask someone in your class to study with you. Invite a colleague to have a glass of wine with you after work.

Method 3 of 3: Adapting to a new situation

1. 1 Enjoy the uniqueness of the situation in your new environment. Finding a way to meet your needs in a new place can be tricky, but it can help you overcome homesickness. If you find that you can enjoy something new, the circumstances in which you find yourself will begin to please you more.
   • For example, if you live or study abroad, visit all the museums and palaces, visit local restaurants, and learn about the traditions that make this country special. Buy a travel guide and make a commitment to yourself to do something new about the culture every week.
   • Immerse yourself in the culture. Even if you just move to another city within the same country, you will notice that the local culture may differ from what you are used to. Learn local expressions, try new food, and visit local bars and pubs. Sign up for a cooking class that teaches you how to cook with local produce. Sign up for a dance. If you understand the local culture better, it will be easier for you to feel in your place.
   • Ask the locals what they like to do. They might suggest a great burrito spot or a wonderful lake that no one knows about.
2. 2 Learn the language. If you have moved to another country, not knowing the language can be a serious barrier to adaptation. If you can communicate freely with people in this country, you will feel much more confident.
3. 3 Get out of the house. Start leaving the house and half the battle is done. Of course, you will feel melancholy if you watch a series for 8 hours a day in the twilight of a room. Spend more time outside your apartment — read books in the park, or just go for a walk with a friend instead of doing squats in your room.
   • Work or study outside the home. Go to a coffee shop or park and do what you planned to do at home. If you are surrounded by people, you will not be so lonely.
4. 4 Come up with a new hobby. If you start doing something new on your own, you will have a new hobby. You will be able to channel your energies into something useful and distract yourself from sad thoughts and loneliness. It will also help you step out of your comfort zone.
   • Find a hobby that will relate to your new environment. Look for cyclists or hikers in your city. Take an art class. Search for writing masterclasses. If you can connect with new people and learn a new skill at the same time, it will be easier for you to get used to the new place.
5. 5 Do not hurry. Don't be discouraged if you can't fall in love with a new place right away.Perhaps many of your acquaintances quickly got used to the new situation, but this does not mean that something is wrong with you. In addition, people who appear to be happy may actually experience intense homesickness as well. Be patient and know that with the right perseverance, you will succeed.

Tips

• Homesickness affects people of all ages. Don't worry if you are an adult but still feel homesick after moving to a new city for work. This is completely normal.
• Focus on positive things in a new place. For example, consider that here you can try new dishes that you don't have in your home country.
• Chat with others! If you are new to school or go to university, you may feel like you are the only one feeling homesick. But if you talk to fellow students like yourself, you will find out that many are haunted by the same feelings. Sharing your feelings with each other will make it easier for all of you to get used to.
• Try to fix the problem. If you are upset and cannot understand what is the reason, think about it critically. Do you feel worse when you think of a friend who stayed at home? Have you been upset by a favorite old movie you recently watched? Try to figure out what triggers the feeling of homesickness.
• If you have moved to another country, try to learn the language as soon as possible. If you can talk to people in a new place, you will have better control over the situation and it will be easier for you to communicate with others.
• If something in the house has caused a boredom, go outside for a couple of minutes, then come back and get some rest.
• Breathe. Sometimes people push themselves up and forget to breathe. Take deep breaths in and out through your nose until you relax.
• Talk to yourself to calm down. Try not to think about the distance that separates you and those close to you.
• Pay attention to the good things you do each day instead of getting hung up on homesickness.
• With the next bout of melancholy, reassure yourself that you will soon see your loved ones. And if such an opportunity is not foreseen, call them via Skype or another messenger with the possibility of video communication.

Warnings

• Severe depression and anxiety can have serious consequences. If you cannot function normally (for example, it is difficult for you to get out of bed in the morning, you are not interested in things that you previously liked), you should see a therapist.
• Homesickness in severe cases can exacerbate suicidal thoughts and feelings. If you have such thoughts and feelings, immediately call the emergency psychological hotline of the Ministry of Emergency Situations at 8 (495) 989-50-50, 8 (499) 216-50-50 or 051 (for residents of Moscow), if you live in Russia. If you live in another country, call your local psychological emergency hotline.