Opción A - Pregunta 3 · Inglés PAU Madrid Ordinaria 2019

Homesickness

Whether you've gone away to college, moved to a new city or even just travelled for vacation, homesickness is a common emotional experience. Longing for home is the subject of books, songs and films. Celebrities have opened up about feeling homesick, and many people have shared their tips for overcoming it.

But what exactly are we feeling when we experience homesickness and why do we feel it so deeply – in a way that sometimes manifests physically? Joshua Klapow, a professor of public health at the University of Alabama, points out that “homesickness has everything to do with attachment”. When we feel homesick, we're feeling insecure or uncomfortable with where we are, physically and emotionally, he adds. “We're longing for something that in our minds is known, predictable, consistent and stable.”

Other psychologists emphasise that homesickness is a very normal part of the human experience and is about overcoming a period of adjustment to a new environment. To get over it, homesick people are encouraged to find a coffee shop or another place they can visit repeatedly and that will start to feel familiar. Over time, they will form new attachments.

Even though it's normal and common, homesickness can be associated with very difficult emotions and experiences, according to Ricks Warren, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Michigan. Warren compares homesickness to losing a loved one, although what the person is grieving is the loss of the familiar place. It's associated with insomnia, problems with appetite, and difficulty concentrating.

Adapted from “What Happens To Your Mind And Body When You Feel Homesick,” The Huffington Post 29 June 2018. <https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-happens-mind-body-homesick_n_5b201ebde4b09d7a3d77eee1.>

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