Keeping your mental health steady abroad

USAC Lyon student shares her mental health tips for those living overseas.

Marie Esedebe, a psychology major at Christopher Newport University, knew studying abroad would be a challenge for her mental health. She enrolled in the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) Lyon program and spent a Spring semester in France.

Living in another country will have moments that disrupt your daily routines and emotional well-being, but that doesn’t mean it has to ruin your experience.

“I told myself I could never feel sad here because I’m in a new country, I’m in a new environment; life is great just for that reason …  and I was able to block out as many negative thoughts as I could,” Marie said.

Reminding yourself to be grateful to have an opportunity to study abroad is a good tactic to keep your spirits up. For a while, anyway.

 “And about a month in, they all kinda started to pile up on me a little bit.”

Watch Marie’s full story on Instagram

Marie offers tips for other students who share her situation:

  • Seek guidance from a professional (check and see if your health insurance covers seeing a therapist or counselor).
  • Open up and talk about your experiences with friends and family regularly.
  • Check in with yourself through journaling, meditating, or other self-help tools.
  • Make time for the small habits that make you feel comfortable.

For more tips visit https://usac.edu/health-and-safety. You will find information about managing stress, overcoming culture shock, managing depression, and more.

Explore your options

Author

Traveling abroad energizes your identity

Blending exploration and introspection in Spain