How to Deal With Homesickness
Understand what causes homesickness., Recognize homesickness symptoms., Homesickness is common for young people., Keep familiar things around., Do some things you loved to do at home., Talk about your feelings with someone., Keep a journal., Get...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand what causes homesickness.
Homesickness comes from the human need for connection, love, and security.
Despite its name, your feelings of “homesickness” might not have anything to do with your actual home.
Anything that is familiar, stable, comfortable, and positive can be a source of homesickness when you’re away from it.Research has even shown that homesickness is a kind of grief for a loss similar to mourning a breakup or death.You may even have pre-emptive homesickness, where you develop feelings of anxiety, loss, or obsession about home before you leave because you are anticipating the separation.Children and pre-teens typically feel homesickness more than older adults, although people of any age can experience this. -
Step 2: Recognize homesickness symptoms.
Homesickness is much more than just missing “home.” It can cause a variety of feelings and side-effects that can impact your daily functioning.
Learning to recognize these symptoms can help you figure out why you’re feeling the way you are and take action to help.Nostalgia.
Nostalgia is when you frequently think about your home or familiar things and people, usually through an idealized lens.
You might feel preoccupied by thoughts about home, or find yourself constantly comparing your new situation unfavorably to your old one.Depression.
People who suffer from homesickness often experience depression because they lack the social supports they had at home.
You might also feel like you have less control over your life, which can worsen depression.
Common signs of homesickness-caused depression include feelings of sadness, feeling disoriented or like you “don’t belong,” withdrawing from social activities, academic or work difficulties, feeling helpless or abandoned, experiencing low self-esteem, and changes in your sleeping patterns.
Not wanting to do or not enjoying things you used to do is often a sign of depression.Anxiety.
Anxiety is also a hallmark of homesickness.
Anxiety due to homesickness may cause obsessive thoughts, especially about the home or people you miss.
You might also have difficulty concentrating or feel extremely stressed without being able to pinpoint a cause.
You might get easily irritated or “snap” at people in your new situation.
In extreme cases, anxiety can trigger other responses, such as agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) or claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces).Abnormal behaviors.
Feeling homesick can throw you off your normal routines and change the way you respond to things.
For example, if you’re not usually an angry person but you find yourself getting upset or yelling more than you used to, this could be a sign that you’re feeling homesick.
You might also eat significantly more or less than you usually do.
Other symptoms include frequent headaches or experiencing more pain or illness than usual., While a person can get homesick at any age, younger people more typically encounter this.
There are a couple of reasons:
Children and teens typically are not as emotionally independent.
A seven year old is generally not nearly as ready to venture from home as a seventeen year old.
Young people usually have not had as much experience with new situations.
If you have never moved before, or been away at camp before, or been on your own before, it is more difficult than the second or third time.
When you are young, it is more likely to be a new experience than an older adult. , Having familiar things from “home” can help ease your feelings of homesickness by giving you an “anchor.” Things with high sentimental or cultural value, such as photos of family or an item tied to your cultural identity, can help you feel connected to home even when you are away.Balance old with new.
In order to adjust to your new situation it’s important to embrace the changes that you’re experiencing.
Certainly have some comforting items from home, but realize you cannot and should not be surrounded by old, familiar things.
Remember that not everything has to be a physical object.
In the age of the Internet, you may be able to stream your local radio station, for instance. , Research shows that doing things you feel nostalgic about can help you feel better.Tradition and rituals can help foster a sense of connectedness to your home even when you’re far away.
Eat your favorite foods from home.
There’s a reason we have the term “comfort food.” Eating familiar foods from your childhood or culture can make you feel happier and more secure in your new environment.Try introducing your favorite foods to new friends to strengthen the connection between familiar sources of comfort and new sources of emotional support.
Participate in your religious traditions, if you have them.
Research has shown that people who have religious or faith traditions feel less homesick when they participate in those traditions in a new place.
Finding a place of worship or meditation in your new place, or even finding a group of friends with similar traditions, can help you adjust.Find some similar activities to do.
If you were in a bowling league or book club at home, don't be shy.
Do your research and see if you can find something similar in your new environment.
You'll be able to do the things you love and meet some new people in the process. , It’s a common myth that talking about feeling homesick can cause or worsen symptoms of homesickness.
Research has shown that this isn’t true.In fact, talking about what you’re feeling and experiencing can help you deal with your homesickness.
Not acknowledging your feelings can make them worse.
Find a trusted person to talk with.
A college RA, a guidance counselor, a parent or close friend, or mental health professional can give you a sympathetic ear and, often, advice about how to cope with your feelings.
