Travel & Study Abroad

Mental Health Away from Home

Travel is enjoyable, but there is no doubt that it can be stressful. Travel stress, mood changes, anxiety and other mental health concerns can unexpectedly affect you and potentially disrupt your trip. Research has indicated that college students may overestimate their ability to adapt to different cultures, which may contribute to initial adjustment difficulties. Your mental and physical health prior to, and during, a trip determines how well you will cope with travel stress. Consider the following:

• Tiredness, lack of sleep
• Major life events occurring prior to travel such as a birth, death, wedding, divorce, moving, or serious illness
• Difficult home or professional life; experiencing recent emotional exhaustion or financial strain
• Being lonely and away from friends and family members
• Prior history of depression and anxiety
• Having pre-existing psychiatric, behavioral, neurological disorders; memory or cognitive deficits
• Use or misuse, of psychoactive substances (e.g., alcohol, nicotine (particularly in vapes), cannabis, prescription stimulants, hallucinogens, and "party drugs")
• Using medications that have psychiatric or neurological side effects (some antiretrovirals and antimalarials)
• Type and length of travel; study abroad, adventure, business, leisure, emergency aid work, missions
• Travel destination; traveling to politically unstable or war-torn areas, returning to a place where psychological trauma occurred

The Health & Counseling Center encourages students with mental health concerns to schedule an appointment with one of UP's mental health clinicians prior to international travel.

After hours mental health counseling support offered by the Pilot Helpline are available to students studying abroad.

International Mental Health Resources

Lifeline - International

Crisis support helplines and community-based suicide prevention services across the world. 

Suicide Stop - International Help Center

The suicide and self-harm resource center for online chats, worldwide hotlines and emergency numbers, interactive media, useful information and helpful tips