Moving can be stressful and even traumatic for kids. They don't yet have the experience and maturity to deal with a change that's big enough to upset even adults. Be on the lookout for signs of depression, and get professional help promptly if you suspect it's developing.
And just like other significant life stressors, the trauma of moving can cause a host of mental health and behavioral issues, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kids who have moved five or more times during their childhood are three times as likely to experience mental health problems compared to those who stay in their hometowns. In a study of 50,000 children, researchers found that the impact of moving is often worse for children over the age of five.
Emotional Stress of Moving and Relocation Depression
Some may become sad, happy, or sentimental. Others may experience decision fatigue. The stress can come from the fear of the unknown. You have become so familiar with where you are from that thinking about moving to a new place can be terrifying.
What causes it. Some experts believe that constant moving or fidgeting – even in toddlers – may signal a form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Harper and others who choose to move frequently are likely to be risk takers, psychologists say. If they moved a lot as children, they may be experiencing what Freudian analysts call “repetition compulsion,” or a Goldilocks complex, always looking for the just the right place.
Relocating is traumatic because this process brings many changes, including changing your usual routines, a job or a school, losing contact with some important people, changing the lifestyle and environment you're used to, and generally getting out of your comfort zone.
Frequent moves take a toll on children's social-emotional well-being. At all ages, each additional move is associated with small declines in social skills and emotional and behav- ioral problems. Although the effects are small, these deficits can accumulate, leaving multiple movers at greater risk.
Expat child syndrome is a term used by psychologists to describe children who are suffering from emotional stress because of a move abroad. Although it can impact children of all ages, those approaching or in adolescence tend to suffer most.
Transitional trauma is also known as relocation stress syndrome, or RSS. Transitional trauma can be identified as stress, anxiety, confusion, and/or depression as a result of having to move. Moving in general is stressful.
Relocation stress syndrome is a nursing diagnosis characterized by symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, and loneliness. It usually occurs in older adults shortly after moving from a private residence to a nursing home or assisted-living facility.
Researchers tell us that adults and children need time to adjust – often as long as 16 months. For some families, the most stressful time is 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the move. For many families, however, the time of the move is one when everyone pitches in and works together as a team.
The Impact of Expat Child Syndrome During Adolescence
These challenges can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
A trigger is some aspect of a traumatic event that occurs in a completely different situation but reminds the child of the original event. Examples may be sounds, smells, feelings, places, postures, tones of voice, or even emotions.
Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better.
The term, coined by the American sociologist Ruth Hill Useem, refers to a child who has spent a significant part of their formative years outside their parents' culture. People who fit that bill have a tendency to mix and merge their birth culture with their adopted culture, creating one of their own: a third culture.
This causes behaviours which are consistent with Stockholm Syndrome, in which an abusive parent who is clearly judged to be so, is excused for the harm done and the abused parent is instead seen as the one who must change.
Third culture kids (TCK) or third culture individuals (TCI) are people who were raised in a culture other than their parents' or the culture of their country of nationality, and also live in a different environment during a significant part of their child development years.
So how many times does the average person move in a lifetime? Whether they're changing jobs, upsizing their homes or just looking to try on a new neighborhood or dream city, Americans move an average of 11.7 times in their lifetime.
Moving With Preschool Kids (Under 5 Years)
The family members are all that they know, so it doesn't matter to them where they are going as far as they have their family members with them. That is why people believe that this is the right age to move.
When it comes to who is happier, people with kids or those without, most research points to the latter. But a new study suggests that parents are happier than non-parents later in life, when their children move out and become sources of social enjoyment rather than stress.
Researchers found that each additional move was associated with an increased risk for psychological issues. Research has also shown that people who move frequently are more likely to leave relationships behind along with physical possessions.
By releasing muscle tension, your nervous system calms down, and your body can return to a more balanced state. Practicing Trauma Release Exercises, or TREs can help you relax deeply and reduce your overall stress levels.