Making a major cross-cultural transition like you have by moving from Germany to
India can absolutely trigger intense anxiety and psychological distress. You’ve left
the familiarity of your home environment and are now immersed in new cultural
realities that likely feel very foreign and overwhelming at times.
The sights, sounds, social norms, language, customs and general ways of living in
India are so different from what you’re accustomed to in Germany. It makes complete
sense that you would feel disoriented, confused and anxious as you negotiate all
these cultural shifts. Your anxiety is an understandable reaction to the immense
challenges of acculturation.
What you are going through is something that many people experience when moving
abroad – it’s known as culture shock. The profound sense of dislocation,
homesickness and identity confusion is par for the course. You’ve had your basic
assumptions about reality utterly upended. Please don’t judge or criticize yourself for
the anxiety and other difficult emotions that arise during this transition. They are part
of the process.
With time, support systems and coping techniques, the anxiety will become more
manageable. But for now, it’s important to have self-compassion and validate just
how monumental this life change has been for you personally. Adjusting to a new
cultural frame is draining work – be gentle with yourself as you navigate this.
I encourage you to tap into your cultural community here for support and connections
to the familiar. Maintaining comforting rituals, traditions and routines from your
German culture can provide anchors of stability and identity continuity.
Simultaneously, remain open and curious about your new Indian environment.
You possess incredible resilience, even if it doesn’t feel that way in this moment of
upheaval. Together, we can process the anxiety, discuss coping strategies and work
towards achieving a bicultural adjustment. You don’t have to suffer alone – I’m here to
provide a understanding space to make sense of this intense transition.