Remember that seeking help from someone else doesn’t make you “weak” or “crazy.” Having the strength to admit you need help is a sign of courage and good self-care, not something to be embarrassed about. , Keeping a journal will help you get in touch with your thoughts and process everything that is happening in your new environment.
Whether you're studying abroad, in college, at summer camp, or just moved to a new city, you will likely be experiencing many new and unfamiliar sensations, and keeping a journal can help you keep track of your thoughts.
Research has shown that keeping a journal where you reflect on your experiences and how they made you feel can help relieve feelings of homesickness.Try to keep your focus positive.
While it’s normal to feel lonely and homesick, it’s important to look at the good side of your new experiences.
Think about the fun things you’re doing, or think about how something new reminds you of something wonderful from home.
If you only journal about how miserable you’re feeling, you may make your homesickness worse.
Make sure your journal is more than a list of negative feelings and events.
When you do list a negative experience, take some time to think and write about why it made you feel that way.
This is called "narrative reflection," and it serves a therapeutic purpose., Research has shown that exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Endorphins can help fight anxiety and depression, which are both common side-effects of homesickness.If you can, exercise with others.
This will give you the chance to socialize and meet new people.
Exercise can also boost your immune system.
Homesickness may manifest as increased feelings of sickness (e.g., frequent headaches or colds). , Talking with your loved ones back home can help you feel supported and connected, which is important for adjusting to a new place.
You need to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-reliance to combat homesickness effectively.
Don’t let yourself focus so much on your loved ones in another place that you don’t learn how to manage on your own.
Talking to friends and family can make homesickness worse for very young children or for people who are away from home for a very short time.You can also spend a bit of time on social networking sites to connect with friends and see what they’re up to.
It may help to not feel they are impossibly far way.
However, do not focus so much on your old friends that you don’t have time to make new ones, though. , While connecting to people back home can be a great coping strategy, it can also become a crutch.
Don’t let your attempts to remind yourself of home take over your life.
If you find yourself staying in to talk to your mom for the third time that day rather than grab a coffee with a new friend, consider adjusting the amount of time you spend on connecting with new people.
There is a fine line between keeping in contact with people from your hometown, and not moving on to where you are now.
Schedule your phone calls home.
Set limits for how often and for how long you’ll talk to friends and family back home.
You could even try writing old-fashioned “snail mail” letters.
These are great ways to stay connected to people back home without letting your nostalgia for the past keep you from experiencing the present. -
Step 3: Homesickness is common for young people.
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Step 4: Keep familiar things around.
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Step 5: Do some things you loved to do at home.
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Step 6: Talk about your feelings with someone.
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Step 7: Keep a journal.
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Step 8: Get plenty of exercise.
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Step 9: Talk with friends and family back home.
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Step 10: Avoid obsessing over your old home.
Detailed Guide
Homesickness comes from the human need for connection, love, and security.
Despite its name, your feelings of “homesickness” might not have anything to do with your actual home.
Anything that is familiar, stable, comfortable, and positive can be a source of homesickness when you’re away from it.Research has even shown that homesickness is a kind of grief for a loss similar to mourning a breakup or death.You may even have pre-emptive homesickness, where you develop feelings of anxiety, loss, or obsession about home before you leave because you are anticipating the separation.Children and pre-teens typically feel homesickness more than older adults, although people of any age can experience this.
Homesickness is much more than just missing “home.” It can cause a variety of feelings and side-effects that can impact your daily functioning.
Learning to recognize these symptoms can help you figure out why you’re feeling the way you are and take action to help.Nostalgia.
Nostalgia is when you frequently think about your home or familiar things and people, usually through an idealized lens.
You might feel preoccupied by thoughts about home, or find yourself constantly comparing your new situation unfavorably to your old one.Depression.
People who suffer from homesickness often experience depression because they lack the social supports they had at home.
You might also feel like you have less control over your life, which can worsen depression.
Common signs of homesickness-caused depression include feelings of sadness, feeling disoriented or like you “don’t belong,” withdrawing from social activities, academic or work difficulties, feeling helpless or abandoned, experiencing low self-esteem, and changes in your sleeping patterns.
Not wanting to do or not enjoying things you used to do is often a sign of depression.Anxiety.
Anxiety is also a hallmark of homesickness.
Anxiety due to homesickness may cause obsessive thoughts, especially about the home or people you miss.
You might also have difficulty concentrating or feel extremely stressed without being able to pinpoint a cause.
You might get easily irritated or “snap” at people in your new situation.
In extreme cases, anxiety can trigger other responses, such as agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) or claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces).Abnormal behaviors.
Feeling homesick can throw you off your normal routines and change the way you respond to things.
For example, if you’re not usually an angry person but you find yourself getting upset or yelling more than you used to, this could be a sign that you’re feeling homesick.
You might also eat significantly more or less than you usually do.
