Immigrant Stress: Bureaucracy, Language and Uncertainty

What is immigrant stress and what are its symptoms? Practical steps for coping with the load created by bureaucracy, the language barrier and uncertainty.

Has your heart ever started racing before you opened a letter? Or moments when, while waiting in line at a government office, you rehearsed over and over in your head what you would say, or felt embarrassed when you couldn't follow the other person speaking fast on the phone? For many Turks living abroad, these experiences are part of daily life. Immigrant stress is the ongoing load created when the bureaucratic procedures, language barrier, uncertainty, lack of social support and cultural adjustment that come with living in a new country come together. In this article we look at how immigrant stress arises, the symptoms through which it shows itself and concrete ways of coping that you can apply in daily life.

What Is Immigrant Stress?

Migration is a major transition that changes almost every area of life at the same time. Home, work, language, circle of friends, habits, even the position of products in the supermarket change. In psychology, the terms "migration stress" or "acculturative stress" are used for the load created by this process. Immigrant stress is made up not so much of a single big event as of many small and moderate strains that add up.

The most common sources of immigrant stress are as follows:

• Bureaucracy: Procedures such as residence permits, work permits, registrations, tax, insurance, school enrolment and opening a bank account. Rules that are different and at times complicated.
• Language: Struggling to understand official correspondence, hesitating to speak on the phone, not being able to explain your problem to the doctor.
• Uncertainty: Not knowing when applications will be decided, lacking job security, being unable to plan for the future.
• Lack of social support: Being far from the network of family and friends in Turkey, having no one nearby you can call on a hard day.
• Role changes: Someone who had a respected profession in Turkey starting from scratch in the new country, economic dependence or loss of status.
• Cultural differences: Differences in communication styles, personal distance, sense of time and social rules.

Each of these sources might seem manageable on its own. But when they all continue at the same time and for a long period, a person's capacity to cope can be strained.

What Are the Symptoms of Immigrant Stress?

Immigrant stress can appear in different ways in different people. Common symptoms are as follows:

Emotional Symptoms

• Constant tension and restlessness,
• Getting angry easily, impatience,
• Crying spells, a sadness you can't quite explain,
• Helplessness and the feeling that "These matters will never end,"
• Homesickness and idealising the past.

Physical Symptoms

• Sleep problems, waking often at night,
• Headaches, muscle tension, stomach complaints,
• Constant tiredness, low energy,
• Changes in appetite.

Thinking-Related Symptoms

• Constantly thinking about official matters, being unable to quieten the mind,
• Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness,
• The worry that "If I do something wrong, I'll get into trouble,"
• Feeling inadequate or "stupid."

Behavioural Symptoms

• Putting off opening letters, answering calls or going to appointments,
• Withdrawing from social settings,
• Staying limited to a Turkish-speaking circle only, or becoming completely isolated,
• Increased smoking, drinking or screen use.

These symptoms alone do not amount to a diagnosis. But they should be taken into account if they have continued for a long time and are lowering your quality of life. It is also worth remembering that stress can turn into burnout in the long term; you can read our article on burnout syndrome on this subject.

Why Is Immigrant Stress So Exhausting? The Cultural Context

A Constant State of "Being Careful"

In a new country, many things are not automatic. Things you do without thinking in Turkey require attention, research and effort here. Because the mind keeps checking "Am I doing this right?", you may feel intense tiredness by the end of the day.

Language and Self-Worth

Not being able to express yourself can challenge a person's adult identity. Someone who speaks comfortably, jokes and debates in Turkey may feel "like a child" in the new language. This can shake the sense of self-worth. We deal with this subject in detail in our article on the language barrier and self-confidence.

The Expectation to "Look Strong"

Family and friends in Turkey often see the person abroad as someone who has "made it" and is "comfortable." The person abroad may also not talk about their difficulties so as not to upset them. Keeping up the image that "everything is fine over there" can increase the feeling of loneliness.

Hesitancy to Ask for Help

Cultural attitudes such as "Let's not be dependent on anyone" or "Let's not air our troubles in front of strangers" can make it hard for a person to ask for help. Yet in a new country, asking for help is not a weakness; it is a natural part of learning the system.

Trying to solve everything alone abroad may look like resilience, but it often makes the load heavier than it needs to be.

The Effect of Immigrant Stress on the Family and Relationships

Immigrant stress affects not only the individual but the whole family. Let's say a family moved to a new country a few months ago. One spouse spends more time out because of work and learns the language faster; the other is struggling at home with the children, official correspondence and school matters. In the evenings, tiredness and tension turn into arguments. The spouse at home feels lonely and worthless, and the working spouse feels misunderstood. In fact, both are trying to cope with different faces of the same stress.

The effects commonly seen in the family are as follows:

• An imbalance of load between spouses: The spouse who knows the language better taking on all the official matters, and the tiredness this causes.
• Children becoming interpreters: Children translating official correspondence for their parents can place a responsibility on them beyond their age.
• Tension and arguments: Stress showing up at home as anger, impatience and resentment.
• Relationships with family in Turkey: The expectations of parents far away, requests for financial support or pressure to "come back."

Becoming aware of these effects is the first step towards redistributing the load rather than looking for someone to blame in the family. Spouses sitting down once a week and talking about "What tasks are there this week, who can take on what, who needs support?" can noticeably reduce tension. Limiting the interpreting burden on children also makes room for them to have a childhood suited to their age.

