Inside the cave - opening Up

Ali shares his experience of opening up to people about his feelings while at university.

- Ali

Despite being on a counselling training course, the idea of me “opening up” didn’t really come to mind when I applied, enrolled, and attended my degree. Perhaps naively it didn’t occur to me that I would have to “open up” as part of the mandatory hours of personal therapy I have to attend as part of the course…

“you’re such an emotionally mature person” 

“you’re so connected with your feelings”  

“I feel like I could tell you anything”

But, opening up can be scary. Being heard can be terrifying. And being seen, properly seen, by another person can be horrifying. 

The first time I felt seen was when a lecturer picked up on a twinge of anger in my voice as I talked about my first academic year not ending how I wanted it to. That small recognition of my feelings, my experience, and of me drained the blood from my face. I felt incredibly cold. 

As if the usual words of everyday life we use to fill the day had vanished and I had been spotted. It was cold…but also a relief. I hadn’t said what I was feeling but someone had heard/seen it. I suppose being heard or seen was my precursor or first step to opening up. Knowing someone had received a small part of me and what I had feeling at the time gave a little nudge to open up a little more.  

When my mental health needed attending to, beyond the requirements of my course, it took a while to open up in therapy. I remember my therapist nodding along to what I was saying and then slowly but suddenly leaned forward and said  “why are you here today? You’ve spoken, very eloquently, about “stuff” but what do you want?”  I was taken aback. A deer in the headlights! My clever disguise of words and conversation had been seen, accepted, and they wanted to know more- more about what I wanted, more about what I felt, and more about who & how I was. 

The “old cold” came back as I told them, just a little bit, about how I felt about my reasons for coming for counselling. I suppose the “old sensation” of being perceived and received doesn’t go away and may be part and parcel of opening up. Opening up can involve a treading lightly of who we are and how we feel to another person. All the good, all the bad, and all the everything even just a little. 

Every time I have “opened up” it has felt like opening up a protective stone layer, like a cave door, over my chest and letting a little bit of the warmth out. It has gotten easy to open the cave door to others and let them see what is inside. It still feels somewhat cold but a different cold, more refreshing or brisk than scary. 

Anyone reading this who feels anything resembling the cold sensation and fear of opening up I have described I would say … I get it. Opening up, about mental health, about life, about yourself, and how you feel takes a certain amount of bravery and risk. I would also say, when you feel ready, give it a try with someone you know and who you trust. Ask them to listen to you without judgement (or as little as they can muster) and without intention to fix (again as much as they may want to). Ask them to let you be seen and be heard. Ask them to be there as you are being brave. 

Whether you are looking for support for your own mental health at university or supporting a friend, help is available.

Hi, I'm Ali. I'm a student who wants to write more about the ups, downs, and side-to-sides of navigating mental health and University life.

Are you the best version of yourself? Tips for setting boundaries and breaking habits.

Are you operating on an arbitrary set of rules? Laundry grows, lectures stack, last ate a vegetable a week ago? Is it all too much? In this blog, Christine talks about how bad habits can be challenging to shift but reflects on what it means for our well-being to set realistic goals. 

- Christine Jenkins

It may all seem well and great, being on your own: exploring your limits and finally being able to stay up past your bedtime on a school night. But these freedoms aren’t always as helpful as they seem fun and accumulating too many bad habits can have surprising consequences.

I have had too many readings pile up, too many dishes to do, too many takeaway pizzas, too many late nights (or more like early mornings!), and ‘too many’ too much. Recognizing that this version of yourself is not serving you is the first step in the right direction. 

But how do you start? 

You’re stuck in that old system version where you leave your clothes to pile up in the basket or you go the week without doing a single workout. Making new habits is hard, and breaking old habits is even harder.  

Well, to start off, your good days are not always going to look the same. What your 100% looks like today, will probably look different tomorrow; but the point of keeping good habits is that they make your bad days a little more bearable. Good habits make time an ally for you; they serve to protect you in the future. 

