So, you’ve finally hired cross country movers, and unexpected anxiety about moving out started creeping in. Nobody enjoys these negative feelings, so it’s only normal if you find yourself posing questions like: how do I cope with moving out for the first time, or how do I mentally prepare to move out? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll help broaden your understanding of anxiousness and give you the best tips for traversing it.
Fear and Anxiety About Moving Out for the First Time Are More Common Than You’d Think
Research shows that relocation is among the three most stressful things a person will experience in their lifetime. So, if you are wondering, is it normal to be nervous about moving out, don’t sweat. To be frank, it would be stranger not to experience relocation stress than the other way around – especially if you are relocating to another state alone.
Although apprehension about embarking on a house-hunt and switching up your address isn’t uncommon, that doesn’t mean this emotional occurrence is a pleasant one. However, if you are dealing with anything remotely similar to relocation depression, have no fear. No feeling is final, and that includes negative emotions regarding a move to a new home. And with our guidance, you can expect even a last-minute move to be a stress-free experience.
Why Does Relocation Make Us Anxious?
Anxiety can catch you by surprise: you surely have good reasons to move, and you probably know what the many benefits of relocation are. You might even be crazily excited to move from your family home to a solo apartment. Yet, this doesn’t stop feelings of worry from creeping in. Before you are able to overcome these negative feelings of stress and fear, you’ll need a thorough understanding of the problem.
Getting to its root starts with posing the question: why does the fact that it’s time to move induce so much restlessness? The fact is when you are about to hire professionals, you are not just changing your address but relocating away from your family, getting ready to make new friends, as well as probably, applying for a new job. And, if you didn’t notice, anxiety loves to show its ugly face most in stressful or transitory points in life. Relocation, being both, is thus a perfect breeding ground for tension to build up.
People With Certain Personality Traits and Life Experiences Are More Prone to Becoming Anxious in Stressful Situations
Almost everyone you know will experience anxiety about changing their home sooner or later in their lives. However, the intensity of the experience and the frequency of symptoms might indicate whether this is just a situational occurrence or a disorder you’ll have to spend more effort on managing.
As mentioned earlier, change and stress can induce anxiousness, but some people are generally going to be more prone to distress than others. For example, those who’ve experienced some type of trauma, especially in childhood or early adolescence, or are introverted by nature have a higher tendency to get anxious. Yet, anxiousness is not a fate sealed in stone, and there are ways to keep it at bay, or if nothing else – under control.
When anxiousness starts creeping in, you might feel as if you are alone in the world - but this is just your mind playing tricks
How Do You Recognize Anxiety About Moving Out of State?
If you want to (and we’re sure that you do) put an end to this misery known as an anxiousness disorder, your first task is to learn to notice its symptoms. As with any struggle in life, you have to get to know your opponent in order to predict their next move and oppose it accordingly. Because anxiety affects not just the soul of a person but their body as well, you may experience both emotional and physical symptoms of the disorder, so you might as well get acquainted with them.
Physical Symptoms That Indicate Moving Anxiousness Can Easily End Up Unnoticed
Many people experience physical uneasiness that points to anxiousness but don’t pinpoint it as such, especially if it’s a novel feeling. For example, if you’ve never experienced relocating to a new city all by yourself, you might not notice that you are excessively sweating each time you start obsessing about how to move safely on your own. Sweating is just one of the physical symptoms that are too easily brushed over and accredited to something else entirely. Yet, if you notice any of the following, the case might be that you are experiencing anxiousness:
- Shortness of breath and dizziness,
- Irregular heart palpitations,
- Stomach pains,
- Adjustment insomnia,
- Sweating profusely or getting chills,
- Trembling and shaking.
Emotional and Psychological Symptoms Are Often Confused for Sadness or Nervousness
While anxiousness can feel similar to emotions like worry, sadness, or tension, they are far from being the same. While the aforementioned feelings are more likely experienced as thoughts you can locate, anxiousness is felt throughout the entire body. It feels overwhelming and, at times, even debilitating. Some of the indicators you are dealing with more than just a bit of sorrow is experiencing the following:
- The need to socially withdraw,
- Increased irritability,
- Problems with focus and concentration,
- Restlessness,
- A sense of dread.
