He Ulysses Syndrome , Also known as the Chronic and Multiple Stress Emigrant Syndrome, is a set of symptoms that affects migrants and people who are forced to live in a country that is not their own, being away from their families and loved ones during Very long periods of time.
The syndrome owes its name to the mythical hero Ulysses, the protagonist of Homer's Odyssey, who faces adversity, far from his family.
The lives of migrants are often threatened by various health problems arising from events and conditions in their place of origin, as well as by migration and adaptation processes.
When faced with extreme stress levels in the country to which they move, these individuals present chronic and multiple symptoms, which have been documented as the"Ulysses Syndrome". These symptoms are the response to the efforts they make to adapt to the stressors of the new context.
The psychiatrist Joseba Achotegui, from the University of Barcelona, describes this syndrome after two decades working with emigrants:"The Ulysses syndrome includes feelings of loneliness, as family and friends are left behind; A sense of personal failure and a struggle for survival that surpasses all other priorities. The syndrome is characterized by physical symptoms such as headaches and psychological symptoms such as depression."
Achotegui focuses on the normally underestimated and misunderstood psychosocial challenges faced by these people, including various forms of stress experienced in their departure from the country of origin and adaptation to a new and different environment.
At the beginning of the new life, fears can also arise that block and make difficult the adaptation in the destination country: fear of the unknown (loss of security by not knowing well what we are facing), fear of not achieving our desires such as finding work or To know new people, fear of changing our way of being (for some people the change of context also implies a change of identity) or fear of rejection or the impossibility of integrating into the new culture.
Symptoms of Ulysses Syndrome
Ulises syndrome occurs when there is an extreme level of stressors. The complex context of migration may include factors that cause high levels of stress such as:
- Forced separation of family members
- The dangers of migratory travel
- Social isolation
- Lack of opportunities
- Feeling failure in the objectives of the migration
- A decline in social status
- An extreme struggle for survival
- Discriminatory attitudes by the people of the country of arrival
We understand stress to be a"substantial imbalance between environmental demands and the response capabilities of the subject."
These factors aggravate the presence of symptoms such as migraines, insomnia , Recurring concerns, nervousness , Irritability, disorientation, fear and gastric and physical pains. It is important to note that the diversity and chronicity of these factors are compounded by the lack of a healthy network of social support and the inappropriate intervention of the host country's medical system.
In the process of attempting to adapt to the culture of the new country, many symptoms are misdiagnosed and treated unnecessarily as if they were mental disorders.
Biomedical approaches see these symptoms not as a reactive response to the difficulties encountered in the new country, but as Signs of depression And other mental disorders that lead to a series of treatments that, instead of mitigating them, can exacerbate the stressors that already exist for the emigrant.
"Migrants are being over-diagnosed. They are being categorized as patients with mental disorders when in fact they are very stressed, which is different"assures Achotegui in an interview. "Ulysses syndrome does not necessarily generate mental disorders, but it increases the risk of them. Vulnerable people are at risk of developing alcoholism , depression Y Gambling ".
Other symptoms of Ulysses Syndrome include sadness, excessive crying, anxiety, fatigue, memory loss and even suicidal thoughts. A significant number of people who suffer from it try to fight their problems through alcohol, which will probably have even more destructive consequences on their lives.
Causes
The stressors that define the syndrome that we are addressing are the following:
Loneliness
First, loneliness Is motivated by the mourning for the family that the emigrant leaves behind and the separation of loved ones, especially when leaving behind small children or elderly or sick parents who can not bring with them.
On the other hand, the emigrant can not return to his country with the failure to take care of not being able to get ahead with the migration. Forced loneliness is a great suffering that is experienced above all at night, when memories, affective needs and fears arise. In addition, migrants come from cultures in which family relationships are much closer, which makes the process especially hard.
Mourning for the failure of the migratory project
The feeling of hopelessness and failure arises when the emigrant does not even have the minimum opportunities to get ahead when having difficulties with"the papers", the labor market or to do it in conditions of exploitation.
AND It is extremely painful for these people to see that all their efforts have been in vain. In addition, this failure increases feelings of loneliness.
The Struggle for Survival
In this section there are two large areas. First, food; Many times these people have problems finding food and are malnourished. In addition, it should be noted that migrants are, in general, a group that feeds badly, as they send all the money they earn to their family.
