Culture Stress: Do you have the symptoms?

What is stress?
Stress is the person's response to a situation that he feels is beyond his ability and resources to manage.

We all have stress at one time or another and it is not necessarily bad.

Culture stress or acculturative stress, (or culture shock) is the stress that results from contact with a different culture and the lack of resources to manage the situation.

Living and working in a new environment is a time of intense stress because of the simultaneous changes in relationships such as family separation, changes in daily routines, physical and bodily changes related to eating new foods, having to acclimate to new weather patterns, differences in interaction behaviors, in addition to differences in work and role expectations.

Do you have the following symptoms of acculturative stress?

--anxious feeling
--sadness
--moodiness and irritability
--insomnia
--becoming obsessive about work or school
--restlessness
--feeling of isolation and loneliness
--intense homesickness
--lowered self-esteem
--concentration problems
--poor work performance
--preoccupation about going home
--continuous fear about the people, the food, the water
--increased criticism and even hatred of the local culture

What can you do about culture stress?

First of all, arm yourself with knowledge. Expect that after the initial excitement and the novelty of arrival in a new country, that the next phase would be a downward beat of the blues. Knowing that it could happen, and knowing the symptoms to watch for, you will be more prepared to cope with the stress.

Do not try to deal with it alone. Meet people from the host culture and find some new friends among them.
Create your own support networks, go out where there are people. Do not isolate yourself and cry yourself to sleep without seeking support.

Try to follow a routine so things do not seem to be so out of control. Perhaps find a place where you feel comfortable and go there regularly and establish familiarity with the place, the people, the activities.

Focus on the positive outcomes of your experience. What are the major benefits that you will gain from living and working in this new culture? It would help to brainstorm with a friend about these benefits so they will be reinforced in your mind.

Get physically active. Find a friend to walk with, or join an exercise club or take up the favorite local sport. Even if you are not able to play, develop curiosity and interest on it and pretty soon you will meet people you could hang out with.

Learn about your new home, the history, the landmarks, the food, the celebrations. Keep an open mind and curiosity about your host country.

Find a mentor, either another person from your own culture, or a person from another culture who would understand what you are going through.

Engage in something creative. Write your thoughts and experiences in a journal. Join a dance group or a history group, discover some new interests and new passions.

Talk to the host country nationals about what you are going through. They have networks that might be able to help you.

If the symptoms persist and become more severe, do not hesitate to seek help. There are cases of acculturative stress that have resulted in premature return home, failing in school or in work performance, engaging in destructive lifestyles, severe depression, and in extreme cases, even suicide.

Do not believe people when they tell you there is nothing you can do about culture stress or culture shock.

Be prepared. Be informed before you go. And know when to seek help.

Here's another look at culture stress: