When I relocated to the United States at the end of 2018, I didn’t know that I was going to become savvy about what is called Ullyses Syndrome. I went though the experience and I did research about the evidence to understand this complex psychological process. I came to know the wonderful work of Dr. Joseba Achotegui. Expats usually face this syndrome that is still not part of the DSM (the diagnostic manual we use as mental health clinicians). 

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Migratory grief (MG) may be related to interpersonal losses, which can cause PTSD and prolonged grief disorder. MG may use similar processing mechanisms as interpersonal losses, so future research should examine the relationship between MG and these constructs. MG is real and a pervasive process.

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Achotegui found that it entails different types of grieving processes associated with the loss of family and loved ones, the native language, the culture, the land, the social status, the groups of belonging, and sometimes risks for social integrity.

 

If you are an expat, I would be delighted to help you navigate and understand the challenges of leaving your country of origin.