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[rumble]

I moved to the UK about two years ago for a great job. Its still great. I'm not excited about the location though and I'm also having a hard time settling in. Despite this drawback, I have made some friends, found activities and I'm dating someone. But my life here doesn't feel 'real' to me.

I've had problems with depression before, but I feel like it has gotten worse (much worse) since moving to the UK. Don't get me wrong, I love England. I just feel really isolated.

My big fear is that this will start to impact my work performance. I have the occasional blackout day (or days) when I just can't do anything. Its scary while I'm on probation and I don't know how to explain this to colleagues.

Does anyone have any advice for dealing with this?

[mingus]

Prozac.

Also note that under the EO Act 2010, your employer must treat you as a person with a disability.  Tell all to HR.

[saltaire]

Blimey, this response is more depressing than the question!

[mingus]

Blimey, this response is more depressing than the question!

Why depressing? It is in his/her interests to be able to explain (if later asked) that his blackouts are the results of an illness and not just too much booze on nighst out with the lads/lasses.

[alleyoxenfree]

Investigate treatment for SADS, given the climate.

Find a good shrink.  You made a major life change, and you need more support to disentangle what your lethargy is about and figure out solutions.  You're not required to make this a permanent move.  Maybe it's just a way station, an interesting one, but not your ultimate berth.

Just remember, this is why Chelsea Clinton drank her way through Oxford.  Apparently, the U.S.-U.K. transition is way more difficult than people think and it's tough to feel that one belongs there and one's life is "real."

Pursue all possible avenues of support and self-care to buoy you up.

[britmom]

Have you been to see your GP? There's a range of help they can provide - it's not just a case of medication. (Although sometimes the waiting lists can be on the long side for therapy.) Does your University have a counselling service? That may help you work through why you're struggling to settle down, and the help should be immediate. My University also has a psychiatric nurse we can see if things are quite bad.

If you think this is starting to affect your work, I would suggest you see Occupational Health. As you may have guessed by now, I've suffered from a severe mental health illness; I found them very helpful. They contacted HR and explained how my illness was affecting my performance at work. The Dean has been very understanding and supportive. (They generally follow whatever Oc Health say.) It's completely confidential - if you don't want Oc Health to contact anyone then they shouldn't, unless it's clear you're a danger to yourself, others or it's obvious you're unable to do your job. I think it's especially important for you to get any depression documented by Oc Health and your GP if you're struggling to maintain your research productivity. There were measures in place to make allowances for ill health in the last RAE, and I'm pretty sure that will be the case with REF. You'll stand a much greater chance of securing this allowance if health problems have already been documented.

Also note that under the EO Act 2010, your employer must treat you as a person with a disability.

This isn't necessarily the case. This is a link to who is covered by the Disability Act: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001068 You generally need to have suffered from your condition for 12 months.

Finally, I'm British. I moved from the NE of England to Scotland with my husband in 2004 to take up a permanent post. We've since had have 2 children. Despite the fact that it was hardly a big move, we've both struggled to settle down in a new city. It's only really now that we feel like we have any real sense of belonging here. Even so, we still feel isolated sometimes. My point is that even Brits can struggle to settle down when they start a new post so it's no great surprise that you're finding this difficult.

[expatinuk]

SAD SAD SAD... seriously! It hit me after about 2-3 years and then took another 3-5 years before I realized that it was more than just a bit of the blues.  And SAD doesn't hit me just in the winter but any time there are days and days of gray weather... which as we all know is pretty common in the UK.

So, now I sit under my Happy Light every morning while I drink my coffee and check email. I no longer take any pills, but I did have to for a couple of years.

And exercise... a lot of exercise helps fight the blues.

[rumble]

Thanks for these helpful comments. Its good to hear some kind advice and reassurances.

Its good to hear that the US-UK transition is tough for other people. I think its hard for me to figure out how to express it because I really like the UK...I just feel isolated here.

I've been in therapy and my long time therapist in the US is good about continuing to meet via the phone or skype if I need it. I do think it might be time to follow up with my GP here, especially since my University no longer provides us with any mental health assistance.

As for the REF...I think I'm okay for this one since I qualify as an early career person and I have my three publications, but I think it will be good to get my issues documented for the future. Thanks for bringing this up.

[britmom]

SAD SAD SAD... seriously! It hit me after about 2-3 years and then took another 3-5 years before I realized that it was more than just a bit of the blues.  And SAD doesn't hit me just in the winter but any time there are days and days of gray weather... which as we all know is pretty common in the UK.

So, now I sit under my Happy Light every morning while I drink my coffee and check email. I no longer take any pills, but I did have to for a couple of years.

And exercise... a lot of exercise helps fight the blues.

There must be something in my genes as a Brit that helps me to deal with the grey. I don't like the summer; it's far too bright. Give me a lovely stormy day and I'm happy.

Anyway, good luck rumble. I'm shocked that you're University has withdrawn such support.

[neutralname]

rumble

You said that you feel really isolated.  Have you talked with your therapist about how to reduce your social isolation?  How much have you done to meet people?  I'd suggest that doing something directly to improve your social connections would be one of the best things you can do -- and a better long term solution than pills.  British GPs are also pretty reluctant to dispense pills unless you are clearly medically depressed.

If you like walking/hiking, you could join a local Ramblers Club.  People are friendly there.  Or if you are religious, you could get involved with a church.  There should plenty of charitable organizations that do things which would give you a way to meet people. 

I went the other direction: UK to US and I was in a grad program with lots of international students.  I think it is really common for people to feel like they are surrounded by others who don't quite get them when they move to a different culture.  The international students tended to hang out with each other.  Maybe you can seek out more international faculty and grad students at your university.

Good luck.

[britmom]

<<<cringe>>> Sorry about the you're/your in my last post.

[expatinuk]

British GPs are also pretty reluctant to dispense pills unless you are clearly medically depressed.

wow... mine sure wasn't. He was grabbing the keyboard to write me a script before he even listened to what I was saying. LOL

[neutralname]

British GPs are also pretty reluctant to dispense pills unless you are clearly medically depressed.

wow... mine sure wasn't. He was grabbing the keyboard to write me a script before he even listened to what I was saying. LOL

It may depend what part of the country you are in. Guardian article.

[expatinuk]

British GPs are also pretty reluctant to dispense pills unless you are clearly medically depressed.

wow... mine sure wasn't. He was grabbing the keyboard to write me a script before he even listened to what I was saying. LOL

It may depend what part of the country you are in. Guardian article.

Oh, I got a script for SAD... but I had to go private to get knee surgery!

[scotia]

SAD is definitely worth considering. I have a lamp and also take a very low dose of anti-depressant for 5 months of the year. There have been some grey, damp summers when I have had to take it for longer than that.

Also, UK HE is a difficult place to be at the moment, even without the adjustment to living somewhere new. People I talk to across a wide range of universities report high stress levels and/or depression symptoms that they attribute to the uncertainty over funding/job security/pressure to publish/larger classes/more demanding students/......... I was talking with someone in one of our star research departments yesterday and she was saying that even there the morale is terrible.