Hi,

I'm a freelance journalist currently working on a piece about the mental health of expats. It seems that being away from the comforts and support systems from back home, being away from what we know, our friends and family and culture, can cause some expats to feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Some people become depressed and turn to alcohol or drugs because a relationship has broken down, perhaps due to this stress or because of cultural differences. On top of this some may feel that the psychiatric/medical services are not adequate out here or the cultural gap between themselves and the mental health professionals creates a problem itself. Or is there no problem at all? Are expats generally just as balanced and happy, or even more so, than those who stay at home?

It is an issue which hasn't been explored by many studies so I'm just talking to as many people as I can to get different opinions.

If anyone has any opinions on this I would love to hear them. If you want to contact me directly you can email me at email removed, contact op via pm

Look forward to hearing from you,

Best Wishes,

Nick Harvey

Hi,

I'm a freelance journalist currently working on a piece about the mental health of expats. It seems that being away from the

snip

We'll all as mad as hatters, have to be to live here.

Sorry, I guess you was hoping for something a little more intellectual.

Yes, I would suggest that some posters here have had mental health issues, long before coming to Thailand.

My mental health issues seem to disappear when I get to Thailand !

Yes it for effect your Mental Health when you come to Thailand a see all the pretty little things you think you can afford and than after three or four months you are stone cold broke, depress, stress darn right, may I suggest a Mental Health Stress/Depress hot line for farangs, would it/could it, maybe it could offer a one way ticket home, with a promise never to return without insufficent funds. We could place them on the Mental Health Stress/Depress List with a direct link to Immigration and Interpol>just a thought. Thailand has enough HOME GROWN NUTS.

Have you ever tried durian ice cream together with a chocolate cake? That's delicious.

This topic has already GONE BANANAS

No serious answers here mate!

Only...YES, lots af expats here are #%$@$#

Well I am quite sane but I have my doubts abot everyone else here.

Well I can see how people could be sad here. I find Bangkok to be the loneliest place on earth. Hard for most of you to imagine I know. If you don't like hookers and would like to make real friends it is a very sad place. The level of racism and negativity towards falangs makes it hard to meet and befriend people, the ones that are interested in befriending you land up becoming a liability and/or want money. The answer I guess is to meet Thai people that don't need money but then that goes back to the racism issue which is very real, most of them dont want to be friends with a falang. If you want to make friends with other falangs you need to be careful as it seems like everyone that lives here has some sort of psychological issue or they themselves are scared to make friends with other falangs as they think the same thing about you. I assume men that sit around pubs drinking all day and then sleeping with hookers all get along fine together but if that is not your cup of tea it is hard to find people you can relate to of any nationality in this city.

Yes, I would suggest that some posters here have had mental health issues, long before coming to Thailand.

Look at the avatar, look at the man

I`m normal, I tell you.

Just the lower exchange rates, new Immigration rules and new girlfriend stole all my savings. I can`t take it anymore.

They`re all against me, hahaha wweeeeeeee

I`m normal, I tell you.

;

Just the lower exchange rates, new Immigration rules and new girlfriend stole all my savings. I can`t take it anymore.

They`re all against me, hahaha wweeeeeeee

If you were here in 1974 you should have learnt at the great schools Tai Son Geet, Grace and Therme or maybe at the Mosquito bar that you should

have no savings

not let girlfriends acess to the savings you do not have

So maybe you are Crazy after all.

I'm only here for the somtam.

When it runs out, I'm gone.

Only a real fruitcake would make a post like this - welcome aboard!! :D

BR>Jack

Hi,

I'm a freelance journalist currently working on a piece about the mental health of expats. It seems that being away from the comforts and support systems from back home, being away from what we know, our friends and family and culture, can cause some expats to feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Some people become depressed and turn to alcohol or drugs because a relationship has broken down, perhaps due to this stress or because of cultural differences. On top of this some may feel that the psychiatric/medical services are not adequate out here or the cultural gap between themselves and the mental health professionals creates a problem itself. Or is there no problem at all? Are expats generally just as balanced and happy, or even more so, than those who stay at home?