The best advice I have ever received was to start setting some non-negotiables. Every day you study for an hour, eat a vegetable, or throw one load of laundry. Once you set your non-negotiables, there’s no arguing with it. You create a system, which in turn becomes your safety net; not only this, but probable behaviours will reinforce less probable behaviours. In other words, because you ate one vegetable, you might as well eat another. You finished your food and are heading to the sink anyways, so you might as well do that dirty dish in your hand. Already doing that dirty dish, might as well do the rest of the dishes. You have then created that habit of doing the dishes after you’ve eaten and you never have to deal with an overflowing sink and you’ll always have that mug ready for your next cup of tea. 

The reward? You’re a responsible person that does your dishes. This mindset shift will serve you in the long run, this quick hit of satisfaction will make change enjoyable. Letting go of unhealthy habits will protect you from the corrosive effects of staying stuck in a system that won’t help you achieve that version of yourself that you want. Because you studied for an hour, you might feel inclined to keep going. 

Again, your 100% looks different every day, so because you can do three hours of studying today, doesn’t mean you have to do the same tomorrow. Go back to doing one hour of studying.  All this to say, take of yourself on your bad days, when you’re not the best version of yourself. Some good habits are easier to follow than others. Sometimes just washing one dish is enough, sometimes you stay up till the sun rises again, and sometimes getting out of bed is the triumph. These days you have to be extra kind to yourself, but your good habits will make room for you to mess up.

Explore tips and resources to help you navigate university life in Student Minds’ Transitions guide.

Christine Jenkins is an Undergraduate Psychology student at Cardiff University and is looking to promote healthy habits, awareness, and well-being with others. She spends her spare time reading books, attending the Book Club Society and managing the Pen Pal scheme. 

Dealing with social pressures as a student

This August, the Editorial Team have taken the opportunity to share their thoughts on the social pressures they've faced while being university students.

- Student Minds Blog Editorial Team

The blog theme for August is Social Pressures. This is a topic that the Editorial Team felt needed some light shone onto it, especially as a new wave of students being their university experience.

Thoughts on social pressures from the Editorial Team:

✨ Natalie (Student) ✨

• Prior to going to university, I heard countless times that uni is the “best years of your life”. Whilst my time at university has been amazing and filled with wonderful experiences, there have undeniably been more challenging moments as well. 
• I’ve experienced this pressure to make it seem like I’m having fun all the time, but now I just remind myself that life has its ups and downs. 
• University is not just 3 or 4 years of your life that have been sectioned off just to have a good time. It’s an important time of life for changing and growing and this can look different for everyone.

✨ Luke (Student) ✨

• Social media and social pressures can be the biggest thief of joy and shadow your potential. When you begin to see what people post and compare your life to theirs you begin to lose perspective on what you have achieved in your life. Remember people only post and tell you what they want you to see/hear. 
• Leaving university and finding a job is the biggest challenge you will face as a student/graduate. Some friends will find a graduate job immediately with a decent wage and you may be sat still looking for jobs. Stay true to your passions and your goal in life and the right opportunity will find its way to you! 

✨ Martina (Graduate) ✨

• University presents a lot of pressures and as students, we each live them in a different way depending on our social context personality etc. 
• I personally found I was often comparing myself to others: during lessons and exams I would think my performance wasn't up to standard, and outside of University that I wasn't participating enough in societies or making the most of the experiences it offered. It was the pressure of giving 100% to every aspect of my life as a student. This led to anxiety and overworking myself. 
• I think this is an issue that many students face, and has increased exponentially with the use of social media. It was only with time and talking to lecturers about this, that I have learned that sometimes "good enough" was perfectly acceptable and that prioritising was more important than aiming for perfection at expense of my health. 
• Sometimes, you just need to disconnect from social media and simply take time to focus on your own goals, to gain some perspective.

✨ Caoimhe (Graduate) ✨

• I think the biggest pressure I have ever encountered is the daily pressure to be performing 100% in every aspect of my life, university, job and personal life. This pressure led me to experience emotional exhaustion during my final year of university. 
• I overcame this pressure by realising I was putting my own self-worth in the validation of others. This mindset is toxic. After a year of being out of education, my mental health is in a much better place. I am looking forward to starting my postgraduate education.