Other symptoms include frequent headaches or experiencing more pain or illness than usual., While a person can get homesick at any age, younger people more typically encounter this.
There are a couple of reasons:
Children and teens typically are not as emotionally independent.
A seven year old is generally not nearly as ready to venture from home as a seventeen year old.
Young people usually have not had as much experience with new situations.
If you have never moved before, or been away at camp before, or been on your own before, it is more difficult than the second or third time.
When you are young, it is more likely to be a new experience than an older adult. , Having familiar things from “home” can help ease your feelings of homesickness by giving you an “anchor.” Things with high sentimental or cultural value, such as photos of family or an item tied to your cultural identity, can help you feel connected to home even when you are away.Balance old with new.
In order to adjust to your new situation it’s important to embrace the changes that you’re experiencing.
Certainly have some comforting items from home, but realize you cannot and should not be surrounded by old, familiar things.
Remember that not everything has to be a physical object.
In the age of the Internet, you may be able to stream your local radio station, for instance. , Research shows that doing things you feel nostalgic about can help you feel better.Tradition and rituals can help foster a sense of connectedness to your home even when you’re far away.
Eat your favorite foods from home.
There’s a reason we have the term “comfort food.” Eating familiar foods from your childhood or culture can make you feel happier and more secure in your new environment.Try introducing your favorite foods to new friends to strengthen the connection between familiar sources of comfort and new sources of emotional support.
Participate in your religious traditions, if you have them.
Research has shown that people who have religious or faith traditions feel less homesick when they participate in those traditions in a new place.
Finding a place of worship or meditation in your new place, or even finding a group of friends with similar traditions, can help you adjust.Find some similar activities to do.
If you were in a bowling league or book club at home, don't be shy.
Do your research and see if you can find something similar in your new environment.
You'll be able to do the things you love and meet some new people in the process. , It’s a common myth that talking about feeling homesick can cause or worsen symptoms of homesickness.
Research has shown that this isn’t true.In fact, talking about what you’re feeling and experiencing can help you deal with your homesickness.
Not acknowledging your feelings can make them worse.
Find a trusted person to talk with.
A college RA, a guidance counselor, a parent or close friend, or mental health professional can give you a sympathetic ear and, often, advice about how to cope with your feelings.
Remember that seeking help from someone else doesn’t make you “weak” or “crazy.” Having the strength to admit you need help is a sign of courage and good self-care, not something to be embarrassed about. , Keeping a journal will help you get in touch with your thoughts and process everything that is happening in your new environment.
Whether you're studying abroad, in college, at summer camp, or just moved to a new city, you will likely be experiencing many new and unfamiliar sensations, and keeping a journal can help you keep track of your thoughts.
Research has shown that keeping a journal where you reflect on your experiences and how they made you feel can help relieve feelings of homesickness.Try to keep your focus positive.
While it’s normal to feel lonely and homesick, it’s important to look at the good side of your new experiences.
Think about the fun things you’re doing, or think about how something new reminds you of something wonderful from home.
If you only journal about how miserable you’re feeling, you may make your homesickness worse.
Make sure your journal is more than a list of negative feelings and events.
When you do list a negative experience, take some time to think and write about why it made you feel that way.
This is called "narrative reflection," and it serves a therapeutic purpose., Research has shown that exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Endorphins can help fight anxiety and depression, which are both common side-effects of homesickness.If you can, exercise with others.
This will give you the chance to socialize and meet new people.
Exercise can also boost your immune system.
Homesickness may manifest as increased feelings of sickness (e.g., frequent headaches or colds). , Talking with your loved ones back home can help you feel supported and connected, which is important for adjusting to a new place.
You need to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-reliance to combat homesickness effectively.
Don’t let yourself focus so much on your loved ones in another place that you don’t learn how to manage on your own.
Talking to friends and family can make homesickness worse for very young children or for people who are away from home for a very short time.You can also spend a bit of time on social networking sites to connect with friends and see what they’re up to.
It may help to not feel they are impossibly far way.
However, do not focus so much on your old friends that you don’t have time to make new ones, though. , While connecting to people back home can be a great coping strategy, it can also become a crutch.
Don’t let your attempts to remind yourself of home take over your life.
If you find yourself staying in to talk to your mom for the third time that day rather than grab a coffee with a new friend, consider adjusting the amount of time you spend on connecting with new people.
There is a fine line between keeping in contact with people from your hometown, and not moving on to where you are now.
Schedule your phone calls home.
Set limits for how often and for how long you’ll talk to friends and family back home.
You could even try writing old-fashioned “snail mail” letters.
These are great ways to stay connected to people back home without letting your nostalgia for the past keep you from experiencing the present.
About the Author
Laura Ford
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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