Hi everyone. I created this account because I really feel so lost and isolated and overwhelmed with so much fear and anxiety.
I’m an international student in Japan and I’ve been here for around a year. My first few months were actually fun. I met a few friends at school but sadly they all already moved to different places (most went back to their home countries, as they were here only for a short-term program). Now I’m alone and feel so extremely isolated.
Since I’m done with my classes and work in the lab everyday, I find it really hard to find new friends. It doesn’t help that the lab where I’m working is so toxic—the people are unsupportive and horrible, to say the least. I’ve considered changing labs, but I’m afraid it would just cause drama in my department. And I hear they don’t care much about foreign students anyway and don’t handle complaints very well. I’ve developed extreme social anxiety because of all the degrading things I’ve suffered in my lab.
I’m already losing my motivation to work. If I had the choice I’d just quit, but right now I’m not financially capable to go anywhere else and I don’t want to burden my family back home. At the same time, there’s still a part of me that wants to go on and make it through this program. But right now I’m just too weak.
I went to see a counselor and they recommended that I go to a clinic to get meds for possibly depression and anxiety.
I never thought that moving abroad could be this challenging. Life abroad has been so romanticized on social media, and I fault myself for naively taking the plunge moving far from home without enough mental and emotional preparations.
Is there anyone here who might be going through a similar situation? I would really appreciate if you could share your stories and advice.
by MindlessStage1494