Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

Overview How to find help for personal, family, and couple issues when living abroad. Assessing your needs before relocating Getting started finding information and resources When its hard to ask for help Finding mental health resources Finding substance abuse resources Additional resources

Finding resources and support for personal, couple, and family issues can be a challenge in a foreign country. Different cultural attitudes about emotional health and counseling can make it difficult to find the help you need. The following information can help you find resources and support for personal, family, and couple issues when you are living abroad. Assessing your needs before relocating
Looking at your needs and planning ahead before you relocate will help you find the resources and support you may need while you are away from home. Think about all the useful resources you use at home. Begin to make contact with similar resources abroad. For example, if you have consulted with a child psychologist at home about your teenager, find a professional with similar training and experience in your host country. A specialist at home may be able to refer you to someone in the area where you will be living. Talk with your employer about finding resources abroad. Your employee assistance program (EAP) may be able to offer guidance, resources, and support. Be sure to take the phone number of the EAP with you when you move. Contact the consulates office or embassy to get information about local specialists and therapists. If a family member has a substance abuse problem or another serious problem, talk with a specialist about the possible impact of moving abroad. Adjusting to life in a new culture is challenging for most people. It can be especially challenging for a person in recovery. Read and become knowledgeable about the issues you are facing. For example, look over the Web sites listed at the end of this article in the areas that concern you. Check your librarys listings for books that can provide background information. Talk with people you trust about the issues you are facing and how to find support. Friends and teachers, your family doctor, and other people you trust can help you assess what kind of help you need and what resources will be most helpful. Take seriously the advice you get from people who know you and understand your family well. For example, if your child has a hard time with transitions, ask a trusted teacher for ideas on how to alleviate this stress and how to make the adjustment to school in a foreign country easier.

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Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

Getting started finding information and resources

Here are some suggestions on how to get started finding resources once you are abroad: Consult a local newspaper and use the Internet. You may find hot lines, support groups, and other resources in the local paper or online. The national or local government may have a centralized online resource. Get to know people and resources in your community. Join local expatriate groups and clubs. Ask questions and be open about what you are looking for. Write down your questions in advance so you stay focused. Use local and international schools as a resource if you have concerns about your child. Keep a resource notebook. Take notes when people give you information and keep it organized in a notebook. Ask trusted friends, neighbors, or co-workers for names. They may also be able to connect you with families who will have advice based on their own experiences. The same name or a few names of professionals may come up again and again. These may be the best choices for you. Use online resources if you dont find what you need locally. A growing number of therapy and counseling referrals are available online. See the list of online resources at the end of this article. In addition, associations of health providers in some countries can help you identify sources of professional help.

When its hard to ask for help

Asking for help for mental health issues can be difficult under any circumstances. When you are abroad, language and other cultural barriers can make this more difficult. Here are some tips to help you ask for the help you need: If you are shy or unaccustomed to asking for help, be prepared to push yourself a little. Before your move, plan ahead and identify the professionals that can help you once you are abroad. Once you have arrived, use an interpreter to help you clearly communicate your concerns. Bring your spouse, partner, or a trusted friend along to a meeting with a specialist if this makes things easier for you. Realize that you may have worries about getting help. You may be concerned because the admission of a problem could jeopardize your job or the job of your partner or spouse. You may choose to seek help privately without letting your employer know that help is needed. On the other hand, assistance from your employer, such as time off to be with a loved one, can alleviate stress and give you access to resources you wouldnt otherwise have. Remember that EAP services are confidential and that the EAP provides help with many issues, including depression, relationship issues, and substance abuse.

Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

Be methodical and patient. You may be the main person in the family evaluating the problem and seeking help. This will feel like a lot of responsibility. If you are methodical and patient, you will find the help you need. Take care of yourself. Dealing with a personal or family problem is stressful, especially when you are living in a new place. Join local expatriate groups and clubs to make social connections. Make time for yourself. And most importantly, understand that it will take time to adjust to your new cultural home.