✨ Preksha (Student) ✨

• I think that, unfortunately, social media has raised our own expectations of ourselves. This has blurred the lines between social and self-pressure. Herein what we observe of the social world around us is often internalised into demands and pressure on ourselves. 
• For example, Instagram has created unrealistic beauty standards and a face that is considered perfect by many. Meanwhile, LinkedIn makes it seem like everyone has been matched with perfect jobs and careers, and are excelling in all aspects of their lives. 
• However, the reality is very different. People very rarely share their struggles on social media and there seems to be a new conformity pressure on our generation to be like those around us in every aspect - looks, professions, social life and more! But please don't believe what you see on social media because that is only a small proportion of the reality. Ignore what you see around you and instead of comparing yourself to others, compare your own previous achievements to yourself. This is what will help us differentiate between social pressure and self-motivation.

✨ Rosanna (Graduate) ✨

• University can sometimes be quite a toxic environment in terms of social pressures and it's easy to be convinced that you have to do it a certain way. We need to challenge the idea that university is always the best time of our life - full of wild nights out, making loads of new friends and pulling all-nighters to finish our assignments. This is the stereotype of student life which people still seem to want to portray on social media. 
• There's nothing wrong with that student experience, but it's not the only one. No matter what people tell you, you don't have to drink, join a society or hang out with that group of people who make you feel uncomfortable. You don't even need to stay at university if it's not for you. 
• All of your decisions are valid and starting a university course doesn't mean you have to behave in any particular way. You are valid and lovely as you are.

Share how you're facing social pressures on our Facebook group.

Find out more ways to get involved with Student Minds and volunteer today.

Written by the Student Minds Editorial Team. Find out more about them here.

University Mental Health Day 2022

Thursday 3rd March marks University Mental Health Day 2022. The Editorial Team have come together to share their thoughts and experiences on speaking out and seeking support as a student.

- Student Minds Blog Editorial Team

Chen-Chun (Student)

My university provides five free counselling sessions at the Student Services Centre for students who need help, and I have recently sought support from them. It was not an easy decision to make. I worried that I might be overreacting, so I hesitated while trying to seek support. The experience turned out to be really good and extremely helpful and I regretted not seeking support earlier.

 

Seeking support is okay and people working at universities are experienced, they will never judge you for asking for help and regard things that troubles you as insignificant.

Luke (Student)

The switch from living at home to university was exceptionally daunting, therefore the hardest part was reaching out. My university was quick in giving me an initial appointment where they facilitated open conversations where I felt safe to vocalise my initial anxieties. The appointments they provided were as frequent/infrequent as I wanted them to be. This really helped me not bottle things up which I began to.

They directed me towards an amazing NHS service which really helped me understand myself and my feelings. This experience really empowered me and enabled me to become a great talker and listener, and I feel I now have the tools to help others in similar situations.

Remember never to be afraid to ask for help!

Caoimhe (Graduate)

I personally didn't have to seek support while at university. As a student, I spent two years working with my university's mental health charity. As a mental health ambassador, I attended regular sessions and further training with Young Minds. 

I felt very grateful being in a position where people felt confident speaking with me expressing their struggles and worries. From these conversations, I would introduce these individuals to the support services on campus. It's rewarding helping people.

My university provided six free therapy sessions and raised awareness of mental health days throughout the year. 

If you are struggling, please seek support. You aren't alone!

Riley (Student)

I remember I needed help when I first came to London for my studies a few months ago, something really practical... for example, how to rent a flat, register a GP, even things like how to print at the school library. Sometimes I felt so ashamed to ask those kinds of questions because I thought those were so just stupid and small issues. 

Making good use of the university's service centre and joining the international students' community are the ways for seeking support.

It is okay to ask 'stupid' questions. I should forgive myself as a foreigner in a new place.

Sarah (Student)

Sometimes it can feel intimidating to reach out for support from student services. Although not a replacement for seeking professional help, peer support networks are a great way to talk to someone that understands the issues that students face. 

From my experience, peer support volunteers are all kind, empathetic, lovely people who are happy to listen to you and refer you to any relevant resources. 

No problem is too small, and this may just be the bridge you need to gain the confidence and encouragement to seek further help. Good luck!

Preksha (Student)

As an international student, I was far away from my comfort zone and initially culturally shocked - the systems, norms and even slang were all so different. I also experienced ‘imposter syndrome’ during my first term at Cambridge, constantly feeling like I did not deserve to be here. These situational challenges, when compounded, led to me being diagnosed with depression in the first few months of university. I struggled to create and maintain a healthy (and completely new) lifestyle of independence and productivity. My friends would encourage me when I didn’t have the energy to get out of bed or make myself a meal on most days. I was extremely fortunate to have found support professionally and in my friends. Despite initial hesitance, my friends and family encouraged me to reach out to the university's mental health services. This helped reassure me of the potential to recover, and guided me towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Many people are struggling like you, so don’t be afraid to reach out and get the help you need!

