Who to Talk to About Your Mental Health at University

Who to talk to about your mental health at university

University is a time where you can make new friends, discover your interests and find out a bit more about yourself and where you would like to be in the future. However, it’s not always the happiest of places and sometimes it can be hard to open up about the not so nice aspects. However, it is so important to talk about your mental health. We have put together a list of people you could talk to, if needed to.

Learning Support

I had my first panic attack towards the end of my first semester of first year and when I came back for my second semester I knew I should probably talk to somebody about it. I have dyspraxia, which is a developmental coordination disorder and some people who have this can also be prone to anxiety. So, I talked to learning support, which helped me understand this disorder a bit more and how it can have an impact on my mental health.

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Counselling

After talking about my dyspraxia I was referred to my universities’ wellbeing advisor. I try to see them regularly to talk about how I’m feeling and coping strategies. I also saw the counsellor for a brief amount of time. It can sound daunting but in some cases, it’s good to talk to somebody who you don’t know personally but you can grow to know and feel comfortable with.

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Teachers

Whether it’s a supervisor, course leader or just a faculty member you get on well with, teachers can be really good people to open up to. I think it’s important for them to know what you’re going through and then be able to give you the support you need. I try to tell most of my lecturers about my dyspraxia and also my anxiety so if I’m having a bad day they can know why I may not be in class or they will be better equipped with how to help me.

http://www.lifehack.org/429716/10-inspirational-quotes-of-the-day-103-ap-pinterest-quotes?ref=pp

Friends

You might feel like you’re bothering them but it’s good to have a chat and give them an idea of what you’re thinking or feeling. Sometimes I struggle on nights out and leave early or go to the bathroom or outside to calm down for a bit. When I do this, I let my friends know so they’d be aware of what’s happening. Whilst at university if you’re away from home you can really miss your friends so give them a message, see how they’re doing and also let them know if you’re struggling. They can be feeling similar but if you don’t talk or see each other that much you can end up bottling things up. It’s good to have a rant to your BFFs every once in a while!

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Yourself

This might seem a bit odd but sometimes you do need to have a little chat with yourself and check how you’re doing. I’m now in my fourth year and I’ve really been struggling so far but I do try to take my own advice and talk to people. I have also began to become aware of when to give myself a break as my mind can feel quite messy which means it’s hard to do any work.

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You have to remind yourself that your grades and experiences at university don’t define who you are and neither does your mental health; they’re all just part of what makes you the fabulous person that you are!

• aberdeen
• awareness
• mental heath
• student