Синдром Одиссея: как психологи помогают экспатам справляться с хроническим стрессом при переезде

The author: Sidsel Byskov Hansen is a psychology counsellor and the founder of Expat Counselling, established in 2015. She specialises in supporting international highly qualified professionals, families and students navigating life transitions, performance pressure and mental wellbeing across cultures in Denmark and worldwide. With Christopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster The Odyssey, audiences are once again introduced to Homer’s timeless hero, Ulysses, who spends ten years navigating storms, monsters and impossible choices before finding his way home. While Homer’s epic is rooted in mythology, its central theme remains profoundly relevant today: leaving home changes us. For millions of people living internationally, however, the greatest challenges are rarely mythical. They are psychological. Spanish psychiatrist and migration expert Joseba Achotegui coined the term Ulysses Syndrome to describe the chronic stress experienced by migrants who must repeatedly adapt to life between cultures while coping with multiple losses at the same time. Although originally developed to understand migration under extreme circumstances, the framework is equally relevant for today’s globally mobile workforce, diplomats, accompanying spouses, international students and expatriate families. At Expat Counselling, we specialise in supporting internationals and globally mobile families worldwide. Over the past decade, we have worked with clients from more than 60 nationalities, and one observation consistently emerges: regardless of whether someone moves because of a corporate assignment, love, education or necessity, the emotional challenges of relocation often follow remarkably similar patterns. Migration is not only about changing countries. It is about rebuilding identity, relationships and belonging. Denmark’s International Reality Denmark is becoming increasingly international. According to Statistics Denmark, in 2026 16.8% of the population now consists of immigrants and descendants, meaning almost one in six people living in Denmark has an international background. In 2025 alone, more than 84,000 foreign citizens moved to Denmark, while over 54,000 left the country. These figures illustrate just how dynamic international mobility has become. Behind every statistic is a person navigating much more than visas, housing and employment. They are learning to function in a new culture while simultaneously mourning parts of the life they left behind. Public debate often focuses on integration through employment or language acquisition. Far less attention is given to the emotional adjustment that determines whether someone truly feels at home. The Seven Mournings of Migration Achotegui describes migration as involving seven different “mournings” losses that create chronic stress when experienced simultaneously. 1. Family and Loved Ones The greatest loss for many internationals is not their home but the people in it. Parents miss their adult children. Grandparents miss grandchildren growing up. Friends celebrate milestones without each other. Even with video calls and instant messaging, physical absence cannot be replaced. Many internationally mobile professionals describe the emotional conflict of living two lives simultaneously fully committed to building a future abroad while emotionally remaining connected to the people left behind. 2. Language Language is far more than communication. It shapes confidence, identity and independence. Highly educated professionals can suddenly feel incompetent when visiting the doctor, understanding official letters or participating in everyday conversations. While English allows many internationals to function professionally in Denmark, not mastering Danish often limits deeper friendships with loals, career progression and the feeling of fully belonging. Language barriers also increase stress because simple daily tasks require significantly more cognitive effort than they would at home. 3. Culture Every culture operates according to unwritten rules. Humour, hierarchy, parenting, friendships, punctuality and communication styles differ across societies. Living abroad requires constantly interpreting these invisible rules while simultaneously missing familiar traditions, celebrations, music and food. Rather than replacing one culture with another, many internationals gradually develop a multicultural identity combining the values and strengths of several cultures into one personal worldview. 4. Homeland Home is experienced through our senses. The smell of fresh bread. The colour of the landscape. The sound of birds. The temperature of the air. Even the detergent used at home. Neuroscience tells us that smell connects directly with the limbic system the part of the brain responsible for memory and emotion. Familiar scents can instantly evoke feelings of safety and belonging because they bypass our logical thinking and connect directly with emotional memory. For internationals living in Denmark, especially those arriving from warmer climates, the long dark winters can intensify homesickness. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects many residents, but newcomers may be particularly vulnerable as daylight, weather and daily rhythms change dramatically. Sometimes the most effective remedy for homesickness is surprisingly simple: cooking a traditional family recipe, listening to music from home or surrounding yourself with familiar aromas. 5. Social Status Migration often reshapes professional identity. A respected doctor may become a healthcare assistant. An engineer may need years before qualifications are recognised. A senior executive may suddenly become “the foreign employee.” American psychologist Donald Super described careers as lifelong journeys of growth and identity. Migration interrupts this journey, forcing individuals to rebuild both their careers and their sense of purpose. Denmark’s highly regulated labour market offers many opportunities, but international qualifications are not always easily recognised. This can create frustration, uncertainty and loss of confidence. 6. Belonging Perhaps the deepest human need is belonging. Migrants often experience existing between worlds not entirely belonging to their country of origin anymore while not yet feeling accepted in the host society. At Expat Counselling, we help internationals understand that belonging rarely comes from one place alone. It often develops across five communities: - Family - Country-of-origin community - International community - Workplace or interest groups - Local Danish community The mistake many newcomers make is searching for one perfect friendship group. Belonging is usually built gradually across multiple communities. Relationship-building also takes time. Danes are often described as difficult to befriend. In reality, most locals regardless of country already have established friendship networks. The challenge is not Danish culture itself but understanding where genuine opportunities for connection naturally exist. 7. Physical Risk The final mourning concerns vulnerability. For refugees, this may involve dangerous migration routes, violence or exploitation. For expatriates and accompanying partners, vulnerability often appears differently. Understanding unfamiliar legal systems. Navigating healthcare. Recognising workplace rights. Knowing where to seek help during crises. Living internationally means functioning in systems we do not yet fully understand, making many newcomers more vulnerable than they realise. Beyond Survival: Building Belonging The encouraging news is that Ulysses Syndrome is not a life sentence. Research consistently shows that resilience grows when people intentionally create protective factors: - Build meaningful relationships. - Learn the local language. - Maintain connections with home. - Accept that belonging develops gradually. - Create routines that provide stability. - Ask for professional support when the emotional burden becomes overwhelming. Migration has always been part of the human story. Homer’s Ulysses eventually found his way home after years of uncertainty. Modern internationals often discover something different: home is no longer one place on a map but a network of relationships, identities and communities built across cultures. Understanding Ulysses Syndrome reminds us that successful relocation is not measured only by employment or visas. It is measured by whether people eventually find a place where they feel they truly belong.