At the beginning of his second year at Loughborough University, Rahul Mathasing started struggling. His moods were becoming darker, his motivation disappeared and he started missing lectures. He approached the university medical centre, which referred him to the local NHS community mental health team. His pattern of behaviour – manic episodes in which he couldn’t concentrate or sleep, as well as episodes of very low moods – led to a diagnosis, in February 2015, of bipolar disorder.
The systems engineering student, who continues to see a psychiatrist and is on medication to treat his disorder, has had help from the students’ union, the medical centre, and his department, which gave him a leave of absence: “They’ve done every thing they can to help me get to a level I’m happy with.”
Students can be more stressed and anxious than other young people. “You don’t have family around you, necessarily, and you are probably having a massive shift in your support systems,” says Micha Frazer-Carroll, former welfare and rights officer, Cambridge University Students’ Union/ Graduate Union.
So what support is available? If you already have a diagnosed mental health condition before you start university, Lisa Brooks-Lewis, mental health manager at Loughborough University, advises registering with a GP as soon as possible, and nominating a parent or guardian the university can talk to if necessary. If you develop a mental health problem once there, the first port of call should be your GP, who will be able to refer you to appropriate specialist support. Talk to a member of your department, such as your personal tutor, too, says Brooks-Lewis: “The sooner we are able to support somebody the better the outcome will be in their studies.”
Many universities also have wellbeing advisers, to whom you can turn if you’re feeling homesick, or having difficulties with your course or with relationships; counsellors, who will offer more in-depth support for personal problems; and mental health advisers or co-ordinators, who can help with practical issues, such as extra time for exams. If you’d like support from your peers, you can contact Nightline, a night-time telephone support service staffed by student volunteers.
Frazer-Caroll says it’s vital to find friends who share similar values and interests, and that you should “foster an environment in which someone might feel OK to say: ‘I feel a bit low today.’”
Mathasing, now president-elect of the students’ union, agrees that being able to talk about problems is essential: “There are so many services available – you will find someone if you are willing to open yourself up to it.”
Rosie Tressler, Student Minds
The transition to university is exciting, but brings potential challenges: leaving friends and family; sharing living space with strangers; working independently; and managing personal finances. Because 75% of mental health difficulties start before the age of 24, taking care of your mental wellbeing is integral to making the most of university life.
At Student Minds, we’d like to see a greater degree of mental health literacy – it isn’t usually taught in schools, so students don’t always know the difference between normal everyday emotions and a problem they need to seek support or treatment for. We believe it’s really important for students to learn to focus on their own health and wellbeing – students often have their own answers to problems, but they don’t always realise it.
Simple things such as getting enough sleep, taking exercise and talking to friends are a good starting point. You don’t need to join in with the stereotypical party lifestyle at university if you don’t want to – sports, volunteering and student societies will help you meet like-minded people.
If you have a pre-existing mental health condition, and are receiving NHS treatment for it, ask for your notes to be transferred to your new GP as soon as possible. When you arrive at university, contact a mental health adviser through student services, who will be able to co-ordinate support for you and help make sure you receive any adjustments you need.
Check your university’s website to see what support is available: most will offer counselling or other types of therapy, as well as mental health advisers and personal tutors. More specialist support, for conditions such as eating disorders, is provided by the NHS, although we would like to see joint responsibility between the NHS and universities for student mental health. You might find that you don’t click with the first professional you see, but don’t give up – try another. There are also national support services and phone lines.
We welcome the growth in peer support, now offered by a number of universities – there is real value in someone being able to speak to a student at a Student Minds group who’s been through similar experiences. It’s also good to see some universities working with students to decide what mental health services to offer. There are now more than 2.3 million young people at university – it’s important to make sure they have both access to excellent health services and health-promoting cultures and communities. Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, recently launched free online resources to help students through the transition from school and college to university.
Rosie Tressler was interviewed by Kim Thomas
Eight ways to look after yourself at university
You won’t necessarily make friends in the first week. Look out for student societies and activities where you’ll meet like-minded people.
If you’re struggling with friendships, or pressures of work, or missing home, speak to your university’s student support services – they will have wellbeing advisers who can help you.
If your university has mental health advisers, they will be able to help you with practical things like arranging extensions for coursework.
Talk to other people about how you’re feeling, including friends and personal tutors – don’t bottle it all up. Ask your friends, too, how they’re feeling. A culture of openness about mental health is important.
You don’t have to spend all your time at university. There’s no harm in going home at weekends if you’re missing your family.
Self-care is important. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and eating proper meals, rather than snacking or relying on takeaways – and don’t drink too much.
If you have an existing mental health condition, disclose it before you start, so your university can prepare to offer you the support you need. You may also qualify for a disabled student allowance.
If you think you have a serious mental health problem, go to your GP as soon as you can – don’t hope it will just go away.
Samaritans can be contacted in the UK on 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org. You can contact the mental health charity Mind by calling 0300 123 3393 or visiting mind.org.uk
- This article was amended on 23 August 2018 to clarify Micha Frazer-Carroll’s job title.