When being away from your loved ones hurts too much: Ulysses Syndrome

These are the main characteristics of the Ulysses Syndrome.

There are people who wander around the world with a divided heart, one foot here and one foot there, belonging to many places or feeling that they belong to none, perhaps with a permanent feeling of loss that sometimes clouds everything... The Ulysses Syndrome, also known as chronic multiple stress syndrome..

This syndrome is today suffered by millions of people around the world. Surely you know someone whose family is far away, or who has been forced to emigrate, maybe this person is an adventurer and it is a change sought, or it may have been a decision taken out of obligation, looking for something better, and therefore with even more sacrifice or pain.

These people, either with a hidden discomfort or at the surface, may not know what is happening to them and that they can feel better. If you are the one who feels this discomfort or you know someone who is suffering from it, I invite you to dedicate a few minutes to this article, because the important thing is to know it to be able to identify it and thus work on opening a path towards a better emotional well-being.

Why is it also called Ulysses Syndrome?

Let's recap a little to remember, in case it's been years since you've heard this story. Ulysses is a demigod who was forced to separate from his loved ones and travel facing many adversities..

After several years in which there were both defeats and victories, he was not content, his Heart yearned painfully for his wife and son. Homer's Odyssey tells the adventure of this hero into the unknown despite the nostalgia he feels for his family and the dangers he has to face.

Many heroes emigrated to conquer worlds, wealth and prosperity, culture has always filled us with stories of adventurers who ended well, but not so much of those "not exalted" who did not find that reality of triumph. For him, what he has achieved is not enough and never would be, he would always feel that he was missing something important, nostalgia choked him.. Ulysses is one of the most famous heroes of Greek mythology.

What characterizes the Ulysses Syndrome?

When faced with a new, challenging or threatening situation, the survival instinct awakens in us, we become stressed and this allows us to face the situation with our senses sharpened: we pay more attention to everything new, we are able to retain more information, we understand our environment, its customs, etc. better. This state of alertness allows us to adapt better to this new situation.

In addition, all this is accompanied by very strong emotions. It is natural that feelings are aroused by changes or important decisions.

These feelings can be contradictory, of joy for the new beginning or of loss for what you are leaving behind; you may feel anger for not being able to be able to make a new decision.You may feel anger for not being able to have it all, suffer from pain if it has not been a chosen change, you may simply be sad or longing, or have anxiety for fear of uncertainty and perhaps, of not achieving your goals.

There are many situations in which we are activated to overcome a challenge and these, even if they are good, involve an investment of extra energy on our part.

In the face of these changes that shake our foundations, put us to the test and suddenly take us out of our comfort zone, we can feel overwhelmed or overwhelmed for too long by the intensity of our feelings.. When the stress or the negative feelings that this situation produces in us are excessive or persistent is when the Ulysses Syndrome can develop.

The main warning signs

It is considered that the Ulysses Syndrome is between the acute stress and the adaptive disorders.. It differs from these in that it involves the confluence of multiple stressors, its symptoms must last more than three months and its sadness is characterized by "losses" or "migratory grief". The most prominent for their importance for people are the mourning for the family, for the social situation and for the loss of physical security.

Among other symptoms may involve crying, sadness, anxiety, recurrent and intrusive feelings, tension, irritability, insomnia, worry, headaches, fatigue, memory problems, and memory problems, among other symptoms.fatigue, memory and concentration problems, feelings of guilt, helplessness, etc. If these symptoms last too long or are very intense, take charge and seek professional help if you need it.

Does everyone who goes to live in a foreign country suffer from this problem?

No change is easy, even when emigrating is a solution to a problem, a goal, a dream? Starting over in another place is a challenge and always involves mixed feelings and work to accept the sacrifice of what you are leaving behind.what you leave behind.

If it is also an unwanted change, in which you do it for your family, for the hope of something better, to flee from famine, war... The stressful situation becomes much more difficult and the person is more likely to feel overwhelmed or have difficulties to overcome everything that has happened.

And sometimes, even if it is a good change, it can leave an indelible mark, emptiness or longing. Even a person who is very well adapted to their new life in another country may feel longing and need to surround themselves with people from their culture, region, religion, or begin to place more importance on the music or cuisine of their homeland. Thus, he seeks to feel safe by surrounding himself with what is familiar to him. Every change involves a process of adaptation and depends a lot on each person and his or her circumstances, but it is always a challenge.