Feelings of anxiety can emerge in different stages of our lives.
Between changing jobs, moving away from friends and trying to stick to the budget, you may feel overwhelmed and anxious while preparing for the upcoming move.
It is important to know that you’re not the only one. These things happen to most people who are relocating!
However, you shouldn’t let this feeling stop you from enjoying your new home.
Instead, learn how to cope with anxiety after moving and fight back!
Do you know how to recognize the symptoms of anxiety?
Post-move anxiety and depression are some of the most common side effects of relocation.
However, people don’t talk enough about them and that’s why depression and anxiety symptoms are unknown to most people.
No matter how surprising this might seem to you, you should take a moment and think whether you could recognize if someone is feeling anxious.
In case you’re confident in your knowledge, let us tell you this – anxiety doesn’t feel the same for everyone!
Ask yourself if you’re really feeling tired all the time or you’re suffering from post-move depression
In order to eradicate negativity from your life, you’ll have to learn how to recognize the symptoms first.
Therefore, we have listed below some of the most common things people feel when they’re experiencing post-move anxiety.
Read them carefully and count those that describe how you currently feel.
- Lack of interest in daily activities
- A significant amount of weight gain or weight loss
- Running low on energy or feeling lethargic
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping
- Unwillingness to leave the new home
- No desire to socialize or meet new people
Write down what you’re anxious about
Before learning how to cope with anxiety after moving, it’s necessary to recognize which particular aspects of your relocation upset you the most.
Trust me, I’ve been through this. Years ago, my family and I had to leave our perfect home in Washington because of an unexpected turn of events.
I have to admit the idea of relocating to the new city made me feel nervous, sad, and even angry.
Fortunately, my family helped me cope with my anxiety and now I’ll try to help you.
What helped me fight my anxiety the most was writing down all of the things regarding my move that made me nervous.
You should do this too! Write even the worst-case scenarios and everything that comes to your mind.
Now look at the things you wrote, and ask yourself what the chances are that any of this would happen to you.
Let me answer this – chances are, none of it will happen!
So, do you want to live in fear or start a new chapter in your life after the move? Are you ready to embrace the change?
If so, keep reading to find out how to deal with your transition the right way.
Just because you’re feeling anxious doesn’t mean something bad is going to happen.
Learn how to cope with anxiety after moving
When we first moved, I spent a few days thinking about my old home and the friends I left behind. Instead of embracing the change, I decided not to do it.
Looking back at my behaviour, I realize how wrong I was for not trying to cope with my anxiety as soon as I moved.
But, you know what they say – it’s never too late to change!
Even though it took me a while, I found the right tactics for getting rid of my post-move anxiety and some useful suggestions for overcoming depression.
Today, I want to share them with you. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. We’ll make this possible together.
1. Take a moment to breathe
When we’re scared, nervous or anxious, we breathe shallowly and our heart starts to beat faster than normal. This is called a panic attack.
Even though these “attacks” are everything but pleasant, you can learn to control them by implementing different strategies.
One of the most important things you’ll have to master are breathing techniques. These techniques will calm you down and make the panic go away.
What most people say when they’re experiencing anxiety attacks is that they can’t catch their breath.
And the harder they try to change this, the worse they feel. However, even though you’re feeling shortness of breath, you’re actually getting enough air.
So, there’s no need for feeling scared. You should instead try to calm yourself down.
Telling you to take a deep breath is incomplete advice and that’s why I’m going to tell you how to take a deep breath.
Next time you feel anxious, try this simple relaxation technique:
- Exhale. Let it all out.
- Close your eyes.
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat this exercise for several minutes.
Take small steps and deep breaths.
2. Establish a new routine, but don’t forget about the old one entirely
After moving with the help of Divine Moving and Storage NYC to your new home, you will want to deal with post-move tasks as soon as possible, in order to get back to your daily routine.
But let me tell you something. When I moved, I tried to stick to my old routine and that made me even more nervous.
I was living in a different city and that routine wasn’t working for me anymore.
So, I came up with a new one but kept the elements of the older one. This helped me a lot! I created the perfect daily routine.
In case you had a gym next to your old home but don’t have it now, consider finding alternatives.
Are there any parks in walking distance from your home?
If yes, then you can start running, walking or riding a bicycle every day instead of going to the gym. It’s all about finding new alternatives and feeling good in your own skin!
3. Exercise regularly
If you want to cope with anxiety after moving, you’ll want to start exercising regularly.
There are so many great activities for overcoming stress and anxiety that could help you solve your problem!
You should try as many of them as you can until you find those that suit you the most. In case you aren’t that much into exercising, don’t give up just yet.
Even walks can help you cope with your anxiety. They are great for calming a nervous mind and blowing off steam.
And, have you ever thought about doing yoga or stretching? This is something I like to do every morning.
Doing yoga calms me down and prepares me for everyday challenges. The combination of breathing and stretching will help you get out of your worried mind and into your body.
However, if you decide to try doing yoga, make sure to start with beginners workouts. You don’t want to hurt yourself while trying to cope with anxiety after moving!
4. Stay connected with people
Whether you have moved across the town or across the state, staying in touch with friends and family is of the utmost importance.
These are the people you love and who can make you feel better whenever you’re feeling blue.
Even though sometimes this might seem to you like an impossible mission, keep them in your life.
I had a lot of support from my friends when I was feeling down and they helped me overcome my problems.
Oh, and don’t forget to meet new people! As soon as you move to your new home and get the necessary sleep, go out!
Explore your new surroundings and meet other locals. Having a support system in the city you live will make you forget about your anxiety!
When in need, call your best friends and you’ll immediately feel better!
5. Expose yourself to new experiences
Let me ask you something – do you really think that you’ll be depressed if you’re constantly on the go?
Instead of spending the whole day inside, go out!
Expose yourself to new experiences – visit museums, check out local restaurants, hear a local band play, have a drink in one of the most popular bars. Do what you want and you’ll start to feel better.
Of course, if you’re anxious, take it slow.
You don’t have to explore the whole city in one day. Instead of rushing things, do them at your own pace.
And trust me, seeing and learning new things will have a great effect on you and on your mind.
Last but not least is to forgive yourself a couple of hours of rest. Moving is a big change and you should take your time to adjust to it.
No one can tell you how much time you’ll need for adjusting, there are no rules.
Therefore, take it slow but remember to think positively. Embrace the change and do your best to cope with anxiety after moving!
This article was written by Sophia Perry.