Concrete Steps for Coping with Immigrant Stress

1. Break Bureaucracy into Pieces

Thinking of all the official matters as one giant task is overwhelming. Instead:

• Make a list of the things to be done.
• Break each of them into small steps: "Download the form," "Gather the necessary documents," "Make an appointment."
• Set aside a particular day and time each week as "official business time." That way these matters do not spread across your whole week.

2. Set Up a Document System

Keep important documents in one place, in folders divided into categories: identity and residence, work, health, school, tax, housing. Keep digital copies in a safe place too. The time and anxiety spent searching for documents decrease noticeably.

3. Do Not Put Off Letters

Avoidance brings relief in the short term but increases anxiety in the long term. Open incoming letters on a set day. For correspondence you do not understand, get help from translation tools, a friend you trust or local advice centres.

4. Learn About Sources of Support

In many cities there are advice centres for immigrants, municipal services, language courses and associations. Researching these resources in advance means you know where to turn when you encounter a problem.

5. Set Realistic Goals for Language

Goals such as "I must be speaking fluently within a year" can lead you to feel like a failure. Instead, set concrete, small goals such as "This month I will make a doctor's appointment by phone." Each small success increases your self-confidence.

6. Weave a Social Network

Try to build connections with people from both the Turkish community and the local society. A sports group, volunteer work, parents' meetings or short chats with neighbours reduce the feeling of loneliness and give you practical information.

7. Build a Daily "Stress-Release" Routine

• Breathing exercise: Twice a day, for five minutes, breathe slowly and deeply; make the out-breath longer than the in-breath.
• Movement: Even a short walk helps reduce the effect of stress hormones.
• Writing: In the evenings, write the worries on your mind on a piece of paper, then ask, "For which of these could I take a small step tomorrow?"

8. Give Realistic Information to Your Loved Ones in Turkey

Instead of maintaining the impression that everything is fine, share your difficulties with a few people you trust. Being understood lets you feel supported, even from a distance.

9. Allow Yourself Time to Adjust

Adjusting to a new country can take months, sometimes years. It is natural to have ups and downs in this process. Many people go through a stage of disappointment and tiredness after the initial excitement, and then gradually find a balance in their new life. Remembering that one bad day does not mean you have failed at adjustment helps you be kinder to yourself.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

Immigrant stress often eases over time and with support. However, you should consider getting support from a specialist in the following situations:

• If stress symptoms last longer than a few weeks and noticeably affect your daily life,
• If you experience sleep problems, intense anxiety or panic attacks,
• If you feel constantly unhappy, hopeless or worthless,
• If serious disruptions have begun in your work, school or family life,
• If you have started using alcohol or other substances to cope with stress,
• If thoughts of harming yourself or that life is meaningless are passing through your mind.

The last situation is an emergency. Call the emergency number of the country you are in (112 in EU countries, 911 in the US and Canada, 999 or 112 in the UK, 000 in Australia) or go to the nearest emergency department. Online therapy is not an emergency intervention service; in situations of serious risk, local emergency services and local psychiatric services are necessary. Family doctors and mental health services in the country where you live are also important sources of support.

How Do We Work in Online Therapy in Your Mother Tongue?

Sessions in your mother tongue on immigrant stress can allow a person to talk about their difficulties in their own language, without having to explain the cultural context at length. Experiences such as "not burdening the family," "bottling things up" or keeping up the image of "everything is fine" towards loved ones in Turkey can be talked about more easily with someone who shares the same cultural background. This support is not a replacement for the mental health services in the country where you live, but an option that can be used alongside them.

In work based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the following steps may be included:

• Stress map: The sources of stress in your life, how they affect you and your current ways of coping are identified together.
• Thought work: Thoughts such as "I can't manage anything" or "I'll never adjust here" are noticed and evaluated with more balanced perspectives.
• Problem solving: Step-by-step action plans are made on matters such as bureaucratic tasks, language goals or building a social network.
• Working with avoidance: Behaviours such as postponed letters and avoided phone calls are approached in small steps.
• Relaxation and self-care: Physical stress symptoms are eased with work on breathing, relaxation and sleep routines.

For online sessions, a quiet and private room, headphones and a secure connection are important. Taking the time difference into account, time slots that fit your work and family routine can be planned. Payment is made online and payment by international card is possible; we recommend checking the insurance conditions in the country where you live. You can find information about sessions from abroad on our online therapy page, and about other content for Turks abroad on our Turks abroad page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does immigrant stress last?

This varies from person to person. In many people it is more intense in the first years and eases as language, work and social circle settle. However, developments such as a new application, a change of job or an event within the family can increase stress again.

I have lived abroad for years. Can I still experience immigrant stress?

Yes. Immigrant stress is not specific to newcomers. Life stages such as renewing a residence permit, retirement, children's adolescence or the care of ageing parents can create new sources of stress even years later.

Can immigrant stress turn into depression?

Stress that lasts a long time and cannot be managed can lay the groundwork for depression or anxiety disorders in some people. For this reason, it is important to get an assessment from a specialist when symptoms last long.

Does therapy in Turkish make it harder for me to adjust to the language of the country I live in?

Getting support in your mother tongue does not prevent you from learning the new language. On the contrary, a space where you can express your feelings comfortably can make it easier to cope with the difficulties you face with the new language in daily life.

• #migration
• #stress management
• #life abroad
• #adjustment process

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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