Cultural shock can be a difficult situation to recover from. It is not easy to come back from the experience of being in a different culture and feeling like you don’t belong. The key is to take your time, get used to the new surroundings, and try not to make any rash decisions.
Cultural shock is something that many people experience when they are suddenly exposed to a new culture. It’s not uncommon for people who are on vacation or studying abroad to feel some type of cultural shock.
But, more than these, people who relocate for a job opportunity or to their foreign spouse’s home country may deal with this issue on a deeper level.
What is a cultural shock?
Cultural shock is a common phenomenon that can happen to anyone when they are in a different environment.
The symptoms of cultural shock can vary from person to person, but it usually includes feelings of displacement, fear, and anxiety. It is important for people who experience it to take time to process what has happened and try to find ways how to recover from the experience.
What causes a cultural shock?
A cultural shock is a form of distress that people experience when they are in a foreign country and their cultural expectations do not match up with what they find.
The first thing you could do is to identify the cause of the shock. This may be caused by many factors, such as language barriers, lack of familiarity with customs and culture, or even an inability to adapt to new surroundings.
Cultural shock is a psychological response to an unfamiliar culture. It can be caused by a number of things, such as:
-A change in language,
-Different customs and practices,
-The way people dress and behave,
– Feeling overwhelmed by the culture,
– Feeling like an outsider,
– Difficulty communicating with locals,
– Difficulty understanding customs and traditions,
– Feelings of homesickness,
-Different food and drink.
Ways to recover from a cultural shock:
There are many ways to recover from cultural shock. One way is by talking about your feelings with someone who understands the situation you are in. Another way is by doing something familiar, like eating food or watching TV shows that you know well. More methods are listed in detail below.
1- Try to find beauty in what’s unfamiliar:
The best way to recover from culture shock is by finding your own space where you feel comfortable and safe.
This could be your hotel room or any other place where you can decompress and recuperate. You should also try spending some time exploring the new environment that you are in, adopting a new perspective, and trying to perceive the beauty of diversity, difference, and chance.
Try not to overdo it at the start though, because this might cause more stress than anything else.
2- Try not to compare your new life to your old life:
The first thing you should do is take time to adjust. If you’re not sure how long it will take, just be patient and give it some time. It’s important to remember that your emotions may be more intense than usual at the start, so try not to judge yourself too harshly for feeling this way.
Try to not compare your past life with your new one straight away. Think of how long it took you to get used to a routine in your old location too and what it took for you to adapt and enjoy living there. So it goes without saying that even in a much nicer area or a more beautiful home, it would take you a long time to adjust.
3- See it as an opportunity for growth:
Recovering from cultural shock is not easy. It takes time and effort to get back to normal. You should try to find your happy place, whether it’s a place that has a similar culture or one that is different.
It’s important to be mindful of the future and what you want for yourself. You can’t always be surrounded by people who are like you or have the same culture as you, you have to learn to depend on yourself alone. You have to see this as an opportunity to grow and not be dependent on others to feel safe or secure.
You should be able to adapt and adjust to any scenario of life. what matters is to take care of yourself and make sure that you are not taking on too much stress.
4- Don’t isolate yourself:
In order to recover from cultural shock, it is important to keep an open mind and try not to get overwhelmed by all the new things you see. It’s also important to make sure you don’t isolate yourself from other people.
You can learn about the culture by reading books or watching movies about it. You can also talk to locals and ask them for their perspectives on the culture, traditions, habits, and more. Lastly, you can just give yourself time to adjust to your new surroundings and find comfort in your own identity again.
Bottom line:
The symptoms of cultural shock are usually mild and go away on their own with time. However, if you experience them for an extended period of time, it can be more difficult to recover from them.
Try doing the things listed above to speed up the recovery process and get back to your normal self as soon as possible. Also, try to practice techniques like mindfulness to learn to savor the present moment and create a social circle, rather than be nostalgic about the past or slowly drifting to start living in your head and imagination.