The Ulysses syndrome, Also known as the syndrome of the migrant with chronic and multiple stress, it is a set of symptoms that affects migrants and people who are forced to live in a country other than their own, being away from their relatives and loved ones for periods very long time.
This syndrome owes its name to the mythological hero Ulysses, the protagonist of Homer's Odyssey, who faces adversity, far from his family. The lives of emigrants are frequently threatened by various health problems stemming from events and conditions in their place of origin, as well as by migratory and adaptation processes..
When faced with extreme levels of stress in the country to which they move, these people present with chronic and multiple symptoms, which have been documented as "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 immigrants: “Ulises syndrome includes feelings of loneliness, since 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 these people face, including various forms of stress they experience on their departure from the country of origin and adaptation to a new and different environment..
At the beginning of the new life, fears may also arise that block and make it difficult to adapt in the country of destination: fear of the unknown (security is lost by not knowing well what we are dealing with), fear of not achieving our desires such as finding a job or meeting new people, fear of changing our way of being (for some people the change of context also means a change of identity) or fear of rejection or the impossibility of integrating into the new culture.
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Ulysses syndrome occurs when there is an extreme level of stressors. The complex migration context can include factors that cause high levels of stress such as:
We understand by stress a "substantial imbalance between environmental demands and the response capacities of the subject".
These factors aggravate the presence of symptoms such as migraines, insomnia, recurring worries, nervousness, irritability, disorientation, fear, and gastric and physical pain. It is important to note that the diversity and chronicity of these factors are increased 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 trying to adapt to the culture of the new country, many symptoms are misdiagnosed and unnecessarily treated as if they were mental disorders..
Biomedical approaches see these symptoms not as a reactive response to the hardships found in the new country, but as signs of depression and other mental disorders, leading to a series of treatments that, instead of mitigating them, can exacerbate stressors. that already exist for the emigrant.
“Migrants are being overdiagnosed. They are being categorized as patients with mental disorders when in reality they are very stressed, which is different, ”says Achotegui in an interview. “Ulysses syndrome does not necessarily generate mental disorders, but it increases the risk of suffering them. Vulnerable people are at risk of developing alcoholism, depression and 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 combat their problems through alcohol, which is likely to have even more destructive consequences in their lives..
The stressors that define the syndrome we are addressing are the following:
In the first place, loneliness is motivated by the mourning for the family that the migrant leaves behind and the separation from loved ones, especially when young children or elderly or sick parents are left behind whom they cannot bring with them..
On the other hand, the emigrant cannot return to his country with the failure in tow of not having been able to get ahead with the migration. Forced loneliness is a great suffering that is experienced especially at night, when memories, emotional needs and fears surface.
In addition, migrants come from cultures in which family relationships are much closer, which makes the process especially difficult..
The feeling of hopelessness and failure arises when the emigrant does not achieve even the minimum opportunities to get ahead due to having difficulties with “the papers”, the job market or doing it under exploitative conditions..
It is extremely distressing for these people to see that all their efforts have been in vain. Also, this failure increases feelings of loneliness..
In this section there are two large areas. First of all, food; these people often have trouble finding food and are malnourished. In addition, it must be taken into account that emigrants are, in general, a group that eats poorly, since they send all the money they earn to their family.
The result is a tendency to eat poor quality food. Second, housing is another big problem. Due to the prejudices of the natives, migrants have many problems finding a house to live in, and many become dependent on other people, with a high risk of being abused. Overcrowding is a factor that, in turn, increases stress levels.
Fourth, we must take into account the fear of physical dangers related to the migratory journey (boats, trucks), the coercion of the mafias, the prostitution networks, etc..
In addition, there is also the fear of arrest and expulsion and of abuse. It is known that physical fear, of the loss of physical integrity, has much more destabilizing effects than psychological fear, which aggravates the situation.
The complex origins of Ulysses syndrome are relevant to the three main domains of the mental health sciences: cross-cultural, biological, and socio-behavioral..
In the cross-cultural area, Ulysses syndrome presents a failure in acculturation. The assimilation process of the new culture is not complete.
In the biological domain, this syndrome constitutes a chronic stress condition that affects all members of the migrant's family or their social group, and has intergenerational implications.
Regarding the socio-behavioral area, the syndrome constitutes a serious attachment trauma that has little chance of being cured. These people can feel depersonalization, characterized by having periods in which the person feels disconnected from their own body and thoughts..
Sometimes this disorder is described as feeling like you are observing yourself from the outside or as being in a dream. These people may feel like they lose their sense of identity, too..
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 the mourning and accepting the feelings that the new situation provokes..
Regarding the loss of identity that those who suffer from Ulysses syndrome usually feel, it could be refocused as a new possibility, instead of a loss. Many times there are family and friendship roles in the place of origin to which the person may feel tied.
It is time to free yourself and begin to be what you want to be. You are still essentially the same person but with the possibility of taking a qualitative leap and getting closer to who you really want to be.
Regarding the feeling of failure for having to leave, making the decision to emigrate is a test of courage and of wanting to improve. Faced with the possibility of getting “stuck”, the person decides to take a step to open up new possibilities.
Talking to other people who have had to move can help you cope better, as well as give you a better idea of what you will find.
Once the person has settled in the new country, if they begin to feel the symptoms of Ulysses syndrome, the following recommendations may be helpful:
It is essential that a health professional is in charge of carrying out 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 they are easily confused..
To adequately process the grief that involves losing sight of 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..
In this way, the feeling of loneliness is avoided. It is important to have the support of people we trust. Currently, long-distance communication with family and friends is facilitated by the use of new technologies through the Internet..
Many breathing and relaxation techniques help reduce cortisol levels in our body, helping our body and mind not respond with tension to the situation. It is recommended to perform these exercises on a daily basis. Some examples of these techniques are mindfulness and meditation..
Although people with this disorder suffer from excessive fatigue, it is important that the body can release physical and mental tension. Taking some time to walk each day or doing a simple exercise table at home will be enough to reduce stress and feel more relaxed..
In addition to the four meals, it is important to eat something light every two or three hours, such as fruit. The process of adapting to a new culture and a new country involves a very large energy expenditure that must be recovered.
The key to overcoming this syndrome is to be optimistic and have willpower.
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