When I was in my college, a cousin of mine had an excellent job opportunity in Delhi. Delhi is not too far from Jhansi where we lived. After about a month I came to know that he had returned home leaving the job for good. Later, I learned that he did so because of homesickness. He couldn't cope with it.
Later, I experienced homesickness when I left my home town to study and work in other cities. Certainly, sometimes it was quite distressing. If you are away from home and feeling distressed or uneasy, this may be due to homesickness.
What is homesickness?
Homesickness is a feeling of longing for home and family when one is away. It can be caused by a variety of factors such as a change in environment, fear of the unknown, and even a lack of familiarity with the new surroundings. It's not an easy task to get rid of this feeling, and it can have a significant impact on mental and physical health. Homesickness can be characterized by distress, loneliness, depression, and hopelessness. It is crucial to comprehend that homesickness can also cause physical symptoms such as nausea, headache, exhaustion, and insomnia.
How to handle homesickness?
To fight homesickness, we must remember that it is a natural feeling. Missing home and expressing your emotions about being away from home is all right, but this should not overpower us and make us sickly. To avoid this, we need some distractions. Engaging in self-care activities like talking to a friend, reading, listening to music or watching a movie can help distract attention from homesickness. Additionally, we can try to find ways to make the new environment feel like home. For this, one can fill one’s living space with home items, indulge in familiar foods. Exploring the new region and getting to know the people also helps in handling homesickness. Above all, staying connected to family and friends back home can help to ease the feeling of homesickness.
To sum up, homesickness is a common experience that can be challenging to handle. Understanding the causes and symptoms can aid individuals in coping with and preventing homesickness. By maintaining communication, engaging in social activities, creating a homely atmosphere, and making friends, people can feel more at home in their new environment. By taking these actions, individuals can effectively handle homesickness and make the most of their time away from home and enjoy their new environment.
About the Author
Ravi Ranjan Goswami is a native of Jhansi (UP). He is a retired IRS officer, a poet and writer. His published titles include Palayan, Asht Yogis and The Seven Shades.