Fionnuala (Graduate)

 

My university offered many supports for students experiencing mental health problems. There was a free counselling service that offered students sessions with trained therapists. I used this service and found it very helpful.

If things were particularly tough and unmanageable around exam time there were policies in place allowing students to apply for extenuating circumstances which could postpone the examinations or allow a student to re-sit exams without penalty if they did not get a passing grade. There were disability support services for students that helped them to arrange accommodations to enable them to complete their education while managing mental health issues. 

Taylor (Student)

The stresses of university, exams and all the deadlines put pressure on everyone's mental health so rest assured that you're not alone there. You're equally not alone in wanting to seek support if that's what you feel is best for you. 

Speak out and get the support you need! It's much better to talk about the situation you find yourself in rather than suffer in silence.

And if you're not struggling with your mental health, then be there for your friends and loved ones. Let them lean on you for support and make sure they know that you're there for them.

Find out how you can make a difference on University Mental Health Day.

Written in collaboration by the Editorial Team. Find out more about them here.

Faith or faithfulness: Reflecting on the role of spirituality in the mental health of university students

Ronalds shares his experiences of supporting university students as a Mental health Advisor.

 - Ronalds Busulwa

It is 2018 and I have just started a job at one of the universities in the UK. The first day was hectic, my brain was overloaded with information, meeting different faces in a short space of time. My emotions were in overdrive with a sprinkle of anxiety. My role as a Mental Health Advisor (MHA) was new at that University therefore I had to start from scratch. I was excited, you see, I am a mental health nurse (best decision I have ever made), this was my first job outside the NHS, and nothing compares to the privilege of engaging with university students. The more I supported students the more rewarding it was.

What does an MHA do to improve the learning experiences for students? Firstly, I had to draw on equality, diversity and inclusion while treating every student as an individual, actively listening to what they said, and what they didn’t. It gave me a holistic insight into the experiences of university students. I quickly learned about what I refer to as ‘reverse assessment’, meaning students were assessing me as I was assessing them, and they chose what to tell me or not to tell. Many worried if any disclosure about mental health could impact their studies negatively. I had to develop a strategy for how to encourage students to share their difficult experiences so that the university could support them better. I revisited the most essential skill of MH nursing ‘establishing rapport'. Good rapport improves chances of a positive outcome, making both the professional and the one seeking support more human. Therefore, my objective was to remove this barrier of hierarchy to establish mutual rapport to encourage students to open up, rather than suffer in silence. Music and sports were great conversation starters amongst many other topics like climate change, world Injustice, even Brexit got a few mentions. 

Although they had a lot in common, I noticed an apparent difference between the mental health of students who practised faith or spirituality and those who did not. My curiosity was aroused, was this a coincidence? Does faith or spirituality play a role in the wellbeing of higher education students? Spirituality, faith, religion, and atheism are words that tend to be inflammatory, uncomfortable, sensitive, and often not used in the same sentence BUT, and this is a big BUT I thought it was safe to tackle the elephant in the room. Amongst the students I interacted with, those who reported practising some faith appeared to be more hopeful, positive and flourishing compared to those who were not. They reported praying for each other, worshipping together, studying scriptures, which created a positive support network. I asked students whether they believed there is a power bigger than them, interestingly those who identified as atheists usually said, “lol I don’t know!!!” Others who practised spirituality or faith usually mentioned that their belief in a deity or bigger power had helped them to be patient with themselves and felt loved.  Is it their Faith or Faithfulness that buffers higher education students' experiences against mental health challenges?  You see Faith is outside of the self, while Faithfulness focuses on the inside of the self. Faithfulness calls for one to be reliable, consistent, or trustworthy and in so doing it becomes a breeding ground for discipline and other positive traits. On the other hand, because Faith is concerned with an external force or object, it becomes the question of how reliable and trustworthy that which they believe in, is. In other words, whether is it the student’s faithfulness to their faith or the power of their faith that gives them a buffer against mental health challenges; either way the outcomes tend to be positive.

