By ADRIAN HERNANDEZ
STAFF WRITER
ART BY KAYTE CHIEN Emigrating for a fresh start has been present throughout history, but for most people, moving away can do more harm than good.
Moving away is one of the hardest things to do for some people, especially for children and teenagers. However, people overlook the consequences of moving away because of the misconception that change is good and a fresh start will erase their past traumas.
The idea of finding new relationships and living in a new environment can be comforting for some seeking to put an unpleasant past behind them. Yet the unforeseen truth is that children and teenagers can have their lives uprooted when they move to a different city or county.
In fact, according to an article on Livestrong.com, titled “What Are the Effects on Teenagers When They Move to a Different City,” teenagers who move to a different city will most likely experience insecurity and anxiety from the pressure or difficulty of finding new friends in a foreign environment. For example, teenagers may have difficulty finding good friends because the difficulty to adjust in an uncertain and potentially discriminatory environment. As a matter of fact, an American study called the Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS) showed military children had difficulty to adjust to their new school. This itself could cause the teen to fall into depression if they are unable to find close relationships altogether.
While moving away can certainly be harmful to teenagers, that is not to say that children are not as affected as teenagers. While children tend to be more adaptable to new environments than teenagers, they may still feel dismayed, especially if a child moves often or moves due to a major event in their life. Such dramatic changes in their lives could result in lasting consequences that could develop as they get older. A study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine displays that children who move at an early age have an increased chance of doing self-damaging acts, such as attempts at suicide and substance abuse. In this study from Denmark, data shows when a child moved once, he or she is twice as likely to perform dangerous acts as an adult–and moving more than once, tripled the rate among children.
Nevertheless, moving away is extremely presentable to families trying to escape from past experiences, such as divorce or natural disasters. At times, families feel compelled to move in hopes of a safer or happier future. However, the move may simply worsen the trauma for their children. When peoMoving away does not resolve past problemsple move, they lose their daily routine, comfortable surroundings and longtime friends. This ultimately intensifies their depressed state, suggesting that moving away may not be the easy solution to our problems.
Moving away will not repair or create closure from past events, so think before making a decision. People may make quick decisions in life, and moving away should not be one of them. Many people choose to move away the moment something goes wrong. Instead, people should weigh out their options. Do the benefits of moving outweigh its negatives?
Overall, people need to stop believing that moving away will instantaneously fix all of their problems. People should only move if there is no other option and if it is for the better; just be ready for the hardships ahead.