Overwhelming homesickness

[Abcdecat]

Firstly apologies I couldn’t think of an appropriate place to put this and didn’t want to get destroyed in aibu

I have a slightly strange set of problems. I recently moved back from Scotland to an area 20 miles from where I lived from 0-18. Yet I seem to be experiencing acute homesickness, for Scotland which isn’t my home.

I’ve been here coming up to 4 months, and to be fair hate my workplace and struggle with colleagues which doesn’t help. I’m making plans to move back asap but even so that’ll be a few months.

Anyway, I’m fatigued, lethargic, intensely sad and missing Scotland, longing for Scottish humour and banter, missing walking the streets of my former city, feel really stressed and sad. I also just don’t like the city I’ve moved to.

When I’m not working I read, watch prime, walk, drive and sleep.

Anyone got any ideas of how to get through, I will be moving back up to Scotland at some point which helps in some ways but also makes my time here worse.

Worst case scenario I’ll be back up north by sept. So yeah any ideas appreciated on how to feel better , thanks and apologies for posting in this area

Sorry you're feeling like this. I suffered with acute homesickness when I went to university and it gave me physical symptoms, so I do know how badly it can make you feel. The good thing, though, is that you're putting things right and can look forward to being back in Scotland even if it's not for a few months. My advice would be to try and get through this time by making lots of plans for when you're back there, and thinking through some things you can do in the meantime that will give you a sense of purpose and pleasure, be it visiting some areas of interest in the area you now live, or focusing on a new hobby or interest like cooking some new recipes or buying some nice books, DVDs. Lockdown can't be helped as you can't really meet new friends or travel back to Scotland in your free time so don't beat yourself up. Didn't want to read and run. This time will come to an end…

I knew it would be for Scotland before I opened the message.

What is it about our grey and miserable little country that instils this?

I live in Scotland but moved away for a while. Key for me was embracing where I Moved to and loving it for what it had, rather than how it differed to scotland. So better weather, lovely little towns etc.

Give it time. It’s not an easy time to have moved somewhere new

If you have loved a place, it becomes your home. It's where you feel happy and relaxed. Moving back to a place of your childhood doesn't prevent homesickness to the place you found to be you 'spiritual' home.
It doesn't sound silly to me, but I've experienced homesickness. Having said that I think unless a person has suffered from being homesick they just can't understand how utterly gut wrenching homesickness is.
I used to make count down charts! Even if you don't have a static date go for 30th sept 2021 as your latest date to get home. Then do a count down. Each day you cross off is another day closer to getting home.
Try and keep busy to take your mind off it (much harder with Covid and not being able to see friends).
Don't feel 'bad' or 'immature' or give yourself a hard time for missing your home. It's very common but there seems to be a weird stigma attached to being homesick. When I worked over seas, I remember talking to an Octogenarian; she'd lived in this country for 40 years and yet yearned to be back in the UK. I was the first person she'd talk to about feeling homesick as she felt it was 'undignified' and 'juvenile'. She also said she felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders to be able to admit to feeling so sad and unhappy to someone who wouldn't judge her.
Homesickness is a bastard. And the bloody Covid situation makes it worse as most places to meet and make friends have been closed/ workshops etc stopped. Isolation ramps up feeling homesick.
Try and keep that September date in mind it's 9months away...not long and this time next year you will be home.
and lots of this you will be okay