Here is what I know, most faiths, religions and spiritual beliefs are underpinned by similar principles; love, compassion and empathy. As nurses, this is our bread and butter. Overall, interacting with students for me remains a privilege and I hope that no matter what they believe in, I will continue to support students. I have learned that showing a student compassion, empathy or treating them with respect can be as effective as medication or any other intervention. A simple act of noticing something new about a student and verbalising it to them, verbalising something nice about them, a “how are you today?” and actually listening to them without interruption. Sometimes students may share something they know they can’t fix but just listening can be very therapeutic. Empathy is like when someone falls into a ditch and you hear them shouting, you then get a ladder and climb down into the ditch just to be with them and listen.

For help and support, please visit Student Minds.

I am a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Huddersfield. I am exploring the role of faith in the mental health of black students at University in the UK. I am also a Mental Health Nurse and Addictions Counsellor and prior to my current job I was working as a University Mental Health Advisor (MHA) for students. I am sharing my experiences while supporting students as a MHA because I think they will find them useful and to help those who find it difficult to seek support.

Asking for help

Lauren shares her experience about asking for help with my mental health at university and receiving zoom counselling.

- Lauren

Asking for help can be difficult, but it can also be the best thing for you. 

Completing my third and final year of university during a global pandemic is not how I saw my university experience coming to an end. To say that my mental health was at an all-time low would be an understatement, but fortunately, I was able to receive help. 

After months of struggling with motivation and extremely low moods, I finally submitted a form to my university’s mental wellbeing counselling service. However, I had many doubts in my mind. I wasn’t sure if it was too late in the year to get any help, whether I would just be ignored or whether I was being silly. Some days I would tell myself that my feelings were completely natural during an unexpected lockdown and that everyone was experiencing the same feelings of anxiety and discontent; other days I’d berate myself for feeling anything negative at all.

Within a matter of days after reaching out for help, I received an email from the university informing me that I got an appointment scheduled for the coming week with a counsellor. That was fast. I had heard from students that trying to get an appointment was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, mostly useless and disappointing. Although the sudden reply was a relief, I was also extremely sceptical and scared to talk to a stranger about how I had been feeling for the past few months. Luckily, it turned out to be exactly what I needed. 

Although I only had five sessions, 1 hour each week, I found myself at ease with my counsellor and hearing an unbiased perspective about what I was feeling made a huge difference. Often, we are told to talk to friends and family about the difficulties we’re facing and although this is true and can be helpful, it can also be useful to have a qualified outsider listen and help guide us. In my situation, I found that my counsellor was able to help me to pinpoint exactly how I was feeling, notice when these feelings arose and consider ways to improve my coping skills. After each session, I found that I felt a little bit lighter. 

Of course, I wasn’t magically ‘fixed’ but my counsellor gave me the skills and confidence to identify when I was being particularly hard on myself and use the techniques we’ve discussed to cope with these difficult moments. The only downside is that these appointments ended within the space of a month, as my final exams approached, and I felt I needed a few more sessions. Talking to the counsellor had made a really big impact on me during some of my lowest moments and it has encouraged me to look for other low-cost counselling that I can continue to utilise when I need it. 

I know that asking for help in the moments where you may feel at your lowest and most alone is difficult. It is not easy to be vulnerable in front of people we do not know and share things we may never have talked about before. Yet turning up to that first appointment, as nervous as I may have felt, was one of the best decisions I made. We all need and deserve help, and asking for it, although this may seem terrifying, is often the first step to a road where we’re able to feel a million times better.

 

You can visit Student Space to explore online resources, access direct support via text, phone, web chat or email and find the support available at your place of study. 

I'm Lauren, a third-year student and I hope that sharing my story will encourage others to seek help when they may need it.

Mature Mental Health: My Journey to Realisation

Lisa shares her life-long struggle with mental health and how improving herself through education finally helped her to recognise and break the cycle.

- Lisa Knight

I was extremely slow to realise my poor mental health. Although it was right there for many, many years, I and every service I was ever referred to failed to diagnose the overarching damage that my brain had sustained in childhood.

After losing most of my twenties to depression, drugs and anxiety, my father died suddenly and in horrible circumstances. A year later I was engaged to my long-term boyfriend. I wanted something stable for myself finally: I yearned for a family.

