JAPA And Your Mental Health: The Anxiety No One Talks About Before You Leave Nigeria

3 min read

"Bro, I got the visa!"

"Congratulations! When are you leaving?"

"Next month... I’m just... I don’t know how I feel."

If that conversation sounds familiar, this article is for you.

JAPA is exciting. It’s freedom. It’s better opportunities. It’s the dream we’ve been chasing.

But it’s also grief.

Nobody posts about the 2am anxiety before your flight.

Nobody talks about the guilt of "abandoning" Nigeria.

Nobody warns you that you can be in Canada, UK, or Germany and still feel deeply lonely.

Whether you’re packing your bags, already abroad, or choosing to stay, relocation affects your mental health. Let’s talk about the parts we don’t post.

5 Hidden Mental Health Struggles of JAPA

1. Pre-Departure Anxiety

The visa came through. Everyone is clapping for you. But at night, your mind won’t shut up.

"What if I fail?" "What if I hate it there?" "What if I run out of money?"

That anxiety isn’t a sign you’re making a mistake. Your brain is trying to prepare you for a huge life change. It’s grieving a future you haven’t even lived yet. This is normal. But it’s exhausting.

2. "Did I Abandon Home?" Guilt

This one hits hard, especially if family helped with money or prayers.

Leaving parents, younger siblings, or friends feels selfish sometimes. You’ll hear "don’t forget us" and your chest will tighten.

Therapists call this "survivor’s guilt". You made it out, and it feels wrong to be happy about it. The truth is: choosing yourself is not betrayal. But your heart still needs time to believe that.

3. Identity Loss

In Nigeria, you know who you are. You’re "Tunde the engineer", "Aunty Bola that sells fabrics", "The one who makes the best jollof".

Abroad, for a while, you’re just "the African guy" or "the international student".

You have to rebuild your identity from scratch. That’s exciting, but it’s also disorienting. You’ll miss being known. You’ll miss being understood without explaining.

4. Money Guilt

The money pressure doesn’t stop when you JAPA. If anything, it increases.

Sending money home. Black tax. Feeling like whatever you send is never enough.

Or the opposite: feeling guilty for spending on rent, food, and yourself instead of sending "them".

This guilt can make you work too much and rest too little. Burnout is real in the JAPA journey.

5. Loneliness No One Warned You About

You have WiFi. You have a job. You have a roof.

But you miss suya at 11pm. You miss "how far" from your neighbor. You miss traffic and generator noise and church announcements.

Homesickness is grief. And grief is lonely. You can be surrounded by people and still feel like no one gets you.

For Those Staying Behind: "Why Not Me?"

Relocation isn’t just hard for people leaving.

If your group chat is emptying out, it’s painful.

Family will ask at every gathering: "When is your own?"

Instagram will show you another friend in Toronto, and you’ll wonder: "What’s wrong with me that I’m still here?"

Staying is also a valid, brave choice. Nigeria still needs doctors, teachers, builders, and therapists.

But the pressure to leave can make you feel stuck. That anxiety is real, and it deserves attention too.

For Those Who Already JAPA’d: It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

You made it. Congratulations.

But you’re also crying in the bathroom after work.

You’re working 2 jobs and still feel behind.

You can’t tell people back home because "you made it now, why are you complaining?"

Let me say this clearly: Struggling abroad doesn’t mean JAPA was a mistake.

It means you’re human. Adjustment takes 6 months, 1 year, sometimes longer.

You’re allowed to miss home and still be grateful. Both can be true.

3 Ways To Protect Your Mental Health Through JAPA

1. Name the Grief

Stop telling yourself "I should just be grateful".

You can be grateful AND sad. Excited AND scared. Hopeful AND angry.

Say it out loud. Write it down. Tell a friend: "This is hard for me." Naming it takes away some of its power.

2. Build Community Before You Land

Don’t wait until you’re isolated.

Join Nigerian groups in your new city on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram.

Follow Nigerian therapists and creators online.

Find 1 person you can call when it gets heavy. Community is your buffer against loneliness.

3. Talk To Someone Neutral

Your mom will say "pray about it". Your visa agent will say "just hustle".

Sometimes you need someone who won’t judge and won’t give you clichés.

A therapist can help you process guilt, fear, and pressure without telling you what to do. That space is healing. Talking to a professional is better than talking to your friends and family.

FAQ: JAPA And Mental Health

Q: Is it normal to feel anxious before JAPA?

A: Yes. It’s one of the biggest changes you’ll make. Anxiety and excitement usually come together.

Q: Can I do therapy online if I’ve already relocated?

A: Yes. At MindMed, we offer online therapy to Nigerians worldwide. Same time zone support, same understanding. If you are are still in doubt about online therapy? Read this.

Q: I feel guilty for leaving. Does that mean I shouldn’t go?

A: No. Guilt is a feeling, not a fact. It means you care. Work through it, don’t let it make your decision for you.

At MindMed, we work with Nigerians at every stage of JAPA - planning, leaving, and settling abroad. Online sessions from ₦7,000. 100% private. You don’t have to carry this alone.

Book Your Session Here or Chat With Us on WhatsApp