BAGGAGE HANDLING: SURVEYING ATCK EXPERIENCES WITH MENTAL HEALTH
This post is part of a series exploring data from a survey of over 800 Adult TCKs I conducted around 2019-2022. To learn more, please read this post.
BAGGAGE HANDLING: SURVEYING ATCK EXPERIENCES WITH MENTAL HEALTH
by Jess McCrindle with Tanya Crossman
I’m standing at the baggage carousel when I realise the other passengers from my flight have drifted away, and just one lonely suitcase is left revolving. It’s a green suitcase, like mine is, but with only three out of four wheels and a series of crater-like dents down its side, so it couldn’t possibly be mine. And yet, I notice a thread hanging from the handle that looks suspiciously like the one my luggage tag hangs from, and pulling the suitcase towards me, I realise that underneath all the dents and scratches it has a shape I recognise.
I hobble and haul the suitcase towards the airport exit on its working wheels. The woman ahead of me on the escalator sat next to me on the plane and waves hello.
On the step next to her is a black suitcase that looks like it was bought yesterday, sparkling mockingly up at me in the airport glow. How is it possible that two suitcases can take precisely the same journey and be affected by it in two completely different ways?
And yet, they do.
In my experience, there is something similar to be said of TCKs’ journeys. After a period of being ‘grounded’ in my passport country by the pandemic, last year I had the opportunity to travel and the privilege of reconnecting with many of my TCK friends. From the vantage point of our adulthoods, we were able to compare notes about our experiences of life between worlds, of entries and re-entries, in a way that was deeply healing. In these conversations I was as surprised by the differences in our experiences as by the things we shared. Things that felt innocuous to me had left some of my friends with deep wounds, and things that were painful for me they had barely thought of.
Many TCKs I know have arrived at the ‘baggage carousel’ of their adulthood in a very different condition than they expected, weighed down by grief and identity issues, and challenges with their mental health in particular. This is not universal – some TCKs with the exact same experiences, for reasons that aren’t always clear, enter adulthood well-adjusted and without this unexpected baggage.
These anecdotal accounts of mental illness among ATCKs are common enough to warrant investigation, and putting numbers to these stories and experiences.
HOW COMMON ARE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AMONG TCKS?
Data from a survey of over 800 ATCKs shows that mental health challenges may be more the rule than the exception for Third Culture Kids. More than half of Adult TCKs who responded reported a mental health challenge had impacted their adult lives.
It’s important to note that the survey asked adult TCKs to self-report whether they had been affected by these issues in their adult lives, and therefore includes ATCKs who don’t have a formal diagnosis. Answering in the affirmative required undiagnosed participants to accurately understand and self-diagnose, so it is possible there were ATCKs without this awareness not included in these numbers.
To understand the scale of these issues, if we imagine a graduating class of 30 TCKs at an international school, then check back in with them at a reunion years later, we would expect 15 of them to have been affected by depression, 15 by anxiety, 15 by unresolved grief, 3 by self-harm and 3 by substance abuse.
ARE TCKS GETTING PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT?
Given this widespread struggle with mental health, we also want to understand if, and how, ATCKs are accessing mental health support.
Encouragingly, we found that 2 in 3 ATCKs had received some sort of professional mental health support. However, that still leaves one third of ATCKs never receiving any form of mental health support. When we consider that three quarters of ATCKs reported being impacted by unresolved grief alone this tells us some ATCKs are still falling through the gaps of mental healthcare systems.
ATCKs were more likely to access mental health support from a counsellor than from any other mental health professional; the next most likely sources of support were psychologists and doctors.
Around one quarter of Adult TCKs reported being medicated for mental health issues at some point in their lives.
The numbers shared in this article paint a painful and sobering picture of the lived realities of ATCKs. If they leave you feeling heavy and saddened about how many ATCKs struggle with these issues, take a moment to sit with that feeling. Reach out to the TCKs you know and love and check in on them. Be kind to and take care of yourself.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
If you’re anything like me, you might be wondering what could lead to such high rates of mental illness among TCKs.
The short answer is that we can’t know for sure, and the question of how to prevent and protect against mental health issues among TCKs is an important one that needs urgent attention and future research. [See the research page for two current studies on this subject that ATCKs can participate in!] There are clues in other studies, however. We know TCKs have higher rates of Adverse Childhood Experiences than other populations, thanks to research by TCK Training, which research over the past 25 years links to negative outcomes in adulthood, including mental illness.
If you are an ATCK whose life has been shaped by struggles with mental illness, then please hear that you are not alone. You might be far more ‘normal’ than you realise and, in fact, it makes sense that your experiences bouncing between and across cultures and homes and the gaps between them may have led you to a place of grief, anxiety, or depression. You’re in good company and there are many other ATCKs and professionals out there who understand your experiences and can help you.
What can you do?
The good news is that many TCKs are already accessing professional support. For these TCKs, there are new emerging health resources including increasing numbers of mental health professionals who specialise in supporting ATCKs.
If you are the parent of a TCK:
Start conversations with your TCKs about mental health. Create a safe space for them to be open and honest with you without judgement, as much as possible. Model emotional health for them by sharing about your own emotions (in developmentally appropriate ways). If your child lets you know that they are struggling, believe them and seek out professional help for them. Don’t expect your kids to be ‘out of the danger zone’ once they turn 18 or return to their passport country. For many TCKs, mid-20s to 30s are when significant struggles with identity and mental health are most likely to emerge. Just because your TCK isn’t legally a child, doesn’t mean they don’t need your love, support and guidance.
If you are an ATCK:
Know that mental health struggles are common among TCKs, and you aren’t alone. Give yourself space to feel and process your TCK experiences and any grief arising from these with trusted friends and professionals. Be aware that your TCK experiences might make you vulnerable and so be proactive about caring for your mental health as you would about your physical health. TCK Training has a number of resources for ATCKs you may find helpful, including workshops on Anxiety and Depression as an ATCK.
If you are a Mental Health Professional:
There is additional data from the same survey regarding ATCKs’ experiences with mental health professionals and other forms of support. So keep an eye out for that! (Subscribe to the blog, newsletter, or follow Tanya on social media to make sure you don’t miss out when that launches.)
If the data we have discussed in this post leaves you feeling heavy and saddened, take a moment to sit with that feeling. Be kind to and take care of yourself. You may wish to reach out to TCKs you know and love and check in on them.
If you’d like to know more about where to access mental health support tailored to TCKs please refer to this mental health resource list.
If this post has brought up strong feelings or concerns and you need someone to talk to, please contact a crisis service. A list of crisis services available in various countries worldwide can be found at the same mental health resource list.
Finally, while these numbers paint a sobering picture of the lived realities of ATCKs, this is not the end of the story. According to data shared in Misunderstood, 80% of Adult TCKs were glad to be TCKs, 90% were thankful, and 98% said they would not take back their TCK upbringing if they could. We can integrate the difficult parts of our stories with the wonderful parts, and create lives that bring us joy.
