Living Abroad During Lockdown; Travel Restrictions And Your Mental Health

Travel restrictions have been hard on everyone, but ex-pats and those working or studying abroad may find themselves more than just a little homesick. During a time of crisis, we often seek comfort in familiar surroundings amongst loved one’s and this is not an option for those who cannot travel home.

There is currently a secondary crisis affecting people worldwide. The psychological strain is manifesting as serious mental health issues, particularly in the form of depression. This condition is most severe when combined with social isolation, mainly being away from immediate family and loved ones.

Another factor impacting the mental health of ex-pats and foreigners is the lack of any clear resolution in sight. Studies show that people tend to cope better with stressful situations when there is a definitive end in sight. Whilst no such end exists as yet, we have put together a guide of advice to help you through this situation.

Learn Foreign Healthcare Facts

Regardless of where you are in the world, you will need to uncover the workings of the healthcare system. If you are living in Italy, you should make an effort to find out where the best Italian hospitals and healthcare professionals are located. Healthcare in Italy has been ranked 2nd in the world for quite some time. However, when considering the region boasts both public and private hospitals, learning the facts is vital for ex-pats.

You should also research the type of healthcare system relevant to ensure you can afford the treatment. Knowing what to expect from the healthcare system is essential for ex-pats, especially when treating conditions rather than life or death emergencies.

Healthcare systems vary drastically according to the region. While healthcare in Italy has been regarded as one of the best in the world, it is still wise to evaluate ex-pat health insurance plans and other covers suitable for ex-pats. Uncovering basic facts about local healthcare with the help of ex-pat resources will ensure you can feel secure in your host country.

Counteracting Depression

Many of us get depressed only by not getting out of town enough. Being in a situation that forces us to self-isolate can be a very dangerous trigger for depression. This is an aspect of the problem that is relieved somewhat by having direct emotional support, which, when abroad, is not necessarily an option.

Already one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions, depression presents a real and visceral risk to your wellbeing. Isolation, in particular, has long been known to trigger it, and the worst part of it all is that depression breeds more isolation, causing a cycle that can spiral out of control.

So what can you do to avoid it? Well, there are a few options. If you have a history of depressive episodes, you must continue taking your medication and consult your health practitioner as to further medicinal solutions. Should you not have any history, but find yourself not sinking into this state you may benefit from a controlled short term treatment of antidepressants.

Exercise As A Tool For Mental Well Being

One of the best ways to counteract depression associated with isolation is by exercise. The challenging thing is to get yourself to get up and go for it. A range of mental states in the spectrum of depression all has one thing in common. A decrease in enjoyment and onset of lethargy. It may feel impossible, and even pointless to get up and get yourself to do a bit of a workout, and this is understandable.

What you need are tools to give exercise agency in your life. If you are suffering from general malaise or a downward spiral of negative emotions, think of exercise as the friend that will help you get through it. It is almost a matter closing your eyes and does it. The other problem though is that gyms and conventional methods of exercise may be inaccessible.

What is one to do if lockdowns also disrupt the options? Well, you need to set in place a method to get some of the work in at home. We cannot recommend yoga strongly enough. Before you let doubt get the better of you, watch some beginner tutorials on YouTube and give it a chance. It makes for a fantastic combination of fitness regimen and meditation.

Make Plans And Rediscover Your Dreams

It is advisable to try to spend as much time as possible planning and focusing on the future. This is not to say you need to set up a formal ten-year plan, although you could if you like. This sort of planning will help to keep your mental state focussed on the positives that are still to come in the future and serve as a reminder that things will return to some degree of normality.

We advise taking up a journal specifically to reflect on your dreams and ambitions for the future. Yes, times will be tough moving ahead, but the small sliver of a silver lining is that the disruption of the age-old status quo presents us all with the opportunity to rethink our future and design ways to attain new goals.

There has never been a more appropriate time to take stock of your life and start to re-envision that which you would like to change. Doing so also helps keep your mind focussed on the future, and having goals to look forward to can assist in diminishing depression and anxiety, replacing them with cautious optimism.