How many times have you moved?

[Amy10223]

Research indicates that moving a lot can take a toll on your psychological well-being. Do you agree?

I moved recently to a new state two years ago. I can say without a doubt, that it has certainly affected me in that I miss my old state and siblings (not my old neighbor, though--she was one of the reasons I was happy to leave my home). I am at a new place that I'm still discovering but slowly getting used to. In total, I ahve moved about 5 time in my entire life. They say it takes about 4 years to finally get used to being where you are. But I read that moving a lot (I'm thinking about 8 to 10 times or more) make you neurotic, stressed out, anxious, emotional, and it impacts one's ability and desire to form relationships. The kind of people who move purposely from place to place are risk-takers, trying to find some semblance of meaning in their lives. I know someone who moved 14 times so far (different states). I never asked why but perhaps it was because of work.

[WindAtMyBack]

I don't know for sure, but it's a lot. To make up a round number off the top of my head I'd say 20. That was all as an adult.

There was a time when I lived in 12 places in 2 years time. Most of those were long distance moves. There was a time when I had to pause and think to remember which state I was in. I didn't even know where I "officially" lived. I finally decided that I lived some place if I didn't live anywhere else.

After a while I wanted to settle down in one place for a while. I ended up living somewhere for 11 years. It wasn't my ideal place to live, but I didn't want to move again without having a good reason and having some confidence I'd like it there. So I just stayed in one place for a while. Eventually I moved back to my home town and have been there ever since.

I've also worked out of state on contract. I considered myself to be living there at the time, but I didn't consider it to be a move.

[Amy10223]

--There was a time when I lived in 12 places in 2 years time. Most of those were long distance moves. There was a time when I had to pause and think to remember which state I was in.--
This is incredible. You must have had to learn the ins and outs of each state as you lived in them! Can I ask why did you move 12 times in two years, to long distance places? Did your work have anything to do with it?

[WindAtMyBack]

Well I lived in some of them multiple times. I had also traveled through all of them before moving there. I adapted pretty easily.

I went there for different reasons. Sometimes it was for work. Sometimes it was just because I liked it there. I think mostly I was just having an adventure.

[AviatorTom]

Counting times my parents moved when I was very young, I have moved a total of 12 different times, sometimes in the same local area, sometimes to a different state or country.

[Amy10223]

That's a lot. What states or countries have you lived in? Any bad effects of moving that often?

[AviatorTom]

@Amy10223 Never any bad effects. Some of the places I moved to were short-time (under a year) as I worked on a specific project at a customer location. The full list of where I've lived, in no particular order: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia; England, Australia.

[Amy10223]

Nice, I have always wanted to visit Australia. Where in NJ were you?

[AviatorTom]

@Amy10223 I had an apartment in New Milford NJ, just north of Hackensack for a few years while I worked in NYC.

[Amy10223]

Bear country! When I was there, anyway. I was about 20 miles or less east of that. Miss NJ.

[LazerBean]

9 times at least before I turned 11. Then once again after I got married. I think that since it started when I was so young and was pretty consistent, it made it not a big deal to me. But now that I've rooted for quite a while it would definitely be a good deal.

[EmmaMary]

From home to university.

From university to my own home.

From my own home to OUR home.

[EmmaMary]

Thank you for the MHGirl.

[Sandeeppingping]

Damn, I'm 20, after counting I've moved 12 times in my life, most of them were before I was 17, after 17 it was 2 times

[Amy10223]

Wow!

[weysally]

we have moved 4 times, but only because John's work has taken us there, been in this house 8 years, put a lot of work into it, I don't stress that much

[Agape93]

3 times. From parents house to a dodgy apartment, from that to a friend's house, and their house to my home now.

[Smashingdoozy]

Like 10 or 11 times most of which happened between the ages of 13 and 16

[Redstang88]

Depends how far you need to go to count it as moving. Lived in 8 houses in 6 towns/cities in 2 provinces so far

[jamesgoldman]

Technically 6 but really only 3 because of the fire

[Bklynbadboy12]

Just once and that was out of my parents house and into my own house

[exitseven]

I have lived in the same house for 23 years. Before that I moved 4 times in 6 years.

[SnowedIn]

More than 15 times. It takes its toll.

[Amy10223]

That is quite a lot. What effects has it had on you? You passed the number of times my friend has, 14 times so far to different states.

[krin_m]

Total 9 times over life time!

[EaterPeter]

I don't know any more.

[EaterPeter]

And yes to psychological toll

[EaterPeter]

It is about to be dozenth time

[EaterPeter]

Worst move was India to US I guess. Fish 🐟 out of water. Or sweet see fish in salt water or opposite.

[EaterPeter]

Stress inducing. Severe anxiety attacks. Not even knowing what it was.

[EaterPeter]

You look like a person who've been through a lot.

[Amy10223]

Lots of reactions there.