MindMental Health
One in four people experience some sort of mental health difficulty in their
life, particularly during stressful times such as starting University or moving
away from home. If you feel you may be experiencing a mental health difficulty,
or have been given a formal diagnosis, the Disability Support Team and/or the
Mental Health Practitioner may be able to help you.
Initial Contact
What Support Can Be Offered?
You can make an appointment with any of the Disabilities Advisers for:- Advice on Disabled Students Allowance, and support in applying for this.
- Information and advice about services in the University and local community.
- Ongoing individual support.
- Support and guidance for study related issues.
- Support and advice for academic and support staff.
Training
Mental Health Awareness training is available to all staff, both formally and informally. The Mental Health Practitioner can be contacted at any time for advice about specific issues.What is Mental Health and what is Mental Illness?
Everyone has mental health just as we all have physical health; it is a general sense of well being coupled with the emotional resilience to cope with life’s problems and conflicts. Everyone is likely to experience mental distress at various points in their lives, which can be caused by various life events. This is something which can often resolve itself, or may require some supportive counselling. One in four people will experience mental illness, which can be caused by a number of factors. The term mental illness is generally used to assist in defining and diagnosing a medical condition, and is not the accepted term in common parlance. The preferred terms are mental health difficulties, mental distress, or mental health issues.Mental health difficulties can manifest themselves in different ways. Some people may experience anxiety type symptoms, some may experience low mood and severe depression, some may experience altered sensory perceptions, delusional ideas, or obsessive disorders. It is often the case that some conditions first occur during mid-late adolescence or in the early-mid twenties, particularly illnesses such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder.
According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the second greatest international health problem, superseded only by ischaemic heart disease. Although depression is more common among women, there is a higher rate of suicide among young men between the ages of 15 years to 25 years, and reducing this is one of the current government targets.
How can mental health difficulties affect someone?
If a student is experiencing mental health difficulties, this can impact negatively on their academic performance. The student may become unmotivated, be unable to concentrate adequately, become withdrawn, and isolate him or herself. They may lose confidence and have low self-esteem, and become fearful of meeting or mixing with new people. Disturbed sleep pattern can become a major difficulty; some people may have difficulty in getting off to sleep, others may find they sleep for much longer periods, and tire quickly. Their concentration and memory may also be affected.If a student is receiving treatment for mental health difficulties and is prescribed medication, they may be affected by drowsiness, particularly in the mornings. It is important to be aware that students experiencing these kinds of difficulties will be less receptive in the mornings, and may have problems actually getting in to early lectures. They may require additional support, in that more frequent individual tutorials will be needed, so the student can clarify issues relating to their coursework, or, if they are unable to attend lectures, then regular email contact should be considered.
Advice for staff
Working with someone with mental health difficulties can be distressing for a number of reasons, and staff should remember to look after themselves by developing a support network, and by taking care of their own mental and physical health.In the main, someone experiencing mental health difficulties may experience some or all of the following:
- Poor concentration
- Poor short-term memory
- Low self-esteem and confidence
- Poor motivation
- Difficulty in organising their workload
- Low confidence, leading to difficulties in asking for help.
- Negative thinking.
- A deterioration in physical health.
- Social isolation, difficulties in mixing with others or making new friends.
Students are under no obligation to disclose that they have, or have had, mental health difficulties; however, if the student informs a member of staff that they have difficulties, they must be given appropriate support, under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This can be something as straightforward as providing information about support services available, and the student should be actively encouraged to make an appointment with the Mental Health Adviser. If the student refuses to engage with support services, it is advisable for staff to document this, and have the student countersign the entry.
Although there is no expectation of staff to provide any form of therapeutic support, it is still possible to develop a helping relationship. It is important to get the balance right, however, and be mindful of boundaries and personal limitations. The best help anyone can give is to provide the time and space for the student to talk about the difficulties they are facing, listen to what the student has to say about their study related needs, and give relevant and appropriate information so that the student can make an informed choice. Staff must also be mindful of issues around confidentiality, but if there are any concerns, they should speak to their line manager, or contact the Disability Support Team for further advice.
Advice for students
Leaving home for the first time can be an exciting, and challenging experience. Although we hope you are able to enjoy the whole experience of being a student without any problems cropping up, it is worth considering one or two points.There may be times when you feel you can not cope with the demands of everyday life, or you may feel lonely and isolated. If you already have mental health difficulties, these issues can sometimes feel insurmountable, and can exacerbate existing problems. It is vitally important therefore, that you register with a local GP as soon as possible after your arrival, so that you have a first point of contact if you do begin to feel unwell.
It is tempting to feel that you can ‘burn the candle at both ends’, by partying non-stop and trying to keep on top of your work, but it is also important to look after yourself. Get into the habit of ensuring that you have a nutritious diet and have adequate rest, avoid the use of illicit drugs, and drink alcohol in moderation. If you are prescribed medication, you may need to be extra careful in this respect; always read the patient information leaflets that come with your medication.
Mental health difficulties can affect people in many different ways, and it is important that you learn to recognise the early warning signs. This will enable you to seek help before things get too out of hand, and may even help prevent any interruption of your studies.
You are under no obligation to disclose that you have any mental health difficulties. However, you may be losing out on additional support, so it is advisable to make an appointment with a Disabilities Adviser, so your support needs can be discussed.
Finally, do not be afraid to seek help and support. Speak to your friends, your family, your tutor, your GP. Find out what support is available to you within the University, and also in the community, and access it.
