Expats are at double the risk of mental health conditions compared to people who never move abroad. And over half of those who are unhappy living abroad say that not having a personal support network in the host country contributes to their unhappiness.

We have great hopes for our new expat life, but reality often lets us down. We realise that expat life is not the Instaperfect dream we expected and this can hurt. Expat life is an emotional rollercoaster. Many say it, many agree – you have ups and downs. It’s when the ups disappear and the downs dip further and stay down that we need to get support and help.

Nobody expects to experience mental health problems, and nobody can predict how you will cope with your new life, however resilient you think you may be.

Being properly and realistically prepared for your new life abroad makes it easier to manage your expectations and hopefully prevent some of negative experiences you may encounter.

• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again! Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat.
• Want independent advice about your move overseas? For a one-to-one chat, please check my calendar for dates and options here