Depression is a mental disorder that affects a person’s mood. It is considered one of the more serious disorders. This article lets us understand the causes, early symptoms and ways to combat migration depression.
What is Migration Depression?
Migration depression as the name suggests happens when a person migrates to a foreign land. One may get affected by migration depression when one migrates to a new country far from our homeland, family and friends. Its symptoms are similar to normal depression.
How does migration depression set in?
There is no specific cause for migration depression. It is a mental condition and thus can be affected by anything. Even a small event can put a person into depression. However, there are some common reasons that can trigger depression in migrants. Below are these
Loneliness Turns To Depression
Since the migrants have to leave their home, family and friends to an alien country, they all of a sudden feel lonely in the foreign country. They have to adjust to the new country. Moreover, there is no one to talk to or share thoughts with. This prolonged feeling of loneliness may cause depression.
Language Barrier
Language is the primary means of communication for all people. Similarly, it is also the biggest barrier for migrants. Most migrants are not completely proficient in the new country’s language. In other words, they are more comfortable in their mother tongue. This may make them sound a little different from the native speakers. This might also lead to a feeling of insecurity and depression.
Intimidation by Natives
The migrant population is often vulnerable. The native people often bully them at the workplaces, schools and neighbourhoods. They may even face harassment at departmental stores, restaurants and other public places. This oppression might impact migrants’ mental health and cause depression.
Why should one take migration depression seriously?
Unlike other medical conditions, depression is far too frequently disregarded and ignored. Additionally, a person experiencing depression might not be aware of their own problems. The only way to overcome depression is to understand its seriousness and start the medications at an early stage to resolve the issue or take control of the situation.
What are the early symptoms of depression?
As discussed earlier, there are a number of causes for depression to set in. Along with this, there are a few symptoms of depression as well. Let’s check these symptoms one by one :
Sudden loss of interest in daily activities
A person loses interest in almost everything. A person hit by depression may lose interest in their day-to-day work and spend the whole time in bed.
Feeling of sadness
The person suffering from depression may feel sad and lethargic all the time.
Suicidal thoughts
The person may even get thoughts to end one’s life or inflict self-harm.
Loss or increase in appetite
There is a sudden change in food desire. A person might feel less or more hungry than he or she was earlier.
These are some of the early symptoms of depression. If the migrants experience any of these symptoms, they should see a psychologist and/or a psychiatrist.
Why?
Remedial measures for migration depression include
Depression is a serious disorder. However, early diagnosis and proper treatment will help towards recovery. These are some of the remedial measures that a migrant can take:
Take medicines regularly
It is important to take medications as per the doctor’s prescription to avoid any episodes of depression.
Discuss the problem with a mental health expert
It is important to bring the problem to your caretaker’s attention as well as your psychologist or/and psychiatrist’s attention.
Make efforts to socialize
With proper medication and cognitive therapy, one can keep one’s mind on one’s shoulders. However, one has to also make efforts to socialize with others and try to spend more time with people outdoors.
Try to make friends
It is important that one makes friends and spends time with them. Try to understand the culture and tradition of the natives so that one can adjust to the existing environment.
Regular exercise
It is important to do some kind of exercise or Go out for a walk, to a park or anywhere that can make the person feel better.
NRI vision had a word with Sheela Dang a well-known psychotherapist from Mumbai she states that “It’s a total loss of identity and loss of one’s entire self. Finding new resources to cope in a new environment is very difficult and building a new life may not be easy, especially from a financial point of view. Now this transition itself may start with feelings of anxiety and depression. And it can then follow up with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
Conclusion
We hope you liked the article. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness among migrants and normalize the issue. They are not the only ones who are having these mixed and verified feelings. Anyone can get afflicted by these. But an early diagnosis and treatment can work magic in their lives.
