With the cost of living through the roof and increasing difficulty to find a job, it's no surprise that so many young people are leaving the UK for new opportunities abroad. However, as they make this leap, many of them don't realise the emotional challenges involved with starting fresh in a new country. Lara Dolden, therapist at Lara Listens Therapy, discusses the impact of these moves on mental health.
The Mass Exodus
In 2025, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 195,000 Brits under the age of 35 moved abroad in the first half of the year alone.
Young people gave all sorts of reasons to make the move stating everything from lack of job opportunities to political uncertainty and unaffordable rent prices.
Even with Brexit making EU visas more difficult, two thirds of the UK's youth managed to find destinations where they'd be able to move abroad, with some heading to far-flung locations like Australia, Dubai, Singapore and Japan.
Data from Expat Network shows that the top 10 countries that Brits moved to included Spain, the United States, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, UAE, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada.
An Exciting Life Change
There's no denying that moving abroad - even temporarily - offers an exciting life change. And with TikTok trends encouraging those in their 20's to take risks, romanticise their lives and embrace change, young people have been more motivated than ever to just see what happens.
In the process, it can bring up a lot of emotional challenges that these young adventurers may have never expected.
Dolden commented: "It's no surprise that so many young people struggle emotionally when they move abroad. Our brains are scared of change so sometimes, when we seek out adventure, our brain is one step behind us. We like repetition and familiarity because we know it's safe and has worked for us in the past. When we're presented with a new and unfamiliar environment, our brain goes on red alert thinking of all the reasons why this new place is unsafe."
How Moving Abroad Impacts Your Mental Health
Lara, who works with a lot of young expats, explains that along with the excitement and new opportunities, moving abroad comes with many emotional challenges that these young people may not be expecting.
"Some of the key emotional challenges I've worked through with young clients moving abroad include loneliness, guilt about being away from home, lack of connection with new people and social burnout", says Lara.
"Moving away from home brings up a lot of guilt - missing family time at home, leaving loved ones behind, skipping birthdays and Christmases. You've got this difficult dichotomy, living this life of adventure but sometimes being so bogged down by the guilt of what you're leaving behind."
Mental Health Advice For Expats
Being an expat is not always blue skies and sunshine so it's always good to be prepared for everything. Here are some of the mental health tips that expats have found most helpful.
Find a hobby
When you move abroad it can be tempting to try and reach out to as many other expats as possible to grow your circle and make friends. But just being an "expat" does not automatically mean that you're going to be friends. When you find a hobby that you enjoy, you meet like-minded people with something in common. It's the difference between making meaningful connections rather than just spending time with people for the sake of it.
Regular calls home
You'll need to find the right rhythm for you and your personal circumstances but having regular calls home to friends and family can help you feel connected, even when you're miles away. This might be weekly or monthly calls depending on your commitments and time zone but should be something that's easy to keep up with.
Talk to someone
It can feel lonely as an expat, especially if you're struggling alone. Just talking to people going through the same experience as you can really make the problem feel lighter. Whether it's connecting with other people in your same situation or seeking professional therapeutic help, it can lighten the load and make those heavy emotions easier to carry.
If you're looking for extra mental health support as an expat, book a free introductory call at https://laralistenstherapy.com.
Lara Listens Therapy
Calle Islas Canarias 20
Valencia
46023
Press Contact:
Lara Dolden
+34 652 608 948
[email protected]
Lara Listens Therapy offers online therapy services to support global clients at their convenience. Drawing upon traditional psychology, cognitive hypnotherapy techniques and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), among other techniques, Lara offers therapy which is 100% personalised to suit the client and their personal experience. She works across a range of issues, including specialised therapy for expats, to help clients connect with their inner resources and teach them the tools to feel better.
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