Many people associate depression with sadness. In many cases, that’s true. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, depression is a “mood disorder that causes a deep sadness in its sufferer.”

But relocation depression is often different. Sadness is part of the equation. How common is relocation depression? It’s difficult to leave friends, family, jobs, and everything else familiar behind. Yet many people are excited about moving.

Frequently, however, the grass is always greener on the other side. In other words, we often have an idealized view of what the future will hold. Frequently, the reality does not live up to our expectations. So, relocation depression is often a combination of sadness and disappointment.

The professionals at Green Van Lines are obviously not psychologists. But we’ve been in this business for a long time, so we know how difficult relocation depression can be. We cannot make this problem go away, but we can make it easier to deal with. We reduce relocation stress. Furthermore, because we are a local company, we give people a clear idea of what their new environment will be like.

FAQs About Relocation Depression

What Are Some Relocation Depression Symptoms?

As discussed above, this condition is complex. So, its symptoms are complex as well. Everyone has a different experience with relocation depression, but for the most part, they go through the same things, such as:

Lethargy:

Moving is physically and emotionally draining. To replenish themselves, most people sleep a lot in the wake of a move. Their energy level might not return to normal for several days. If the lethargy persists, relocation depression might be an issue.

Withdrawal:

When depression sets in, many people withdraw from friends and family. Additionally, activities that once brought pleasure, like a favorite hobby, no longer hold interest. No one knows your social habits better than you. If they change dramatically, you might need help.

Anxiety:

Once again, some anxiety is natural and inevitable. In fact, if you felt no anxiety about Packing and Moving Supplies it probably means you do not fully understand what is at stake. But if the anxiety persists, you worry about things that will probably not happen, or the anxiety takes over your life, you might need help with relocation depression.

Other common symptoms include significant weight change, difficulty concentrating, a foul temper, and self-medication with alcohol or drugs. All these symptoms make it difficult or impossible to function at work, school, home, or anyplace else.

Moreover, once relocation depression sets in, most people do not “snap out of it.” Instead, most people need help, even if that help is just talking over things with a friend.

relocation depression Reddit

As said in Reddit: “When I was looking for jobs while in school and made the decision to start searching out of state, I thought it would be simple: pack my things, move to some nice place, then start working and figure it out from there, easy.

But as I’m realizing now, it’s starting to take its toll on me. I’m no longer with my family. I’m no longer with the friends and roommates that I made during college. I’m pretty much all alone out here basically starting anew.

I’m not bad at making friends and can be sociable, but am a lot more comfortable being on my own and struggle to make new friends. I’m just not feeling too happy right now. I hope that these feelings will just pass and I’ll figure things out at some point, but who knows.

Maybe someone on this sub can give some advice since it seems like a lot of people advocate for relocation to find jobs throughout the country and they might have experience with what I’m going through.”

This topic is a hot one, and you can see that many people are concerned about it.

How Long Does Relocation Depression Last?

Generally, the answer to this question is up to you. If addressed early enough, this problem is usually not a big deal. But if you neglect your mental health and wellness, things get worse. If that happens, it could take several weeks, several months, or even longer to recover from relocation depression.

As for what to expect, most people have depressive episodes. They feel fine for a while, and then something triggers their depression. In this way, depression is a lot like arthritis and some other chronicle physical health conditions. People have good days and bad days.

Once the patient comes to terms with depression and decides to do something about it, the length also varies. Frequently, some simple changes are enough to beat relocation depression. Other times, stronger methods are necessary. That does not mean you are weak. That just means your depression is particularly strong. More on this below.

Does Relocation Ever Help Depression?

Not very often, but sometimes it does. One’s physical environment could cause depression. If that’s the case, changing the environment will help eliminate the depression.

But for the most part, even if our environment changes, we remain the same. And, depression is usually an internal condition as opposed to an external one. So, a change of scenery might help in the short term, but probably not over the long term.

There is also a difference between situational depression and clinical depression. Job loss is a frequent cause of situational depression. If you move to get a new job, chances are, the move will alleviate the depression, at least in part. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is a chemical imbalance in the brain. No scenery change can correct this problem. Clinical depression is a medical problem which normally has a medical solution.

How Can I Get Help for Severe Relocation Depression?

In many cases, self-help is the best remedy. That’s especially true if you come to terms with your problem quickly. Try some of the following life hacks:

• Exercise more to increase endorphin production. This hormone, which has been called “natural morphine,” elevates the mood to help you get through bad spells.

• Force yourself to connect. Even if you do not feel like getting out and attending a community event, do it.

• Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and alcohol is a powerful depressant. These chemical changes in your body often make mood changes worse.

• Sleepless. The science on this point is quite complex, but many people find relief from their depression by changing their sleep patterns. It certainly cannot hurt to try.

If more help is needed, therapists help people identify depressive triggers, fashion a new outlook, and develop coping mechanisms. Moreover, group therapy helps you connect with other people who are going through the same thing.

Medicine and hospitalization could be necessary in extreme cases. However, since relocation depression is usually situational depression, these interventions are usually overkilled.

Never take depression lightly. Relocation depression is a serious condition that could have catastrophic consequences for you and your loved ones. If you feel yourself spiraling, perhaps because of suicidal thoughts, reach out to a professional straight away.

Count on us to make your next move as trouble-free as possible.