Write to WhatsAppMost expats in Moscow confront various social and psychological difficulties. Sometimes they can cause serious mental health problems. What should they do to prevent this? Dr. Alexandra Yaltonskaya, psychiatrist and psychotherapist of European Medical Center (EMC) answer to this and other questions.
How do you know that mental health care is needed?
People should consider a visit to a mental health provider if they experience high levels of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and an inability to accomplish their routine everyday tasks. Quite often expats are unable to adjust to life in Moscow, and cannot communicate with local people. Stressful work and marital problems are other common problems.
How can EMC specialists help expats with social and psychological adaptation?
First of all, when a client comes to our clinic we conduct semi-structured diagnostic interviews to establish the cause of the problem. Then we offer several treatment options. Sometimes pharmacological treatment can be effective, other times we advise our patients to go on a course of cognitive-behavioral or other types of therapy. Psychotherapy nowadays is very effective; it helps to get to the root of the problem, overcome emotional challenges and to start a happy life in the new environment. We can also offer couples therapy to relieve strain and bring back harmony into relationships.
What about mental health programs for children and teenagers?
We can offer individual and group psychotherapy to manage young peoples’ psychological problems. We run a course of communication skills training which might be particularly useful when young people face the need to adjust to a new school and make new friends in foreign country.
What is the biggest advantage of mental health care in EMC?
Our biggest advantage is that we present individualized help to our clients and their families. We practice hands-on based medicine when choosing the strategies for psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment. All of our staff speak fluent English.
Our biggest advantage is that we present individualized help to our clients and their families. We practice hands-on based medicine when choosing the strategies for psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment. All of our staff speak fluent English.
Please give our readers a few pieces of advice that can help maintain their mental health.
Be curious, go outside, explore the city, communicate with local people, eat well, do sports, enjoy the opportunities to get acquainted with new culture. If you notice any changes in your mood, sleep pattern or experience any other psychological troubles – don’t wait, come to the EMC Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Clinic, we will be very happy to help.
