Breaking the Stigma About Mental Health Abroad: Correspondents Share Their Personal Stories

“While the idea of studying abroad with a mental health issue can be scary, it hasn’t been as scary as it initially seems. There are plenty of resources that you can lean on and use when you need them, and no matter what happens while you’re abroad, there’s always someone there to be able to help you out with any problems that you have.”

Worrying About Mental Health While Abroad  - Briana M. (IES Abroad Rome | Penn State University) 

“I knew going in to study abroad that this would be difficult, so being a high D person, I tried to research what I needed to do so I could get all the facts before jumping in. And I found… nothing. No guide, no tips, no blogs… Nothing. So, I decided to make one for all of you people out there.”

The ADD/ADHD Person's Guide to Prepping for Study Abroad - Allie W. (IES Abroad Rome | Indiana University)

"No matter where I go, the things I struggle with at home always seem to find me. And while this can feel discouraging at times, reminding myself that trying to run from them is as absurd as trying to run from my own dysfunctional knees, proves helpful in putting things in perspective."

Preparing to Study Abroad With Mental Health Concerns - Audrey O. (IES Abroad Buenos Aires | University of Tulsa)

"The goal is to let myself have some bad moments, some anxious moments, some lonely moments. But what’s more is that I’ll tell myself over and over that they’re exactly that: moments. And for every less-than-perfect moment, it’s more than likely there’ll be 100 incredible, growing, memorable moments."

How This Anxiety-Sufferer Prepares for her Amsterdam Adventure - Charlotte S. (IES Abroad Amsterdam | Ithaca College)

“I think the biggest thing to remember when dealing with mental health struggles, in your home country or abroad, is that you are never alone. If you are really struggling, please talk to someone you trust or seek professional help. You and your mental health are worth it.”

Tips and Tricks for Mental Health while Abroad - Becky V. (IES Abroad Freiburg | Susquehanna University)

“Instead of in your head, if you start to experience negative thoughts, pay attention to your environment. Being present and mindful of what's around you makes you less focused on what's happening in your head. New experiences are a great way to refocus that attention, and while abroad you will have a lot of them!”

Mental Health Matters: Maintaining Your Brain While Abroad – Gillian G. (IES Abroad Amsterdam | Sarah Lawrence College)

“There comes a point in everyone’s life when self-care becomes necessary, and if that happens to you while you’re away from home, all that means is that you’re going to come out of it more equipped to deal with everything else that life will bring in the future, and perhaps even a greater appreciation for the happier moments in everyday life.”

Mental Health While Abroad – Aiman K. (IES Abroad Vienna | University of Virginia)

"I started thinking about the composition of the waterfall: hundreds of millions of individual drops of water, of molecules and individual atoms and things even smaller than that, and it just made me feel insignificant and small—but again, in the best way. It made me realize that everything I obsess about—grades, what my fifth grade class thought of me, my conceptions of what success is or should look like—doesn’t matter."

Waterfalls Don’t Do Homework: Revelations Outside Quito – Louis H. (IES Abroad Quito | University of Rochester)

"It was not until after having been abroad for almost a week and hearing my friend talk about her study abroad anxiety that I, too, realized that my internal crisis had faded into the background. While all the questions I had about myself and my future had not been answered, I realized that a lot of my fears about studying abroad had been unfounded (they do, in fact, have peanut butter in Nice).”

Buyer’s Remorse: A Reflection on Post-Commitment Anxiety  - Maddy M. (IES Abroad Nice | The College of William & Mary)

"It’s hard to be kind to yourself in the first couple weeks abroad. You want to keep going and going, no matter how exhausted or sick to your stomach you might be. If you miss something, it feels like you’re setting yourself up for a semester of 'missing something,' which is so far from the case. I think the thing that has helped me most is remembering that not only do I need time to myself, but I am more than capable and practiced in coping with unfamiliar situations."

Beginnings: How to Tread Water and How to Sail – Makai A. (IES Abroad Amsterdam | Ithaca College)