The result is a tendency to eat low-quality foods. Second, housing is another big problem. Due to the prejudices of the natives, the migrants have many problems to obtain a house to live, and many happen to depend on other people, with a high risk of abuses. Overcrowding is a factor that increases, in turn, stress levels.
The fear
Fourthly, one must take into account the fear of physical dangers related to the migratory journey (boats, trucks), coercion of mafias, networks of prostitution, etc.
In addition, there is also the fear of detention and expulsion and abuse. It is known that physical fear, loss of physical integrity, has a much more destabilizing effects than psychological fear, which aggravates the situation.
Origins according to the transcultural, biological and socio-behavioral models
The complex origins of Ulysses Syndrome are relevant to the three major domains of mental health sciences: transcultural, biological, and socio-behavioral.
In the cross-cultural area, Ulysses syndrome presents a failure in acculturation. The process of assimilation of the new culture is not complete.
In the biological domain, this syndrome is a condition of chronic stress that affects all members of the family of the emigrant or its social group, and has intergenerational implications.
Regarding the socio-behavioral area, the syndrome constitutes a severe trauma of attachment that has little chance of being cured. These people may come to feel a depersonalization, which is characterized by having periods in which the person feels disconnected from their own body and thoughts.
Sometimes this disorder is described as feeling that you are observing yourself from the outside or like being in a dream. These people may feel that they lose their sense of identity, too.
Prevention and treatment: recommendations
The best way to start a new stage is to definitively close the previous one: say goodbye to acquaintances, family and friends. It is important to know the consequences of moving to another country, going through grief and accepting the feelings that the new situation causes.
With regard to the loss of identity usually felt by those who suffer from Ulysses Syndrome, it could be refocused as a new possibility, rather than a loss. Many times there are familiar and friendly roles in the place of origin to which the person can feel bound.
It is time to be free and begin to be what you want to be. It remains essentially the same person but with the possibility of taking a qualitative leap and getting closer to who you want to be in reality.
Regarding the feeling of failure to leave, make the decision To emigrate is a test of courage and of wanting to improve. Faced with the possibility of being"stuck"the person decides to take a step to open new possibilities.
Talking with other people who have had to relocate can help you better the situation, as well as having a better idea of what you will find.
Once the person has settled in the new country, if you begin to experience the symptoms of Ulysses Syndrome, the following recommendations might be helpful:
- Consult with a doctor . It is essential that a health professional undertake the corresponding studies to rule out other associated diseases. The symptoms of Ulysses Syndrome are so diverse and shared with other disorders and diseases that are easily confused.
- Go to a psychological consultation . In order to adequately process the grief involved in losing sight of the family and other loved ones, therapy is recommended. In this way the feeling of belonging, affected in these cases, could be elaborated, and the sense of identity would not be so affected.
- Talk to loved ones . In this way, it avoids fomenting the feeling of solitude. It is important to have the support of people we trust. At present, long-distance communication with family and friends is facilitated by the use of new technologies through the Internet.
- Decreased stress . Many Breathing and relaxation techniques Contribute to Cortisol levels In our body, helping our body and mind not respond with tension to the situation. It is recommended to perform these exercises daily. Some examples of these techniques are Mindfulness Y the meditation .
- Physical exercise . Although people with this disorder suffer from excessive tiredness, it is important that the body can release physical and mental tension. Dedicating a little time to walking each day or doing a simple exercise table at home will suffice to Decrease stress And feel more relaxed.
- Feeding Habits . In addition to the four meals, it is important to eat lightly two or three hours, such as fruit. The process of adaptation to a new culture and a new country implies a very large energy expenditure that needs to be recovered.
- Positive thinking . The key to overcoming this syndrome is be optimistic And have willpower.
CONCLUSIONS
The concept of Ulysses Syndrome is a challenge for current biomedical approaches. It requires a comprehensive and non-clinical assessment of the plight of migrants suffering from chronic and multiple stress syndrome.
This means that prevention of the syndrome is required, not only at the individual level but also at the community level in general.
From this point of view, the emigrant is not isolated but integrated, and is made aware of the importance of maintaining strong ties with his language and culture as the most powerful factors in influencing his overall well-being.
The aim is for migrants to complete their adaptation process and their objectives without compromising their health status. They could bring to the country of arrival natural and culturally relevant techniques of their own country, to help themselves and the rest of the migrants. In this way, they would alleviate the typical sadness felt when separating from loved ones.
Community programs aimed at the well-being of migrants can be very effective as long as there is periodic monitoring of them and an evaluation to make the necessary adjustments and to take corrective measures.