You’re not alone. Bouts of homesickness is a common emotional response for many people regardless of their age. When you need to move to a new town for work, go away for college and move into some cheap student accommodation here in London, or even go for a short trip abroad, it’s possible to have those strong feelings of longing for home.
In fact, this has become a very popular subject of many areas of pop culture, such as songs, book, and movies. Even actors and actresses have shared their experiences about feeling homesick whenever they’re away from home for months filming movies and TV shows.
So, what exactly causes all these emotions that can sometimes even affect us physically? According to experts, the following are the four risk factors that affect homesickness among adults:
Attitude
Most of the time, your state of mind has a lot to do with how you cope with your new environment. If you’re already thinking about how uncomfortable it will be to adjust to your new place once you moved, then there are higher chances that you actually will.
Try to explore your new surroundings whenever you can and be more familiar with it. Of course, it won’t be easy at first, but you’ll eventually get there.
Personality
If you’re the type who needs some time before you can warm up to new people you have to work with, it will take longer for you to deal with the changes. As a result, it could have a considerable effect on your ability to handle homesickness.
Try to make new acquaintances whether it’s at work or in your new neighbourhood. While they will not be able to replace your old friend right away, it’s always best to surround yourself with people you can be comfortable with. It’s also a great way to learn new things from people who’ve been living there long before you.
Experience
Is it your first time to be away from home? If you’ve never left the country before, for example, and you’re going to be away from quite some time, you’re more likely to start missing your home as soon as you leave no matter how excited you might be for that trip.
This is because you’ve no prior experience of being in an unfamiliar environment. This is natural. Try to stay in contact with your friends and family back home but make sure it’s not way too frequent. Doing so may actually make you miss home a lot more.
External Factors
This one is a no-brainer. If you’re not exactly willing to move in the first place, it can be difficult to respond positively to the change at first. Was the move inevitable? Did you have to move due to some unexpected changes at work? Were you given an option in the first place? All these affect how you cope with the situation.
The struggles of trying to adjust to brand-new surroundings are real, but with a bit of work, things will surely get better.