Two years later I was married. A year after that I gave birth to my first daughter. Fourteen months later, my second daughter arrived. Nine months after that, my husband left us for another woman.

Looking back, my journey had always been rocky. I had been made homeless when I was seventeen years old, and wasn't emotionally mature enough to deal with it. I failed most of my A-level exams and lost my place at University. I'd bounced around in various jobs, finding nothing that really suited me. I always felt stifled creatively and my mental health dogged me constantly. I became a target for bullying at work, just like I had at school.

Years later, when my eldest child was three years old, I decided to do an access course. I got a distinction in every subject, received offers from all my university applications, including the same university place I had missed out on fifteen years previously. Of course, that was the university I wanted.

It was tough going with two young children. And I almost lost it all in my second year, but in the end I managed to graduate with a 2.1 in English. The following term, I started a part-time MA in English studies. However, my struggle with depression and anxiety made this an utter slog. I requested therapy with my local GP and was referred to Mind. It was in these sessions where everything finally started to make sense.

Up until this point, I had believed I was suffering with depression. However, sessions with my therapist made me aware of the pervasive anxiety of which I suffered, accompanied by flashbacks and symptoms of complex PTSD.

I was 37 years old by the time I realised the true nature of my poor mental health. I had always questioned: 'what's the matter with me?' and 'why am I like this?' Now I know that the violence and bullying behaviour I witnessed and was on the receiving end of as a child completely changed the structure of my brain. I understand that the debilitating and pervasive fear that has been a constant part of my life is due in part to an anxiety that became the norm for me in my infancy.

I handed in my MA dissertation recently, and I should graduate in January 2020. My medication has been adjusted to help with the anxiety, and for the first time in my life, my mood has stabilised. I'm on the waiting list for psychodynamic psychotherapy and I'm hoping to leave my cloudy past behind for a sweeter and sunnier future.

If you've been affected by any parts of my story, had similar experiences, or are feeling isolated and alone on your uni course, take the step and reach out for help. You've nothing to be ashamed of, and support networks like your personal tutor or the 'Help' page on Blackboard can put you in touch with the right people to get the support you need.

If you are looking for mental health support for yourself, a friend or a loved one, you can find more information and resources at Student Minds and Mind Helplines.

I'm Lisa, a post-graduate English student who started out at Uni in my early thirties. I work as a copywriter and freelance writer and hope to inspire other mature students with my experiences with mental health. It's important to know that you're not alone and that you can succeed despite everything.

Realising I needed help

Lottie shares her story of standing up to the OCD bully and seeking professional help.

- Lottie Brown

As a teenager, I knew that my brain was a bit different to other peoples. Whilst everyone else loved the interactive nature of science classes, I was absolutely terrified of all the chemicals. I'd be too afraid to eat at school in case I accidentally ingested any. At that time, I didn't have a name for it, and my chemistry teacher was so understanding that I managed to establish a pattern of avoidance that satisfied my OCD. At 15, my fears turned to religion and I was obsessed with the thoughts that God would curse me. The compulsive handwashing really ramped up a notch at this point, it took so much time up that I began to search for answers. I know it’s not advisable, but I googled all the symptoms I was experiencing; that's where I first came across Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Some of the symptoms sounded so familiar, I began to suspect that I had it. As a result of my Google searches, I believed that the only way to treat something like this was to expose you to your triggers over and over again, and the thought of this terrified me. So, I tried desperately hard to hide my symptoms. As I continued to thrive academically, I began to believe that the OCD voice was responsible for my success, I thought it was saving me from being cursed by God with failure. The more I succeeded, the more of a hold OCD had over me. But as with many mental health conditions, the longer OCD is left untreated, the worse it gets. In the final year of my degree, this came to a head and I suffered a breakdown.

It took months for me to finally understand the breakdown. I’d had some counselling at university, but there was no specialised help for the OCD. The support from university was mainly designed to get me through my final weeks at uni. So, when I returned home, I decided it was time to visit the GP and get some professional help. I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I truly wish I’d sought medical help earlier. OCD affects so many aspects of your life, it makes everyday activities so difficult and time-consuming to carry out. I very nearly dropped out of university, I became so detached from my life that I could barely hold a conversation with people, I spent every moment of the day trapped in rituals. I was in such a mess. I try not to think about it, but I know that my university experience would have been so much more enjoyable if I had just sought help sooner, before I’d reached crisis point.

