Managing your mental health

On this page:

• Causes of mental ill-health when travelling
• Talking to your doctor about mental health and travel
• Taking medicines overseas
• Local laws and attitudes to mental health
• Travel insurance and mental health
• Getting support overseas
• Resources
• Overlapping risks

Causes of mental ill-health when travelling

The stresses of travel may cause mental ill-health or trigger a mental health condition. Even if you have never had one before.

Stresses can include:

• separation from your support network, family and friends
• time zone changes and jet lag
• changing your normal routines
• new people and places
• culture shock and loneliness
• language barriers
• disruption or cancellation of bookings
• Running out of medicine, difficulty in refilling prescriptions, losing medicine
• not taking prescribed medicine.

Be aware of the triggers. Reduce potential stress by planning for if things go wrong.

Talking to your doctor about mental health and travel

Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional about how to care for your mental health while travelling.

Ask your doctor about:

• coping with travel stresses and limited access to medical care
• getting enough prescription medicine ;for your trip. Check if you can take extra in case you're away for longer than expected
• any issues with mixing medicines, and what effect alcohol or drugs can have on your medicine
• documenting your mental health plan and treatment, to carry with you in case you need help.

Taking medicine overseas

Not taking prescribed medicine is a common cause of mental ill-health for Australians overseas. Never stop taking medicine without asking a doctor. Even if you don't feel like you need it.

Medicines you buy in Australia may not be available in other countries. Some may even be illegal or restricted. You may need a permit.

If your medicine is illegal where you're going, the authorities could charge you for carrying or using drugs. Even if you got it legally in Australia. Ask the embassy or consulate of the countries you plan to visit if your medicine is legal there.

Talk to your doctor if your medicine is not legal or available where you want to travel. You may need to rethink going there.

If you travel with medicine, always keep it in its original packaging, and carry a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor that says:

• what the medicine is
• how much you take
• it's for personal use.

Keep important medicines in your hand luggage in case your checked baggage is lost or stolen.

Be careful buying medicine overseas. It may be fake, mislabelled or a different strength to what you get in Australia. Double-check labelled dosages before you take them.

Read more about taking medicine overseas.

Local laws and attitudes to mental health

Attitudes about mental health can vary in other countries. Mental health conditions aren't always accepted the way they are in Australia.

Many countries don't have medical care for mental ill-health. It might be hard to get help or medicine.

You could be arrested if you break the law during a mental health episode.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you. But we can't get you out of trouble or jail. You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that appear harsh by Australian standards.

Travel insurance and mental health

Choose your travel insurance carefully. Most basic policies won't cover mental health conditions. You may need to pay extra to be covered.

Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). It could have information that means the policy doesn't meet your needs.

• Check if your policy covers mental health conditions. If not, ask if you can add it as an extra.
• Check exclusions. Even if they cover your condition, they may still exclude it in some situations.

It's important to find out what your insurer considers a pre-existing mental health condition. The threshold may be lower than you expect.

If in doubt, ask your insurer, travel agent or insurance broker.

Read the CHOICE travel insurance buying guide for advice about choosing your policy.

Getting support overseas

You may be able to get mental health support through the local healthcare system. But it may be limited. Local services may not be available to foreigners. Find out about the support services where you're going.

Read more about mental health support overseas.

If you are concerned about your welfare, or someone else's, contact your nearest Australian embassy, high commission, or consulate. You can also call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305.

Read the Consular Services Charter to understand how and when the Australian Government may be able to help you overseas.

What we may be able to do

• Help you find local mental health practitioners who speak English.
• Help connect local doctors with your Australian doctor.
• Advise you on how to get prescribed medicine locally.
• Raise concerns about your treatment or welfare in hospital.
• With your consent, contact your friends, family or insurer for you.

What we can't do

• Give you medical advice or recommend providers.
• Pay your medical bills or loan you money.
• Get you out of jail if you're arrested.
• Stop you from travelling.
• Force you to get medical care.
• Force you to return to Australia.
• Arrange for better treatment or direct your treatment.
• Provide translation or interpreter services.
• Take care of your belongings while you're in hospital.

Resources

Below are some mental health and wellbeing resources you can use. We can't guarantee you can access these services overseas.

• The e-Mental Health in Practice portal has an index of digital resources.
• Tools and apps for teens and young adults (ReachOut Australia).
• MyCompass is a free online program for depression, anxiety and stress (Black Dog Institute).
• Medicare Mental Health (Department of Health and Aged Care).

Overlapping risks

Different parts of your identity can expose you to overlapping forms of discrimination and increase the risks you might face. This is sometimes called intersectionality. Parts of your identity can include your:

• mental health
• colour
• race
• ethnicity
• religion
• nationality
• age
• gender
• sex
• sexual orientation
• ability.

Read this advice along with our advice about women, LGBTQIA+, disability, age and colour, race or religion to understand the different risks you may face.

Read more

• Read our advice on travelling with medication.
• See more about choosing the right travel insurance.
• Read the CHOICE travel insurance buying guide.
• Read about Australia's reciprocal health care agreements.
• Learn about your destinations.
• See our advice on getting medical care overseas.
• Read the Consular Services Charter.

See also

• Information and advice on mental illness (HealthDirect).
• Living with mental illness (BeyondBlue)
• Medicare Mental Health (the Department of Health and Aged Care)