The best free mental health webinars that students need to know about

Studying can be taxing, and studying abroad, away from home and its familiar comforts, even more so.

It’s no surprise that dealing with financial difficulties, academic stress, homesickness, loneliness, and culture shock has led to many international students having mental health issues. Whether it presents itself as anxiety, depression, or psychological stress/distress, it’s a problem faced by students worldwide.

The good news is, schools and organisations are doing all they can to help students through these tough times. From buddy programmes to counselling hotlines, help is just a request away.

Mental health webinars are another source of help. Through them, you can learn more about mental health from experts, hear about personal experiences, or just seek solace that you’re not alone in the journey.

Here are some to help you get started: 

The best mental health webinars for international students

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

As part of its mission to offer evidence-based resources to the public, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) offers free webinars to address frequently asked questions about anxiety disorders, depression, and co-occurring disorders such as OCD and PTSD for adults as well as children.

Here, you’ll find ADDA’s experienced mental health experts offering tips and strategies to help you and your loved ones better manage your mental health. Better yet, most of the webinars are often live and allow you the chance to ask these experts your questions on the spot.

And if you miss a webinar, don’t worry; ADDA’s mental health webinars are recorded and available on demand. Some of their past webinars include “Your College Mental Health Packing List,” which talks about forming new relationships and dealing with impostor syndrome, and “5 Tips for Finding Success for Social Anxiety & Job Interviews.”

It’s easy to feel alone when you’re studying abroad, but it’s important to know that help and support are always around — you just have to ask for it. Source: AFP

Mindspring

Mindspring’s mission is to empower community members through mental health education, advocacy, and support. The cherry on top? It’s all free of cost, perfect for students who want to help themselves or others without adding to their financial burden. Plus, everyone who registers for a mental health webinar will receive the recording via email 24 hours after the live event.

For many international students, being away from home and in a new environment is a golden opportunity to learn and talk more about mental health. Some might not even be aware of certain mental illnesses, and so organisations like Mindspring can help fill in the gaps effectively and accurately.

Some of Mindspring’s mental health webinars include understanding various mental illnesses, like personality disorders, bipolar disorder, and adjustment disorders.

You’ll also find webinars like “Self-Care and Wellbeing: A Hands-On Approach for Better Health,” “Creating a Low-Stress Environment and Minimising Crises,” and “Special Issues in Women’s Mental Health,” just to name a few.

In a crowd of people, you never know who is experiencing a mental illness and who isn’t. Source: AFP

National Alliance on Mental Illness

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the largest grassroots mental health organisation in the US. Here, you’ll find the NAMI Next Gen, a 10-member young adult advisory group that represents the voices of youth and young adults across the country who advise, create, and innovate how NAMI works with youth and young adults.

On NAMI’s website, you’ll find various resources to help you and your loved ones in their journey to a better understanding of all things mental health. Aside from regular podcasts with experts, NAMI’s mental health webinars invite a range of people to discuss the topic at hand.

One example is the “Making Mental Health Benefits Work for YOU” webinar, which saw a panel of experts explore common benefits that are offered by employers and share tips on how they can help you when you experience mental health concerns – something that all students, international or not, can learn more about.