‘And meanwhile, in Thailand…’ – it feels like looking back into how mental health issues were dealt with 100+ years ago in Europe. Thailand is very backward with respect to public information regarding mental illness and its treatment and training for mental health providers. The highest degree in psychology in Thailand is a bachelor degree, […]

“Burnout in Thailand? Impossible!” That’s probably what most of us would think. But symptoms of ‘burnout‘ are not always linked to high workload alone, they can also have other causes. I have identified 3 groups of people that are vulnerable to symptoms of burnout, even in a sunny, tropical country like ‘mai bpen rai’ (‘everything […]

It can be hard to be a child or teenager in Thailand … Asia. While at first thought one might think that there couldn’t be a better environment for children to grow up freely and naturally. Many expats will confirm that their children are showing various signs of what could be called ‘adjustment problems’ if […]

Fraud, debt, murder, suicide, love, grief, depression, psychosomatic illness, destitution, drug addiction, lack of job prospects, discord within the family, delinquency in the home, … these are just some of the reasons (or consequences) Expats face when there seems to be no way to return back home. A look at the newspaper is enough, many […]

Everybody knows at least one: unhappy expats. Well, some of us might just have to look at ourselves… Frequent complaints about ‘the Thais’ and the annoyances of daily life in Thailand, ranting about other expats, worrying about sickness, feeling isolated, bored or easily upset: all of these symptoms are quite typical amongst people who are […]

When I first came to Thailand, I wondered: given the healthy Thai cuisine, why are so many people – especially expats – overweight? Take a look on any street: at least one in three expats is obese. This is a high percentage, comparable only with the ‘fattest’ States in the USA, and  is responsible for […]

The grass might not be greener on the other side of the border, a new study from the University of Leicester has found. According to it, economic migrants travelling to different shores for greater income could be set for disappointment, because the pursuit of wealth does not necessarily equate with happiness. Sociologist Dr David Bartram […]

‘Mike? I haven’t seen him for quite some time now!’ When the initial euphoria about life abroad has settled, cultural quirks, disillusionment and language barriers, coupled with a lack of a support system can create a sense of loneliness for expats. Even those who coped quite well with the challenges of transition, start to miss […]

Can we ‘modify’ our brain structure? Until recently, the general consensus among neuroscientists was that tbe brain structure is relatively immutable after a critical period during early childhood. But new findings reveal that many aspects of the brain remain plastic even into adulthood. Neuroplasticity is a fascinating discovery referring to the ability of the brain […]