Expat Loneliness: Understanding the Culprits and What to Do About Them
- Katie Grigoratou
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Living abroad can be a deeply enriching experience, offering exposure to new cultures, languages, and ways of life. However, many expats also encounter a less-discussed but significant challenge: expat loneliness. As an expat and psychologist for expats in Greece, I often see how this form of isolation can affect mental health and overall adjustment.
Drawing on insights from The Psychology of Culture Shock (Ward et al., 2001), this article explores why expat loneliness occurs and how targeted support — including Positive Psychotherapy — can help.
Psychological Mechanisms Behind Expat Loneliness
1. Loss of Familiar Social Capital
When moving abroad, individuals often lose their primary support network — a form of social capital that previously reinforced their identity, belonging, and emotional security. This sudden reduction in accessible emotional and practical support can create a vulnerability to social isolation.
2. Acculturative Stress
Culture shock is more than discomfort with new customs — it’s a form of acculturative stress. It involves navigating unfamiliar norms, communication styles, and value systems, which may cause cognitive dissonance between one’s internalized cultural identity and the host culture’s expectations.
3. Cultural Distance and Communication Barriers
Research shows that the greater the cultural distance between home and host countries, the more challenging it is to establish meaningful social bonds. Differences in humor, emotional expression, or interpersonal boundaries can slow relationship-building and exacerbate feelings of alienation.
4. Shifts in Self-Concept and Role Identity
According to social identity theory, our sense of self is shaped partly by the groups we belong to. Relocation may disrupt established roles (e.g., “the dependable friend,” “the competent professional”), creating a temporary loss of self-coherence. This identity shift can fuel loneliness, even in socially active expats..
Emotional and Mental Health Implications
Prolonged expat loneliness has been linked to increased risk of:
Depressive symptoms
Generalized anxiety
Sleep disturbances
Reduced psychological well-being and life satisfaction
These outcomes are mediated by the individual’s coping style, resilience factors, and access to culturally responsive mental health support.
Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Expat Loneliness
1. Proactive Social Integration
Joining expatriate networks, intercultural meetups, or language learning groups can accelerate social adaptation. Structured activities create predictable opportunities for repeated contact — a key factor in relationship formation.
2. Cultural Learning as Psychological Adjustment
Adopting a bicultural identity — integrating aspects of both home and host cultures — has been shown to improve mental health outcomes for expats. This approach reduces acculturative stress and fosters a greater sense of belonging.
3. Maintaining Cross-Border Ties Without Overreliance
Digital communication with friends and family in the home country provides emotional stability, but overdependence can hinder local integration. A healthy balance between “heritage culture” ties and “host culture” ties is optimal.
4. Therapeutic Support in Cultural Transitions
Positive Psychotherapy — a transcultural approach — can help explore hidden emotional conflicts, strengthen coping resources, and support identity reconstruction. This model explicitly considers cultural diversity, values, and personal strengths as part of the adaptation process.
Moving Toward Belonging
If you are struggling with feelings of isolation, you are not alone. As a therapist with 20 years of personal experience as an expat and years of professional work with international clients, I understand the psychological challenges of adapting to a new environment.
Book a free introductory session today and take the first step toward restoring connection, balance, and emotional well-being.
References:
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203992258
