When I studied abroad in France, many of my classmates and myself dealt with depression. It wasn’t just a run of the mill depression or depression that stemmed from studying abroad. It was the residuals of things we’d faced in the states that we carried with us from France to America. For me, I had so much trauma that dealt withing the chaos that I’d come from that once I was in the safety and calmness that France offered, all of it came pouring out and heavy depression was just the side-effects of that.
Every single one of my classmates tackled their issue of depression in many ways, some healthy and some unhealthy, including myself. There were some ideas that were more productive and better than others that I saw and gave me a better idea of how I’d tackle any depression that I’m feeling as I carry on with my travels.
Get a Gym Membership at a Local Gym
One of my classmates got a gym membership. It wasn’t for her physical health; she was already in great shape. She got is specifically for her mental health. She also managed to buy a bike while we were in France, and she would ride her bike to and from campus. Working out has shown to help with mental health issues. Another perk that came with it is that she was able to make friends with French people, a feat which none of the rest of us achieved because she enrolled in a gym membership.
Socialize
Socializing is different for most people. I’m an introvert, so for me, socializing is just having a one-on-one deep conversation with someone. However, socializing for just a bit can erase the feeling of loneliness or isolation that can sometimes come with dealing with mental health. Just chatting with a stranger, a local, or a fellow traveler in your own country for a small period can be very helpful if only for a small period. It might also inspire you to develop more positive relationships which can be helpful for dealing with mental health issues.
Find a Therapist
I was lucky enough to have insurance come with my study abroad program. After dealing with my depression for a few months, I reached out to see if therapy was an option and luckily it was. The great thing was it was good insurance, and it allowed me to choose a therapist from all over Europe that spoke English. My therapist was Spanish and if it hadn’t worked out with her, I would have been able to find another one from a plethora of choices. This is one of the better choices that I made during my time abroad.
Get Outside
Make it a point to intentionally go outside a few times a week just because. Take a walk to the park and just sit, take a walk down the street and just look at the shops or surrounding area. It can even be cool to take a bus ride and look at the nature outside the window. I was lucky enough to live near a nice-sized park. Sometimes, I would take a 30-minute bus ride to Marseille and just sit by the pier and watch the boats coming in and out. Marseille also has the Calanques, a nice beautiful national park in Marseille that one cane hike at and swim in. One of my most profound moments was being in France and taking a hike in Saint-Tropez, on these huge rocks right on the water. These moments helped me tremendously.
Rest
Sometimes rest is what’s needed. There were many days where I barred myself inside my apartment in France. I had bad suicide ideation, I wasn’t up for socializing, I just didn’t have the energy to step outside if it wasn’t required of me. I just stayed inside and rested.
Dealing with depression abroad is just as tough as it is in your home country. I did witness myself and my classmate’s step into many unhealthy habits to address our problems while abroad and perhaps I’ll get into that subject another time. But there are also productive ways of dealing with things. Sometimes, I dealt with it in unhealthy ways and sometimes I dealt with it in very healthy ways. Sometimes, I dealt with it in ways that were productive and sometimes I dealt with it in ways that were unproductive. For me, it was just about getting through to the next day and surviving to see a better time, which I have since then.