It is an issue which hasn't been explored by many studies so I'm just talking to as many people as I can to get different opinions.

If anyone has any opinions on this I would love to hear them. If you want to contact me directly you can email me at email removed, contact op via pm

Look forward to hearing from you,

Best Wishes,

Nick Harvey

Extremely original trolling...congratulations Slick Nick!

If you can keep your head when all about are losing theirs and blaming you...then Mr. Kipling does make exceedingly good cakes.

Hi,

I'm a freelance journalist currently working on a piece about the mental health of expats. It seems that being away from the comforts and support systems from back home, being away from what we know, our friends and family and culture, can cause some expats to feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Some people become depressed and turn to alcohol or drugs because a relationship has broken down, perhaps due to this stress or because of cultural differences. On top of this some may feel that the psychiatric/medical services are not adequate out here or the cultural gap between themselves and the mental health professionals creates a problem itself. Or is there no problem at all? Are expats generally just as balanced and happy, or even more so, than those who stay at home?

It is an issue which hasn't been explored by many studies so I'm just talking to as many people as I can to get different opinions.

If anyone has any opinions on this I would love to hear them. If you want to contact me directly you can email me at email removed, contact op via pm

Look forward to hearing from you,

Best Wishes,

Nick Harvey

I'm sure you were an ex Lib Dem MP.

If you are paying, I'll give you some opinions as a qualified Mental Health worker.

My small head gets very depressed when it cannot function enough and raise itself up at the sight of so many slim, small breasted, nubile young women.

That in turn depresses my big head. It is a vicious cycle and only broken by sleep filled with wet dreams. Enough to drive any man crazy!!!!!

Hi,

I'm a freelance journalist currently working on a piece about the mental health of expats. It seems that being away from the

snip

We'll all as mad as hatters, have to be to live here.

Sorry, I guess you was hoping for something a little more intellectual.

Yes, nuttier than a fruitcake. Every one of them, except myself of course.

I totally agree with the above..

It's virtually impossible to have a meaningful 'friendship' with Thais..

Our ways are not their ways and WILL NEVER BE..

..hence the retreat of most farangs to small , hard-drinking cliques and woe to anyone who is left outside..

I have been here for 8 years and I have no Thai(male) friends..

My only 'friend' is the Mrs...but that's a different ball game.

I second also that we are deeply hated by the Thai male..

You can bleet all you want(...no it's not trueee etc...)

So there

(Slightly off topic but what the heck..)

I am please to be able to say that there are not a few Thais among my circle of male friends. All my female friends are Thai. If you want to have friends B1.

I venture that members of hard drinking cliques find refuge in such gatherings because they lack social skills, and from my observation, very low IQ's. Birds of a feather? Do they deliberately go out of their way to make themselves so inattractive? Some of the barladies must surely blench when in close contact.

^ Did he actually say ... B1?

He did and I wanna B12.

I take the whole B complex every day

I'm quite okay, but I love my hospital Job in Bumungrad.

Well I can see how people could be sad here. I find Bangkok to be the loneliest place on earth. Hard for most of you to imagine I know. If you don't like hookers and would like to make real friends it is a very sad place. The level of racism and negativity towards falangs makes it hard to meet and befriend people, the ones that are interested in befriending you land up becoming a liability and/or want money. The answer I guess is to meet Thai people that don't need money but then that goes back to the racism issue which is very real, most of them dont want to be friends with a falang. If you want to make friends with other falangs you need to be careful as it seems like everyone that lives here has some sort of psychological issue or they themselves are scared to make friends with other falangs as they think the same thing about you. I assume men that sit around pubs drinking all day and then sleeping with hookers all get along fine together but if that is not your cup of tea it is hard to find people you can relate to of any nationality in this city.

