Student experiences
A university course can be an exciting prospect, and student life opens many positive experiences for us: Meeting new people, seeing new places, participating in sports, social activities, etc. These are also opportunities for us to develop and improve our sense of well being: Independence, developing new (and old) interests, physical exercise, etc.
Adapting to these changes and coping with the academic demands of Higher Education, whilst dealing with the reality of mental health difficulties, can be challenging. Mental health difficulties are extremely common: Depression and Anxiety take up more of a GP’s time than any physical conditions. In fact, one in four of us consult a GP in any year with mental health related difficulties, and one in three people experience panic attacks at some point in their lives.
The likelihood is that in most University classes there will be students with difficulties that are impacting on their studies, and if your own attendance or academic progression is in anyway affected by mental health difficulties, you are far from alone.
There isn't a standard definition of what constitutes a mental health difficulty as there is much variety and individual responses in different contexts. For our purposes here, it includes: Depression, Anxiety difficulties (including panic attacks), Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and self harm. If you, or a student you know, is concerned about high levels of emotional burden that don't fit these specific descriptions, the difficulties experienced may still be classed as a mental health difficulty, and this information will be of relevance.
Adapting to these changes and coping with the academic demands of Higher Education, whilst dealing with the reality of mental health difficulties, can be challenging. Mental health difficulties are extremely common: Depression and Anxiety take up more of a GP’s time than any physical conditions. In fact, one in four of us consult a GP in any year with mental health related difficulties, and one in three people experience panic attacks at some point in their lives.
The likelihood is that in most University classes there will be students with difficulties that are impacting on their studies, and if your own attendance or academic progression is in anyway affected by mental health difficulties, you are far from alone.
There isn't a standard definition of what constitutes a mental health difficulty as there is much variety and individual responses in different contexts. For our purposes here, it includes: Depression, Anxiety difficulties (including panic attacks), Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and self harm. If you, or a student you know, is concerned about high levels of emotional burden that don't fit these specific descriptions, the difficulties experienced may still be classed as a mental health difficulty, and this information will be of relevance.
Student voices
Below are some links to student stories which aim to raise awarness of mental health issues amongst this population.
Leeds' Student TV winning entry for "Best News"
Video from an AimHigher project on normalising mental health issues
LeicesterShire Connexions video
Leeds University students share their experiences
Leeds' Student TV winning entry for "Best News"
Video from an AimHigher project on normalising mental health issues
LeicesterShire Connexions video
Leeds University students share their experiences
In February 2012, Time to Change - England's biggest campaign to tackle mental health discrimination - run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness supported University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day. Time To Change were interested in hearing from students with personal experience of mental health difficulties, the results of which can be found here.
