Who To Talk To
Many students find that they are most comfortable talking to their personal tutor, or other staff within the academic department. They will normally signpost you to student support services, who are a range of staff trained in providing support to students.
You can also go directly to student support services.
All Universities are at different stages of developing mental health support, so there may be a range of people who you will be put in contact with, dependent on your University. This includes the disability office, counsellors, welfare staff, etc. If you are in student residences, there is often support available there too.
There will often be a specialist member of staff with a remit to support students with mental health conditions - a Mental Health Adviser. In general, they are there to co-ordinate support for students with mental health conditions and to act as a point of contact. They will be used to talking to and supporting students with a wide range of experiences, including those who have been sectioned, members of the LGBTQ+ community and those who are estranged from their parents. They can help you with safety planning.
You can find out more about the different types of support in our separate page.