Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of discomfort for expatriates, not only because of the distance from their loved ones but also due to lockdowns and health restrictions. Emanuela Brusadelli, a Professor of Clinical Psychology and the Deputy Director of the Professional and Clinical Psychology Programs at Wollongong University School of Psychology in Australia, tells us more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a trauma for everyone, both for its socio-economic and mental health implications. Every person is unique and reacts differently to such events, depending on the psychological resources available and their difficulties (both internal and external). Indeed, you need both scales to find the right balance. A person can feel extremely stressed when the pressures become more significant than the available resources. You can think of them as tools that keep our body functional. This is essential for understanding how there are very different people within the expatriate macro category, some of whom have suffered and are suffering more than others from the pandemic.
We can imagine specific aspects to have influenced the well-being of some expats to a greater or lesser extent over the past year. However, as human beings, we are incredibly complex organisms. Therefore there is never just one reason, but a whole set of interconnected factors within the same system, and these influence each other.
Some expats have always attached great importance to freedom of movement. For many of them, it is a real need. Living in different places is part of their identity. In some cases, it is also a defence mechanism that helps them regulate their internal emotions. For these people, the travel ban has had an extremely important impact on their well-being.
Other expatriates, such as permanent residents, were definitely affected but differently. Limited freedom (and choice) can cause deep frustration for anyone鈥攆or example, not being able to return to our home country when we want to. Many have experienced blockages that have profoundly affected this feeling of constriction and helplessness, not to mention the physical and emotional isolation, which is another crucial variable.
There are also expats, often those who travel alone, who feel better when they are surrounded by people. They suffered the most from the lack of contact with other people. For some expats, the pandemic may have awakened and/or intensified the feeling of loneliness, especially when they don't have (or don't feel like they have) a solid interpersonal network in the area or country where they live. Usually, this lack of contact gives them the feeling of having strayed from reality. To make things even more complicated, some people may face a high level of conflict in their immediate environment.
Due to all these aspects, expatriates feel the need to reconnect with their origins, representing their own world. For them, it's their safe haven. The perception of danger, isolation, and, more generally, the total uncertainty linked to the pandemic have triggered alarms in most people. Instinctively, people seek a way to protect themselves and take refuge in a safe place. For some, proximity to their loved ones in their home country s the most important thing in such situations.
When such traumatic events occur, the fear of death becomes more intense. Everyone will inevitably reconsider their choices and priorities. Added to these thoughts are strong emotions such as guilt linked to helplessness, that is to say, this internal impulse that constantly reminds you that you have not done enough or that you are solely and directly responsible for the well-being (or survival) of someone who is far away from you. Sometimes, we tend to have a negative and critical outlook on ourselves, which significantly impacts our discomfort. There are also these bereavements that we have experienced and that we are currently experiencing, and this is an extremely complicated and delicate stage.
There is another category of expats who accept everything in a detached way and forcibly deactivate the alarms so that they don't feel bad. It's a bit like when Homer Simpson puts out the fire at the power station with a bucket of water. In such situations, this strategy acts like a cushion for some ^people at the beginning, then brings out all kinds of ills, including dysfunctional and dangerous behaviours (such as increased consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or other substances, and gambling). Even though the lights are out, the control unit is still on fire. For the same reason, we cannot just pretend nothing has happened.
Taking care of our mental (and physical) well-being should be a priority for everyone. We should keep in mind that we can't help anyone if we are unwell. The first step is to try to understand how you are feeling currently, assess the length of this isolation period, the difficulties you had to face, and the methods you used.
For those who really need help, my main advice is to accept this feeling that comes from within and follow it, even if you're not really sure about it. Asking for help before you run out of resources is important and allows for faster recovery. If, on the other hand, you feel that you have run out of energy, call for help immediately. Better late than never! Most countries are providing such support for free during the pandemic, so the choice is yours.
In some countries, things are getting worse while others are gradually lifting their restrictions. We are all hoping for a return to "normality" (or rather, a return to "freedom"). For all those who have survived this pandemic, it will take a long time to process the trauma (s) and integrate what happened into the story of their life. Resources are essential to do this: the pandemic has exploded the strategies that people have been using to stay healthy and has forced us and still requires us to be flexible and to look for new tools to add to our "toolbox". The more we have, the better.
What tools do you have in your 鈥渢oolbox鈥�? What new tools can you add to it?
