# **Hi Digital Nomads. Did anyone find that it improved their mental health to move abroad? For example, because of weather, work opportunities, culture, climate, people / social opportunities, access to healthcare, etc?**

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Accepted Answer

100%! I left a 10 year career (minus about 6 months to backpack SE Asia in 2013) in IT for a major hotel chain. Connected to work 24/7/365 and anxiety was through the roof at the possibility of things going wrong at my primary 2000 room hotel. Anxiety brought depression, which brought terrible health choices. In 2017, my wife and I started saving. In 2018, I started selling tshirts online. In Feb 2020, we left with one way tickets to Bali. We're now in Koh Phangan and she teaches English online and I sell tshirts. Zero stress, anxiety, or depression, outside of a few random pop-ups due to unknown visa situations.I'm never returning to an office.

Answer

It’s a fact that most of our thoughts and feelings come from our surroundings. We are bassically a product of our environment. There is a famous saying: “before labeling yourself as depressed make sure you are not surrounded by idiots”. In my twenties I used to be depressed many times and believe there is something very wrong with me till I found out that surrounded by different people I was a completely different person: smiling and creative :)). There is nothing that helps more to that that travelling

Answer

Yes and no. You can’t run away from yourself. If you’re not willing to do the work to fix the problems that you associate with a location (but are most often your own), they’ll collect passport stamps just like you. If you use a change in location to jumpstart other life changes, it can be, well, lifechanging. If you fall into the same habits and just change the location, you’ll sour on the place and move to another without realizing (or accepting) that’s it’s YOU who needs to change.

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110% moving from the damp and grey UK to sunny Rio de Janeiro was a great decision

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Yes! I got stuck in Madagascar last year and the borders are still closed. I live in a small eco-village in the rainforest and started really focusing on community projects and my personal creative work. I found my people who are passionate about the environment and sustainable future. The water is clean, my food is local, I do projects that I'm passionate about and can give back to the community.

Hi Digital Nomads. Did anyone find that it improved their mental health to move abroad? For example, because of weather, work opportunities, culture, climate, people / social opportunities, access to healthcare, etc?

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