It’s hard opening up and talking to someone about your mental health, but this crucial first step will help you tremendously. It started me on my path to recovery. So far, it has involved CBT, medication and various support groups. I'm still on this journey, I don't know if I'll ever be free of the obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours for good. But one thing I do know is that without professional help I wouldn't now be able to manage my symptoms more effectively.

I know that I am far from alone in the struggle of living with OCD. So many people live with OCD for years before seeking help. Standing up to the OCD bully is terrifying but getting professional help can be life-changing. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for OCD, but speaking to a professional can help you establish a treatment plan that works for you.  

To learn more about OCD and seeking support, please visit OCD Action or Student Minds.

Lottie is a PhD student in Classics at the University of Bristol. She has been struggling with OCD and anxiety for several years, and is very passionate about raising awareness of mental illness and challenging stigmas. She regularly blogs about her own experiences with mental illness here.

#FresherPressure - Maintaining Your Mental Health at University

Phoebe writes about her top tips for tips for taking care of your mental health and making the most of what University has to offer 

Phoebe Barr

It feels like forever and a day ago that university was my new adventure but 3 years later, and a successful graduation, here are some tips for looking after your mental health when beginning university, that in hindsight I probably could have used myself. Whilst university is one of the  most exciting times of your life, a milestone achievement which you’ve probably been excited for all summer, there also comes many changes. Moving out or staying at home and embarking on your university journey can feel overwhelming at times, the many changes it encompasses and the uncertainty (albeit exciting) can prove difficult. Not to mention the fact that life doesn’t pause when you begin your new academic adventure and whilst it is a step up, its also important, (incredibly so) that you remember to take care of your mental health.

1. Get yourself into a routine: once your timetable comes through start planning what you want to incorporate into your time. Is there a specific society you want to join? Is there a long time sports, music, or interest that you want to continue pursuing alongside your academic work? Societies and sports clubs are a great way to not only pursue something which can make you feel fulfilled, but they also give you some valuable time to take care of yourself away from your screens. Exercise is wonderful for your mental health and they’re also a wonderful way making friends.

2. Check out the support at your university, universities are increasingly proactive about mental health whilst you’re studying. If you’re currently receiving support for your mental health or you begin to feel that you need it then get in contact with you student health centre and they’ll help you find the relevant resources and support centres. There are also some amazing voluntary organisations which run support groups and sessions to help with your mental health most of which will be advertised in your student union. They are there for a reason so don’t feel ashamed to ask for help.

3. Importantly, planning for how you are going to look after yourself is really, really important. Whatever it is that helps you de-stress and practice some self-care be sure to set aside some time to take care of yourself. Remember, you are more important than your degree, so by that logic, you should be working hard on looking after yourself. No exam or essay is worth sacrificing your mental health over; take time to look after yourself.

Useful contacts

Student Minds Starting University Guide 

This guide can help you with practical tips and managing your expectations or worries when starting University. Click here to read.

Samaritans

Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)

Email: jo@samaritans.org

www.samaritans.org 
Samaritans provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.

Mind Infoline

Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday)

Email: info@mind.org.uk

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/

Mind provides confidential mental health information services. With support and understanding, Mind enables people to make informed choices. The Infoline gives information on types of mental distress, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind has around 140 local Minds providing local mental health services.

BEAT-Help for adults

http://www.b-eat.co.uk
Telephone: 080 801 0677
BEAT provides and operates helplines, resources and online support for adults and young people experiencing eating difficulties.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

https://www.thecalmzone.net/
0800 5858585 Nationwide
0808 8025858 London
CALM provides support to men of all ages who are dealing with difficult emotions or experiencing crisis.

Elefriends

Website: http://elefriends.org.uk/

Elefriends is a supportive online community where you can be yourself. Elefriends is run by Mind.

My name is Phoebe, I’m a Psychology graduate. I spend a lot of time campaigning for mental health awareness and I’m an ambassador for a number of mental health organisations including Beat and Time to Change.  I also have my own personal blog which I’ll leave the link to here: https://phoebebarr6.wixsite.com/website. Feel more than free to get in touch!