Migrating to Australia or any other country is a very big step …
We all know fear. It is one of the ingredients of being human, part of our living landscape. Many of us try to kill off our fears, or downright deny them. This is not healthy.
Fears have protected us at some stage of our lives. We are alive because of our fears. The same applies to our ancestors and if not for them we would not be here.
Migration to another country is a big decision. It is not surprising that it scares people. It means many different and new things in life will happen.
Fear and stress can lead to confusion about the migration process
I saw this yesterday, once again with a client getting confused about his migration process. In his confusion he implied that part of his problem was our fault. We had not given him the answers he wanted within some arbitrary timeline he had invented but not told us about. In fact, we could not do this as he had not supplied the necessary evidence. However, all that is beside the point.
The real problem is that he is stressed. He feels very confused and somewhat overwhelmed, as are many migrants, though he won’t admit it easily. Here he is, a multi-millionaire business man with a beautiful and large family entirely dependent on him and he has lost his Australian job and therefore his visa at what should be the peak of his career.
He has not only to start all over again in his career, but also deal with urgent financial issues plus his migration and all that involves. It is far from simple or easy for him. We understand that and empathise with him.
Stress makes it hard to stay focused
How does anxiety or fear cause such confusion? Some experts say that stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which causes mild memory loss. Related to that, anxiety causes us to be distracted and lose focus. In some ways this could be fear buying us time through confusion until we are clear about our options by using our logic and intellect.
Some people – more than there should be – at this crucial stage of their migration just give up and leave Australia before they get their visa or they stop the migration process from overseas. This is sad to see when they have such potential to match with the potential of this great country, Australia.
How to manage stress during the migration process
It is important to understand your fear and to welcome it as part of the fabric of our lives, but not to let it take over. Keep it in its rightful place. Getting advice, support and assistance from an experienced migration adviser during this stressful migration process can also help you to minimise your fears and put them in their rightful perspective.