Your Mental Health at University

How To Get Support & What You Can Do

A range of studies have shown that depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions are prevalent within young people, especially those who are attending university for the first time and are getting used to this big change in their lives. If you are struggling, remember that you are definitely not alone!

According to UCAS, there has been a 450% increase in student mental health declarations over the last decade.

With more awareness and acceptance of mental health conditions now than we had ten years ago, this isn’t too surprising. But it does show that students at university are particularly vulnerable to having poor mental health.

This is caused by a variety of factors starting with the most obvious ones:

• Culture shock
• Financial concerns
• Homesickness

Alongside this, social media usage can cause anxiety and even confidence or self-esteem issues. By spending so much time on social media, students are exposed to an involuntary life examination process where they end up comparing themselves to others (or, better said, to others’ photos).

Students may come across others having a brilliant time at university, whilst they feel homesick and lonely, and this kind of content can only fuel these negative feelings.

That’s why it’s the university’s responsibility to convince students to spend more time outside by creating a range of extracurricular activities meant to:

• Help students to get hands-on experience in a new skill or sport and put theory into practice.
• Delve into the culture of the country, meet locals, and start coming to terms with living in a new country.

The ideal university environment is one where you feel welcome, safe and greeted with open arms by everyone, but you may find that you feel excluded or isolated from domestic students when you initially arrive in a new country. A university’s commitment to establishing respect and inclusivity is paramount. Having a strong student support service specifically dedicated to mental health issues is vital.

Study abroad students should do their research thoroughly and always check whether their chosen university or college integrates diverse cultures into their curriculum and is known for addressing any issues that may arise along the way, such as mental health concerns.

You’ve probably noticed, it’s not a perfect world out there, but the university you pick has to do everything in its power to encourage you and your peers to make it better. This starts with understanding, accepting and working to ease the mental health problems of students.

Once you are at university, it is important to ensure that you look after yourself and your mental health in any way that you can. Not everything works for everyone, and not everyone is able to do everything, but be patient, and try your best to implement some form of self-care.

You could:

• Visit mental health professionals if you feel your mental health is becoming a problem or concern.
• Ensure you are in contact with the university’s mental health team.
• If you need a disability plan or a reasonable adjustment plan at university to help with your studies, then make sure you schedule an appointment with the member of staff in charge of this, so that the plan can be put in place as soon as possible. This will usually be a guidance counsellor, personal tutor or mental health officer.
• Take long walks, get outside into nature, exercise when you can, or just get out for some fresh air.
• Stay in regular contact with friends and family, and make sure you reach out to those who you love and trust if you feel you are struggling or worsening.
• Try to get out and about for socialisation, even if you don’t feel like it to begin with, it could turn into an enjoyable experience, and continued isolation will not help your mental health.
• Try and do something new, be that an activity (such as painting) or a sport (such as cycling). Trying something new, although not a cure, might give you the boost that you need.