Finding mental health resources

The best way to find help for a personal or family problem is to talk with people you trust - a respected doctor, nurse, or trusted friend in your community. This is the best way to find support for couple problems, family problems, depression, stress, eating disorders, and other mental health concerns. Talk to your family doctor or nurse. A doctor or nurse at the local clinic or hospital may be helpful. Your local hospitals social services department or the chaplain may also be able to provide you with resources and support. Ask questions that will help you get the information you need. Begin by explaining the problem in general terms. Then ask, Could you please tell me where I might find help? Explain that you would like to work with someone who speaks English. Also ask: Has this person worked with families in our situation? You want to hear that the person to whom youre being referred has experience and has had good results. Be certain to understand and verify referral and payment requirements before beginning any course of treatment. Referral practices may vary from country to country and you will want to understand the requirements for your particular area. Also, be sure to check with any insurance provider you are working with to understand how your plan works when you are living abroad. Consult with expatriates in the community. Talk to expatriates you may have met through the local clubs or organizations for foreigners. Be aware that cultural differences may make it more difficult to get help. For example, in Pakistan, a woman would not be permitted to be alone with a male psychiatrist. Through your embassy or consulates office, you may be permitted to contact the U.S. State Departments regional psychiatrist. He or she may be able to give you a referral to a practitioner who speaks English. Consider qualifications when choosing a professional. You may be looking for help from a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a family doctor, a social worker, a nurse practitioner, a marriage or family therapist, or a minister with pastoral counseling training. A qualified person has a degree and certification (a

Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

diploma) in his field. Ask the professional about degrees and training and how much of his practice is devoted to your type of problem. The book Straight Talk about Your Mental Health by James Morrison is a good resource for guidance on finding a mental health professional. Use resources back home to find a referral. U.S.-based organizations may be able to help with referrals abroad. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) has relationships with similar associations in other countries through its Multicultural and International Outreach Center. Consult the NAMI Web site at www.nami.org.

Finding substance abuse resources

The type and availability of substance abuse resources will vary according to the country where you are living. In the Netherlands, for example, you may find an abundance of resources. However, in some Muslim countries resources may be hard to find. Information about symptoms and signs of substance abuse and when to seek help can be found in books such as The Recovery Book by Al J. Mooney, Arlene Eisenberg, and Howard Eisenberg. If you are concerned that a family member may have a drug or alcohol problem, plan ahead as much as possible before you move . If you are concerned that someone in your family has a substance abuse problem and is in immediate danger, consult a professional right away. In an emergency, local emergency services, your family doctor, your school, or the embassy or consulates office can be sources of immediate help. To find ongoing counseling and professional help, talk to a trusted psychologist, social worker, or your family doctor. A social worker or member of the medical staff at the local hospital may also be able to provide a referral. Find out if a counselor or therapist back home can help you find counseling or professional help in your host country. Use the NAMI Web site (www.nami.org) to find links to resources. Ask the psychologist on staff at your childs school to provide a referral. Consult trusted neighbors and friends for referrals. Use the telephone directory if your host city or country has one. Get assistance in reading and interpreting it if necessary. Substance abuse and other support programs may be listed. If there is a local library near you, a librarian may be very knowledgeable about appropriate local resources. If you are concerned about substance abuse and your child, look for a professional who specializes in children.

Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

To find resources and support, network, do your research, and talk with people you trust. You will find the help and information you need.

Additional resources Alcohol and substance abuse resources

Alcoholics Anonymous www.alcoholics-anonymous.org (go to Services for Members, then Contact Local AA) Connect for Kids www.connectforkids.org (in the A-Z topic list, go to Health, then click on Substance Abuse) Hazelden Foundation www.hazelden.org KidsHealth www.kidshealth.org

Mental health resources

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill www.nami.org (click on Find Support, then Multicultural Support, or click on en Espaol to find Latin American associations Partnership for a Drug-Free America www.drugfreeamerica.org Upsticks and Go www.upsticksandgo.com

General online resources

Expat-Moms.com www.expat-Moms.com Expat Expert www.expatexpert.com Federation of American Womens Clubs Overseas www.fawco.org

Finding Mental Health Resources When You Live Abroad

Newcomers Club Worldwide www.newcomersclub.com Outpost Expatriate Information Centre www.outpostexpat.nl Tales from a Small Planet www.talesmag.com

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