Mental Health

• Talk to your provider and U.S. insurance company before going abroad, about mental health resources available while abroad
• Call ISOS to check that your medication is legal in your program's country
• Bring enough medication to last you the entire duration of your time abroad, unless you are sure you will be able to refill your prescription while abroad. Do NOT stop taking your medication
• Familiarize yourself with cultural practices in your destination country by reading, or talking to people familiar with the culture
• Talk to members of your support system in the U.S. about mutual expectations regarding keeping in touch while you are away, so that you continue to have access to established support systems
• If you are seeing a counselor or therapist, discuss potential stresses. Sometimes, mental health conditions may exacerbate while you are abroad, so it's important to work with your mental health care provider to create a mental health plan while abroad
• Identify self-care Download Identify self-care
  and stress management techniques that you will be able to use when you are abroad; remember that the practices that you use in the U.S. may not be practical or safe when you are abroad, so be creative!
  
• If you think you have experienced or are currently experiencing a mental health issue, consider disclosing this information to your faculty and Program Coordinator
  

• The first few weeks will be an adjustment period
• Classes and homework may be different than they are at UT
• Look out for each other
• You may feel uncomfortable and out of your element - adjustment is difficult for most people; be kind to yourself
• You are NOT alone. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone you trust

• Connect with others while you are abroad. Don't isolate yourself!
• Reach out and make friends with host country residents
• Pay attention to good nutrition
• Exercise and move
• Consider keeping a journal or sketch book to reflect and express yourself creatively

• Eating more or less than usual
• Becoming socially withdrawn
• Feeling more emotions than usual or none at all (apathy)
• Racing thoughts
• Losing interest in hobbies
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Sensations in body (stomachache, headache, fatigue, etc.)

1. Deep Breathing: Proper breathing is essential for good mental and physical health. The next time you feel a surge of stress, try a few moments of deep breathing. Sit in a comfortable position and take deep, measured breaths, e.g., inhaling while counting from 1 to 4; exhaling while counting down from 4 to 1. Do this 20-30 times and you are sure to feel refreshed. Deep breathing assists in relaxation by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body.

2. Visualization: If you think anxious thoughts, you become tense. In order to overcome negative feelings, you can use the power of your imagination to refocus your mind on positive, healing images. Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes, and visualize a scene or place that you associate with safety and relaxation. It does not matter what you visualize, as long as it is calming to you. As you relax your mind, your body also relaxes.

3. Progressive Relaxation: Progressive relaxation of your muscles reduces pulse rate and blood pressure as well as de-creasing perspiration and respiration rates. Muscle relaxation reduces tension and is incompatible with anxiety. Typically, it involves tensing individual muscle groups for several seconds and releasing the tension allowing the muscles to relax gradually.

4. Assertive Skills: Being assertive can reduce stress as you express personal thoughts and feelings. You are behaving assertively when you express your true feelings and do not let others take advantage of you. Be specific and clear about what you want, think, and feel; deliver your message in a clear and non-blaming manner; Make personal statements such as, “I want ... , I think ... , I feel ...” etc; Ask for feedback and cooperation. Being assertive means being able to express yourself openly, honestly, and directly, while being considerate of others’ feelings.

5. Thought Stopping: Thought stopping helps you overcome excessive worry, repetitive thoughts, and negative thinking, which may take the form of self-doubt, fear, and avoidance of stressful situations. Thought stopping involves concentrating on the unwanted thoughts and after a short time, suddenly stopping and emptying your mind, by using the mental command “stop” or a loud noise to interrupt negative thinking. Then, you may use thought substitution to focus on positive thoughts and outcomes. If the thoughts can be controlled, stress levels can be significantly reduced.

• Set a schedule and try to stick to it
• Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes a day; even walking regularly helps
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol
• Relax before bed
• Set a comfortable room temperature
• Disengage from electronics before bed
• Don't lie in bed awake if you don't feel tired. Try reading a book, writing in a journal, or listening to music 

1. Recognize that some of what you may experience overseas as part of the intercultural adjustment cycle (sometimes called “culture shock”) and that it is common to all study abroad participants. The low points are not necessarily attributable to a mental health-related diagnosis (e.g. home sickness, anxiety about understanding/ speaking a foreign language, loneliness, fear of being robbed or getting sick from the food, etc.). You may also experience feeling very good and elated on the high point of the cycle, which may make you feel that you no longer need medications if you use them. Keep taking your medication and consult with a doctor first.

2. Learn the vocabulary associated with your condition before leaving the United States if you are going to a non-English speaking country. Bring a translated copy of needed medical records and release forms.

3. Connect with international mental health-related groups to learn about what types of situations and attitudes exist in the host country and peer/support groups you can contact while there.

4. If you are comfortable disclosing your condition to others, ask for a few minutes to talk about your condition during orientation; for some individuals, self-disclosure to others on a group program can reduce anxiety and creates opportunities for others to better understand their access needs.

5. Another option is to find someone on the program that you can trust to understand your condition and whom you can teach about the support needed if he/she sees changes in your health or behaviors.

6. Be clear and direct with clinical specialists, friends and family at home, if staying in contact (receiving letters, emails, etc.) is important and necessary support for you while abroad.

7. Plan in advance for contingencies, such as arranging to talk by phone with a familiar therapist in the United States, planning for more privacy or down time, and consulting with other students with similar disabilities who have studied abroad.

8. Consider pre-paying for sessions with your home therapist in case you need to call and have a session over the telephone while abroad.

• Security briefings on your location
• Free sessions with an English-speaking professional counselor (in-person or over the phone)
• Connects you with Global Risk & Safety and Student Emergency Services when needed