When being away from yours hurts too much: Ulysses Syndrome

There are people who roam the world with divided hearts, one foot here and one there, belonging to many places. or feeling that they do not belong to anyone, perhaps with a feeling of permanent loss that sometimes tarnishes it everything... Ulysses Syndrome, or also known as chronic and multiple stress syndrome.

This syndrome is today suffered by millions of people around the world. Surely you know someone who has his family far away, or who has been forced to emigrate, this person may be an adventurer and It is a sought change, or it may have been a decision made out of obligation, looking for something better, and therefore with even more sacrifice or pain.

These people, whether with a hidden or raw discomfort, may not know what is happening to them and that they can feel better. If you are the one who feels this discomfort or you know someone who is suffering from it, I invite you to spend a few minutes on this article, since the important thing is to know it to be able to identify it and thus work on opening a path towards better well-being emotional.

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Why is it also called Ulysses Syndrome?

We will recap a bit to remember, in case you haven't heard this story in years. Ulysses is a demigod who was forced to separate from his loved ones and travel facing many adversities.

After several years in which there were both defeats and victories, he was not satisfied, his heart yearned painfully for his wife and child. Homer's Odyssey tells of this hero's adventure into the unknown despite his nostalgia for his family and the dangers he has to face.

Many heroes emigrated to conquer worlds, riches and prosper, culture has always filled us with stories of adventurers who finished well, but not so much of those "not exalted" who did not find that reality of triumph. For him, what has been achieved is not enough and it never would be, he would always feel that something important is missing, nostalgia drowned him. Ulysses is one of the best known heroes of the Greek mythology.

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What characterizes the Ulysses Syndrome?

Faced with a new or challenging or threatening situation, the survival instinct is awakened in us, we become stressed and this allows us to face the situation with our sharp senses: we pay greater attention to everything new, we are able to retain more information, we better understand our environment, its customs, etc. This state of alert allows us to better adapt to this new situation.

In addition, all this is accompanied by very strong emotions. It is natural for feelings to be aroused by changes or important decisions.

These feelings can be contradictory, of joy for the new beginning or of loss for what you leave behind.; you may feel anger that you cannot have it all, suffer pain if it has not been a chosen change, you may just be sad or longing, or have anxiety for fear of uncertainty and perhaps, of not achieving your purposes.

There are many situations in which we activate ourselves to overcome a challenge and these, even if they are good, represent an investment of extra energy on our part.

Faced with these changes that shake our foundations, put us to the test and take us out of our comfort zone, we may feel overwhelmed or overwhelmed for too long by the intensity of our feelings. When the stress or negative feelings that this situation produces are excessive or persistent, it is when Ulysses Syndrome can develop.

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The main warning signs

Ulysses Syndrome is considered to be between acute stress and adaptive disorders. It differs from these in that it involves the confluence of multiple stressors, its symptoms must last more than three months and that their sadness is characterized by "losses" or "grief migratory". The most prominent due to their importance for people are the griefs that are made for the family, for the social situation and for the loss of physical security.

Among other symptoms may involve crying, sadness, anxiety, recurring and intrusive feelings, tension, irritability, insomnia, worry, headaches, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, feelings of guilt, helplessness, etc. If these symptoms last too long or are very intense, take charge and seek professional help if you need it.

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Does everyone who is going to live in a foreign country suffer from this problem?

No change is easy, even when emigrating is a solution to a problem, a goal, a dream... Starting over in another place is a challenge and always involves mixed feelings and work to accept the sacrifice that it entails., what you leave behind.

If it is also an unwanted change, in which you do it for your family, for the hope of something better, to flee from famine, war... The stressful situation becomes much more difficult and the person is more likely to feel overwhelmed or have difficulties to overcome everything that has happened.

And sometimes, even being a good change, it can leave a mark, an emptiness or an indelible longing. Even a person well adapted to her new life in another country may feel yearning and need to surround herself with people of your culture, region, religion, or start giving more importance to the music or cuisine of your Earth. Thus he seeks to feel safe surrounding himself with what is familiar to him. Every change involves a process of adaptation and depends a lot on each person and their circumstances, but it is always a challenge.