The new USA Visa “Pandemic”… Through a therapist’s eyes
🌏 The New USA Visa “Pandemic” Through a Therapist’s Eyes
Suddenly my 8am and 9am IST online counseling sessions became the most booked slots.
Every morning began the same way tired eyes, restless breathing, and a quiet confession:
“I can’t sleep… this visa situation is controlling my mind.”
For the last few months, ever since the new visa announcement from Trump, anxiety has risen so sharply that it feels like stepping back into 2020.
It reminds me of the early COVID days…
The uncertainty, the fear, the endless refreshing of updates.
Back then, anxiety became a shadow.
Now it’s back just with a different trigger.
I call it “The USA Visa Pandemic.”
Because the emotional pattern is identical.
And honestly, the pressure didn’t start today.
The H1B lottery system itself has always carried its own yearly trauma. A system where your future depends on a name-draw is anxiety-inducing by default.
But after Trump’s new declaration, everything intensified.
Old fears returned.
New uncertainties grew.
And thousands of Indians feel their years of dreams slipping away. 💔
Every day in therapy, I hear stories like:
• “My husband is in the US… my visa still hasn’t come.”
• “I have a visa, but my wife and daughter’s visas are expiring.”
• “My visa expiry date is getting too close… what will we do?”
• “We bought a home there… what if we have to leave before the EMI ends?”
• “We just got engaged, but without his visa, we can’t plan anything.”
This feels like COVID’s emotional sequel.
Back then, people checked COVID dashboards.
Now they count down to their visa expiry date, with fear tightening their chest.
Back then people feared coughing.
Now they fear losing a life they built brick by brick.
And the real-life stories are heavy:
• A father in the US, while wife & daughter are stuck in India.
• A family who bought a house but now fears being forced to leave before EMIs settle.
• An engaged couple unable to set a wedding date because the visa is stuck.
• Young professionals whose jobs, homes, and identity depend on a single date.
• Thousands of Indians watching their dreams pause despite their hard work and talent.
The emotional symptoms I see are the same as the pandemic:
• Chest tightness
• Racing thoughts
• Midnight panic
• Irritability
• Emotional eating or complete loss of appetite
• Refreshing emails every few minutes
• Sleepless nights
• Feeling “stuck and helpless”
• Sudden crying spells
• Disturbed relationships
Because it’s never just about a visa.
It’s about future, safety, identity, belonging, family, stability.
And here’s the reminder I want you to hold close:
Your worth is not tied to a single country’s visa decision.
Your dreams are not destroyed they are being redirected.
You are not alone. Thousands are living this emotional wave with you.
Your family bonds are stronger than bureaucracy.
And most importantly…
🌏 It’s not just the USA. Many countries need your skills, your education, your talent, and your brilliant Indian mind.
Your opportunities aren’t shrinking they’re shifting.
If this visa situation is consuming your mind: pause.
Breathe.
Talk to someone grounding.
Step away from the screen.
Your story will not end with a visa expiry date.
We survived a global pandemic.
We will survive this one too.
A therapist witnessing this new wave rise… and reminding you that your dreams are bigger than any one country.
