Specialist Clinical Psychologist Sinem Gül Şahin gave important information about the subject. Migration is when people leave their place of residence for various reasons, either compulsorily or willingly, to establish a new life in another place and continue their lives there. Although the negative effects of migration on people are generally attributed to leaving their places due to extreme reasons such as war, natural disaster or terrorism, it is seen that people who have voluntarily migrated with the hope of providing a more comfortable life can also be affected by the adaptation crisis brought on by migration. When considering the effects of migration on human psychology, we need to evaluate the cause of migration, what happened while migrating, what was left behind, what was encountered in the new environment, cultural and social differences between the new and old environment, as well as the impact of climate and geographical change on people.
Some problems experienced in the place of migration, such as not knowing the spoken language, difficulty in finding a job, a large cultural difference, a decline in social status or being exposed to negative reactions from the host society, etc. can affect the inner world of the individuals and cause them to experience emotional crises. Of course, the process of coping with and adapting to these post-migration changes differs from individual to individual. In general, studies say that psychological problems that can be experienced in close intercultural migrations are less. In addition, the fact that the individual has a wide range of social aspects is seen as a factor that facilitates the adaptation process. However, even individuals who do not encounter any problems in their new place of residence and seem to have made a good start in the adaptation process are ultimately foreigners in the place where they migrated. This factor, that is, the state of being in a constant 'other' position can affect one's sense of belonging to different extents. Belonging and identity are formed by blending with the culture in which they grew up, and it is possible to feel a sense of loss when separated from that culture. In some individuals, this sense of loss is a precursor to depression or anxiety. On the one hand, the individual still wants to be like himself, to preserve his culture, but on the other hand, he wants to be like others and be accepted by the new culture. These two ebbs and flows create emotional turmoil. In a more general framework, we can say that since human is a social being, the relationship of the individual with the environment is very important for him to see himself as competent and valuable. It is a situation that a person who feels that he is not valued as much as his previous environment in his interactions with the new environment and thinks that he cannot establish meaningful relationships can make negative judgments about himself and become psychologically sensitive. In some people, if there are childhood traumas related to being valued and feeling competent, this sensitization is more painful. The important thing is that these feelings are intervened before they lead to an ossified psychological disorder.
Some strategies can be implemented to facilitate the adaptation process. Before migrating, collecting information about the place to migrate to be ready for what you will encounter more or less, doing some basic studies on the language of the new country, if possible, before moving or as soon as possible, being open to discovering the culture and people of the new place, this is a new experience plus. Seeing it as a value, trying to think positively and socializing with people as much as possible are a few of them. Sometimes it may be easy at first to take the step of socializing with people from your own culture or from other cultures who are immigrants like you, but be careful that this does not become a habit and keep you away from the local culture and local people. In addition, setting goals that will contribute to your personal development, such as making a career in your new place of residence or learning a language, and seeing that you achieve them gradually will make it easier to establish a bond between you and the new place. It is good to feel that you are still connected to your roots while doing all this, so it is important to keep in touch with your friends and family in your previous place and to know that you have a support mechanism.
Despite all these strategies, time passes and if you still think that you cannot adapt and you feel psychologically worn out, it is necessary to seek psychological support from a mental health specialist before the situation becomes more serious. It is important for the specialist to be supported both to have a good command of the culture of the migrant and to have knowledge of the cultural characteristics of the place of migration. In the therapy process, based on the main events that brought the client to the point of crisis, the emotions that disturb the individual are addressed, weakening ego functions and problem-solving skills are strengthened, and support is provided for the client to regain their mental health and show adaptation skills.
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Sinem Gül Şahin said, “It must be admitted that as a result of migration, people and cultures who have never been in contact with each other come together and an unusual situation occurs for both immigrants and local people. The most basic way for both sides to adapt to this situation is the proliferation of systems in which the consciousness that will see the existence of the other as a wealth rather than a threat, far from the point of view of my culture is superior, is instilled in individuals from childhood.
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