I can relate to that, but i'm of the opinion that if i were to drink everynight and run after the girlies all the time, i'd be pm'ing the OP to get a bit of pyschotherapy, but a lot of the people in the tourist parts are good for a chat when youre drinking its the crazy buy me drink girls that are the reason not to go there.

But as for true friends here in LOS, most people as they get older become more solitary, i can count on 1 finger the people i would call true friends back home, even acquaintences are dwindling.

Have you ever tried durian ice cream together with a chocolate cake? That's delicious.

One of my favourites but now the wife is insisting I make our own durian ice cream as the shop bought stuff can't compete with my home made chocolate cake...

Now I know what Bangkok Dangerous means.

Well I can see how people could be sad here. I find Bangkok to be the loneliest place on earth. Hard for most of you to imagine I know. If you don't like hookers and would like to make real friends it is a very sad place. The level of racism and negativity towards falangs makes it hard to meet and befriend people, the ones that are interested in befriending you land up becoming a liability and/or want money. The answer I guess is to meet Thai people that don't need money but then that goes back to the racism issue which is very real, most of them dont want to be friends with a falang. If you want to make friends with other falangs you need to be careful as it seems like everyone that lives here has some sort of psychological issue or they themselves are scared to make friends with other falangs as they think the same thing about you. I assume men that sit around pubs drinking all day and then sleeping with hookers all get along fine together but if that is not your cup of tea it is hard to find people you can relate to of any nationality in this city.

I totally agree with the above..

It's virtually impossible to have a meaningful 'friendship' with Thais..

Our ways are not their ways and WILL NEVER BE..

..hence the retreat of most farangs to small , hard-drinking cliques and woe to anyone who is left outside..

I have been here for 8 years and I have no Thai(male) friends..

My only 'friend' is the Mrs...but that's a different ball game.

I second also that we are deeply hated by the Thai male..

You can bleet all you want(...no it's not trueee etc...)

So there

(Slightly off topic but what the heck..)

Pretty much spot on. It think the term 'Thai male' is an oxymoron or should I say a buffalotwit - you won't find what you are looking for there. Thailand is a place where you must learn to like your own company and the rest is icing on the cake.

Well I can see how people could be sad here. I find Bangkok to be the loneliest place on earth........................

I totally agree with the above...............

It's virtually impossible to have a meaningful 'friendship' with Thais..

Pretty much spot on. It think the term 'Thai male' is an oxymoron or should I say a buffalotwit - you won't find what you are looking for there. Thailand is a place where you must learn to like your own company and the rest is icing on the cake.

You guys seem to have hijacked the topic and the OP is not around so what the hel_l

Thai Friends - I have many good Thai friends, mostly old work mates that I have kept in contract with, some for 7 years now.

I know many Thais who are quite accepting of my life here, not good friends but no problem.

There's also a few guys around that for one reason or another just hate me.

It isn't too different from when I was living in Australia really.

Well I can see how people could be sad here. I find Bangkok to be the loneliest place on earth. Hard for most of you to imagine I know. If you don't like hookers and would like to make real friends it is a very sad place. The level of racism and negativity towards falangs makes it hard to meet and befriend people, the ones that are interested in befriending you land up becoming a liability and/or want money. The answer I guess is to meet Thai people that don't need money but then that goes back to the racism issue which is very real, most of them dont want to be friends with a falang. If you want to make friends with other falangs you need to be careful as it seems like everyone that lives here has some sort of psychological issue or they themselves are scared to make friends with other falangs as they think the same thing about you. I assume men that sit around pubs drinking all day and then sleeping with hookers all get along fine together but if that is not your cup of tea it is hard to find people you can relate to of any nationality in this city.

lol, are you serious? I live in Bangkok and married to a Thai lady. I met her at Uni in farang land and have met great friends in Bangkok, maybe its just you, with the posts you have made and this post right here. I think its you who doesnt like Thai people and is the racist one.