Unhappy, lonely with poor mental health abroad

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Currently I am abroad, working away. I have just finished 1 year of a 2 year stint but I don't know if I can continue working over here.

I am a project manager but I dislike my own line manager and the company I work for. There is a horrible culture here and I would just like to come home to Dublin.

With that being said, I would possibly be leaving money and career opportunities on the table. The main reason I want to come home is that working over here is affecting my mental health. I am very lonely and have little to no social life.

I yearn to go home and just be happy. Particularly as I am so unhappy over here.

What should I do?

Thanks all.

coolcat63

Go home. No amount of money or career opportunities are worth being unhappy about. But before you do line up interviews and contacts so you have something to look forward to. But do go home.

AJG

Having been in a similar situation myself my only advice is come home. I moved abroad because I couldn't find work abroad in my industry but found working in that industry abroad an extremely hostile environment. After about 18 months I was in a very dark place. After moving back six months ago while I will say there is not much going on back here I still have a good network of people to rely on and Ireland for all its faults is an okay place to be.

shuffles88

Your mental health is always more important than a job or money. Go home. Be well.

Keane2baMused

Your health,including mental health really is your wealth.

It's all well and good having a career and great money if you're happy, but pointless if its making you feel isolated and miserable.

Go home and rebuild your life

SarahMollie

Project Management can be one of the most stressful roles out there. Poeple expect you to be available at all hours and have magical fixes for every problem. Its often something people arent cut out for, or maybe can only manage for a few years before the risk of burnout.

Have you explored your job options if you were to come home? You don't know if you don't try!

Once you've enough money to live on, your mental health is more important that money.

Sirsok

I went to australia 4 years ago, the girl I left with ended up breaking my heart and I was overthere without much of a plan b. I lasted 6 minths but those months were probably the darkest of my life. I was making good money but I was so unhappy that I fwlt the only way I could start feeling myself again was by retuening home, I came out of my lul and couldnt be happier! Stay strong my friend, your mental health is alot more valuable to you then money

LeeLooLee

I understand how it is because I also did project management work abroad. People back home were like 'oh you're so lucky to get to travel' etc. etc. but they only see the positives. They don't see the part where you're sitting in a hotel room alone eating room service or eating alone in a restaurant every night. You can quickly become isolated and it starts to drive you a bit mad. Especially when there's an 'end date' on your contract and so you feel like it's a bit futile to bother trying to make friends and so on, or you're somewhere like the Middle East where you can't even have a drink or maybe even go outside on your own if you're a woman. I didn't go home to Ireland but I did move on to somewhere else because the money wasn't worth it for me. I didn't want to lose out on other aspects like a social life, or my freedom. I would definitely put my mental and physical health before a salary. People back home thought I was mad but they're not the ones living it!

Lavinia

Have you tried to see if there are other jobs for you there where you are - before deciding to return to Eire.
It could be that this change would do you good so you start to feel better and engage more in the new environment.

If this is not something you would be looking forward to then perhaps it could be a sign you are homesick and then it does not matter of jo social life or anything else..

I hope whatever you decide makes you feel better

Molly999

Depends what your social network is like at home. If it's good and you have a good family then come home. I have neither so leaving Ireland is what I feel like would make me happy. Good luck with your decision.

Dughorm

lonelyandunhappyabroad wrote: »

With that being said, I would possibly be leaving money and career opportunities on the table. The main reason I want to come home is that working over here is affecting my mental health. I am very lonely and have little to no social life.

Pros of staying
money and career opportunities

Cons of staying
mental health
very lonely
no social life

Is your career so specialised you have no opportunities at home?

What do you really want in life?

Go where you're happiest. Why be miserable?