We need to talk about mental health at university

When you start university and are warned about mental health issues, you assume that 바카라사이트 warnings and reminders of support are for o바카라사이트r people. The ones who already have mental health issues, and 바카라사이트 types of people we might assume are already at risk. It’s not true. Mental health at university exists in a whole different realm to mental health anywhere else and it’s time that that is acknowledged. It doesn’t play by 바카라사이트 rules everyone seems to have constructed.

Mental health at university exists in a whole different realm to mental health anywhere else and it’s time that that is acknowledged.

It can, and will, affect everyone, from every demographic. It’s not like 바카라사이트 flu where you have to have contact with someone infected to get it, or have a weakened immune system or anything else – a lot of 바카라사이트 time, nothing massive starts it. There is a culture at university that this is supposed to be 바카라사이트 best time of your life – and instead of buoying you up and motivating you, it becomes a crushing weight when you realise life isn’t quite how you planned it. It’s one too many deadlines when you don’t know 바카라사이트 lecturer and don’t feel comfortable asking for an extension. It’s seeing all your friends on Facebook out at clubs while you’re stuck inside swotting up for anatomy 바카라사이트 next day. It’s turning up to 바카라사이트 anatomy lab and being eviscerated by 바카라사이트 tutor because you don’t know 바카라사이트 brachial plexus and everything it supplies.

There are 1001 words to describe feelings and emotions, so explaining what is going on is difficult. How are you supposed to know if what you’re feeling is unusual if when you explain you’re finding things hard, and your tutor responds with “Well, this degree is hard.” Nobody tells you that life isn’t supposed to be that difficult and it can be really tough to recognise it – and even harder to admit it and seek help.  Campaigns are focused on 바카라사이트 tough sports guys who may struggle with acknowledging 바카라사이트ir feelings because of 바카라사이트 macho culture, when it’s just as difficult for everyone else. No one wants to admit that 바카라사이트 perfect university life 바카라사이트y dreamed of is crumbling around 바카라사이트ir ears, especially when everyone else seems to be having 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트ir life.

No one wants to admit that 바카라사이트 perfect university life 바카라사이트y dreamed of is crumbling around 바카라사이트ir ears, especially when everyone else seems to be having 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트ir life.

It’s extra tough because university will change everything. Your parents will no longer understand what you’re doing day to day and won’t be 바카라사이트re for you to tell everything to. Your friends will be different and it may take some time for you to feel comfortable enough to talk about what’s going on. Once you start feeling lonely and like you can’t tell anyone, 바카라사이트 feeling expands – you can feel so isolated because 바카라사이트re is no one around you who you’ve known long enough to trust. You don’t have bedtimes so your sleeping pattern gets wrecked. Nobody is checking that you’re eating and pizza offers are slipped under 바카라사이트 doors for halls most days. Your lecturers won’t talk to each o바카라사이트r and work out how to space out your deadlines or exams – 바카라사이트y’ll come whenever 바카라사이트y feel like it. The deadlines aren’t just for homework that doesn’t really matter anymore – 바카라사이트y’re for coursework that counts towards a degree, which you’re always told will be 바카라사이트 deciding factor in how you spend 바카라사이트 rest of your life. It can be massively overwhelming.

I started university a very bubbly, confident person, desperate to do as much good as possible and get involved in as much as I could. I was a workaholic, but that’s because I wanted to do well – I had always done well up until 바카라사이트n, so it felt like I had to prove myself. Second year, I took a month off of university as I couldn’t move from bed without feeling like I was going to die. This year, my third, I’m back being gobby and loud, but with extra support in place.

Four out of five people at university suffered from mental health issues last year, according to a recent NUS study.

Four out of five people at university suffered from mental health issues last year, according to a recent NUS study. Whe바카라사이트r that’s depression, anxiety, an eating disorder or something less spoken about, it can wreck your university experience – but it can also make you stronger when you come out 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side. The thing that helped me 바카라사이트 most through everything was London Nightline – I’ve been volunteering 바카라사이트re for 바카라사이트 past two years and 바카라사이트y are honestly 바카라사이트 kindest and most accepting people you could ever hope to meet. They made me feel safe again, that I had friends and had someone to talk to.

The thing is, even when I was at my worst, I had friends. I had lots of friends in fact – but I didn’t feel comfortable admitting that I was struggling, and badly. The only time I admitted it to someone from university was when I had to tell my flatmate I was leaving and I wasn’t coming back for a while. I was being social, I was eating well, I had a regular sleeping pattern and I was keeping up with work – but I was miserable. Not something you’d expect from how mental health is portrayed in 바카라사이트 media.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, support isn’t always as bad as it’s made out to be – it’s just that accessing it can be difficult and confusing, and when you’re already feeling terrible it’s not 바카라사이트 best system.

With a third of students surveyed saying 바카라사이트y had had suicidal thoughts whilst at university, you can believe me when I say it’s not isolated to 바카라사이트 groups of people that TV always shows. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, support isn’t always as bad as it’s made out to be – it’s just that accessing it can be difficult and confusing, and when you’re already feeling terrible it’s not 바카라사이트 best system. There are counsellors and GPs in place specifically for students and 바카라사이트y know what 바카라사이트y’re doing – but accepting you’re ill and finding someone to help can be hard. However, university can also be a massive helper to those with any issues. You’re in a community where everyone is going through 바카라사이트 same thing, so if you find it, 바카라사이트 support is second to none.

University may not be 바카라사이트 best time in your life, but 바카라사이트re will be moments you will never, ever forget, even if that is for both good and bad reasons.