How to Deal With Severe Anxiety About Moving Out From Home?
Once you are able to spot anxiousness, you’re ready for the next step – and that’s figuring out an escape plan. If you are wondering: how do I cope with anxiety about moving out of my parents’ house, you’ve come to the right place. We are here to provide you with the ultimate relocation tips that will help you feel more comfortable about the entire transition.
A Healthy Lifestyle Will Help You Keep Your Nervous System Calmer
Every person is different, and so is every relocation. That being said, it’s crucial that you locate what exactly it is that makes you personally anxious. At the same time, don’t let your brain fool you into thinking you are special or unique for feeling this way. Anxiousness is universal, and some of the cures for it are as well.
We are all humans with similarly functioning nervous systems that respond to our lifestyle choices. That being said, if you are experiencing stress, it’s important to act exceptionally nice to your nervous system. This means you should focus on getting enough sleep, eating regularly (and healthily) as well as placing physical exercise at the top of your to-do list.
When You Start Feeling Overwhelmed, Turn to Breathing Techniques
When anxiousness sets in, your breathing tends to change. It becomes more irregular or shallow. So, when you start becoming overwhelmed, it’s really important to become conscious of your breath. By breathing slowly and deliberately, your brain will get the information that you are actually okay and reverse the effects of an anxious or a panic attack.
For this reason, many therapists recommend trying out yoga or meditation as a coping technique. Although these practices are spiritual in nature, they are a proven way to ease up the levels of cortisol in your body and get everything back on track.
Make Sure You’re Sticking to Your Relocation Plan
If you are more of a hands-on person, you might want a more proactive approach to dealing with relocation anxiousness. And since organizing a move requires a lot of planning and doing, this won’t be a problem. Since anxiousness arises in the moments where you are dealing with too much for your brain to process, feeling as if you are on top of the move will mean a lot.
A wise way to go about this is by creating a thorough packing list, as well as a to-do checklist. Once you create a packing list, you’ll be able to keep track of your move by checking off things you are done with. This instant gratification will supply your brain with a dose of serotonin that will positively affect your mental health.
Fire up some palo santo, and get to practicing those breathing techniques
It’s Important to Have a Support System When You Are Going Through a Big Life Change
Although you might be getting ready to meet new neighbors, as well as make friends in a new city, it’s important to spend time with the old buddies from before you’ve moved. Although the relocation might drain any last bit of your energy, especially when you have to have East Coast movers on speed dial, you still need a social outlet.
And of course, knowing you won’t be seeing your friends and family as regularly might make you sad and avoidant, but it’s important to talk about this out loud. Trust us – when you share a burden, it becomes twice as lighter to carry. So, turn to your loved ones before you move – they are going to be great emotional support.
Introverts Might Feel the Need to Socially Withdraw, But a Better Solution Would Be to Get Professional Help
As we mentioned above, a common side effect of anxiousness is to stop spending time with people you care about. Social withdrawal is a common defense mechanism through which your body lets you know that you are overwhelmed and overburdened. And, at times, you may want emotional support from your loved ones, but it can be almost impossible to ask for it. When the going gets tough, don’t hesitate to turn to a professional therapist.
Therapists are there to get you through difficult times and hard transitions – and relocation can be one of those. If you feel too anxious to go to a therapist, consider using online resources, like the BetterHelp app. Online therapy can be a great way to get support without leaving your safe place. And if you are ready to see a professional but are not sure how to go about it, we recommend checking out the following video on the topic:
Relocation Is Never Tranquil, But Long Distance Movers Can Make the Transition to a New Home Twice as Easy
Speaking of help, if we haven’t underlined its importance yet, we’ll do it now. Although psychological and social support is crucial in the relocation process, when it comes to relocating to a big city, it might so happen that you need additional assistance from cross country movers. The same way you would go to a doctor for a bellyache or a therapist to help with depression, long-distance moving services are of great help when you have to relocate your entire household inventory.
Depending on your move, relocation experts can assist you in a variety of ways. You might employ cross-country moving services for packing assistance or even for auto transport if you are a licensed driver. Whether you want to take your things to a storage unit, or your new address, you can count on their help. And having experts watch your back will surely mean a lot for your anxiety as well.
