Students
Mental health problems are as common among students as they are in the general population. But it’s not just students who have a diagnosed mental health condition that can benefit from support.
A lot of difficulties are not caused by medical problems, but by normal life problems, such as family or relationship issues, or anxiety about their work. While these problems are distressing, through support we can help students to understand them, and then suggest strategies for dealing with their feelings.
When to get help
It’s normal to feel down, anxious or stressed from time to time, but if these feelings affect your daily activities, including your studies, or don’t go away after a couple of weeks, get help.
Signs of depression and anxiety include:
- feeling low
- feeling more anxious or agitated than usual
- losing interest in life
- losing motivation
Some people also:
- put on or lose weight
- stop caring about the way they look or about keeping clean
- do too much work
- stop attending lectures
- become withdrawn
- have sleep problems
Get help from your local Talking Therapies Service
York and Selby Talking Therapies is here to support students, contact us by clicking here if you are in need of help and support or you can self refer online here.
University counselling services
Many colleges and most universities also have a free and confidential in-house counselling service you can access, with professionally qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. Many universities also have a mental health adviser who can help you access the support you need.
As well as counselling or therapy, you may also be entitled to “reasonable adjustments” such as extra time in exams, extensions on coursework, and specialist mental health mentor support.
When to see your GP
For more serious or longer-lasting mental health symptoms, see your GP as you may need prescribed treatment or referral to a specialist.
If you have or develop a mental health condition that requires treatment, it’s important to arrange continuity of care between your college doctor and your family GP.
A mental health adviser can support this communication. Your condition may worsen if moving between university and home results in a gap in treatment.
Online self-help
There are also online self-help services you may like to explore, such as
NHS Choices’ Moodzone
Students Against Depression
University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN)
Representing the network of mental health advisers working in higher education dedicated to providing practical support to students experiencing mental health difficulties.
If you are over 17 and registered with a GP in York you can self refer to Talking Therapies York and Selby here