By Behrang Ajam, Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario

Moving to a new country can be something you wanted deeply and something you find difficult. You may feel grateful for new opportunities while missing the familiarity of your previous life. Those feelings can exist together.

Immigration does not automatically cause an anxiety disorder. However, the circumstances surrounding a move can create uncertainty and strain. The World Health Organization identifies factors such as insecure housing or employment, separation from support networks, discrimination, and barriers to care as important influences on migrant mental health. Experiences vary greatly: a planned move, family reunification, and forced displacement are not interchangeable experiences. WHO: Refugee and migrant mental health (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/refugee-and-migrant-mental-health)

Why starting again can feel so demanding

Consider how many familiar tasks may suddenly require extra thought: finding a home, understanding a workplace, making appointments, or deciding whom to ask for help. You may be learning new systems while also carrying responsibilities for people elsewhere.

It can help to ask: “Which part of this situation feels uncertain?” The answer may be more specific than “everything”: an unanswered application, a job search, a language barrier, or not having someone nearby to call.

Canadian research has examined the connection between settlement stress and factors including employment difficulties, family separation, language barriers, and limited social support. These pressures deserve practical attention as well as emotional care. They are not simply problems of attitude or motivation. IRCC: Mental health and well-being of recent immigrants (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/reports-statistics/research/mental-health-well-being-recent-immigrants-canada-evidence-longitudinal-survey-immigrants-canada-lsic.html)

When worry begins to narrow your life

Anxiety can involve persistent worry, tension, irritability, difficulty sleeping, or avoiding situations that feel threatening. Having some of these experiences does not establish a diagnosis. Their intensity, context, and effect on daily life matter. If worry is disrupting work, relationships, sleep, or ordinary tasks, a health professional can help assess what is happening. CAMH: Anxiety disorders (https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/anxiety-disorders)

You do not need to decide whether your difficulties are “serious enough” before asking for support.

Small steps to consider

Separate a practical task from an anxious prediction. “I need help understanding this form” suggests a next step. “I will never manage here” is a much larger conclusion. Write down the immediate task and identify one person or service that could help.

Make room for familiar connection. Consider a regular call with someone you trust, a community activity, or a small ritual that matters to you. Building a life here does not require abandoning your connections elsewhere.

Choose a manageable routine. A regular meal, a short walk, or a consistent bedtime may be a useful starting point. These are supports, not substitutes for addressing housing, employment, or health needs.

Ask for local help. Settlement service providers may offer community information, connections, non-clinical support, and referrals. Eligibility and services vary, so check what is available in your area. IRCC: Mental health and well-being support for newcomers (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/settle-canada/health-care/mental-health.html)

A place to talk about the whole experience

In therapy, we can explore what you are carrying, the patterns you notice, and the changes you want to work toward. There can be room for uncertainty, grief, cultural expectations, and hope in the same conversation.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information, not individual relationship, legal, financial, or mental health advice.

About the author: With over 10 years of experience in counselling and psychotherapy, Behrang provides online therapy, counselling, and coaching in English and Farsi for adults, couples, families, immigrants, refugees, and high-functioning professionals across Ontario. He is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario with a medical background, with training in trauma treatment, ADHD, DBT, EMDR, CBT, and PACT-based couples therapy.