HOMESICK DEFINITION:Grief at being separated from the people or places that represent belonging and comfort PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS: Lethargy, moping about—movements that lack energy Sleeping a lot Aimless wandering Slouching in one’s chair (slumped posture) Crying easily Reddened, puffy eyes A nose red from crying Dull eyes lacking any sparkle Facial features being downturned A dropped-down chin; not holding one’s head up proud and high Sighing often Rubbing a palm against one’s breastbone, massaging a constant ache Wrapping arms around one’s torso (self-hugging for comfort) A face devoid of emotion Lying on a couch, watching TV for hours on end Frequently being startled out of a reverie An inward, thoughtful expression, as if one is thinking of other things Comforting oneself with memorabilia (pictures, old videos, keepsakes, etc.) Reminiscing with anyone who will listen A voice that wavers or breaks when speaking of home Calling the people one is missing Grilling them about what’s happening at home Counting the days to a trip home Distracting oneself with activities Reading books, watching movies, or listening to music associated with one’s past Comparing one’s new surroundings with the old place and finding them lacking Stalking loved ones on social media to stay informed about what’s going on back home Overindulging (in food, drink, exercise, shopping, video games, etc.) as a way of coping Spending a lot of time alone or with other people, depending on how one copes Desperately trying to fit in within the new environment (to get past the homesickness) Haunting the mailbox or constantly checking one’s phone, hoping for correspondence INTERNAL SENSATIONS: Eyes stinging with tears A hollow feeling in the chest A thick lump in the throat that never seems to go away A sensation of emptiness or sinking Ribs growing tight, restricting one’s breath An upset stomach, body aches, or a headache A sharp twinge in the chest upon hearing about activities one is missing back home An adrenaline jolt when the phone rings or a care package arrives MENTAL RESPONSES: Recalling the good about one’s old home and forgetting about the bad Trying not to think about home Striving to find any positives in one’s new environment Struggling with feelings of disloyalty as one begins to integrate into the new surroundings The sensation of time passing very slowly Constantly wondering what loved ones are doing right now Experiencing longing and sadness when one is missing out on notable events back home (family dinners, a birthday, putting the kids to bed, etc.) Becoming angry at friends and family who seem to have “moved on” ACUTE OR LONG-TERM RESPONSES FOR THIS EMOTION: Depression Excessive weight loss or gain Clinging desperately to the old way of life; being unable to move forward Spending all of one’s time traveling so one can return home as much as possible Being unable to integrate into one’s new environment, even after an extended time Reluctance to attach to anyone in the new situation so one can avoid experiencing the same hurt again SIGNS THAT THIS EMOTION IS BEING SUPPRESSED: Feigned happiness Drinking or overeating in private Disparaging the old home verbally (despite really loving and missing it) Speaking to loved ones in an overly bright tone of voice Mementos being placed in prominent positions or showing signs of overuse and wear MAY ESCALATE TO:Nostalgia,Sadness,Depressed,Anxiety MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:Indifference,Resignation,Satisfaction ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS: Ache, complain, covet, crave cry, grieve, languish, long for miss, mope, mourn, oversleep pine away, sigh, suffer, uproot weep, yearn WRITER’S TIP:Character emotion can be shown to great effect through how they view the world. What attitudes, observations, and judgments can be tied to what they are currently feeling?