Students have had their schedules turned upside down over the past few years. Whether it's been dealing with online classes, studying from home, dealing with the after-effects of covid, isolation or the worry of it all, it's changed what it's like to be a student. As things change, looking after your mental and emotional health is super important, especially during times of uncertainty. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here's how to cope when events trigger feelings of anxiety and isolation<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Global events aside, student mental health and anxiety are big issues nationwide. Research has found that almost half of students need support to manage their wellbeing, and 64% felt they were struggling with their mental health post-pandemic. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some studies suggest that mental health difficulties impact as many as 4 in 5 students. Student mental health statistics also indicate that:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u25cf<\/span><\/span> 52% of students often felt lonely or isolated <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf<\/span><\/span> 16% of students were worried about their long-term prospects <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf<\/span><\/span> 45% of students took mental health support into account when choosing their uni<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The study also found that a third of students feel lonely at least once a week. Building connections and feeling supported by others is an important part of university life. It can significantly help you feel happier at university, especially if it's your first time away from home, and friends and family that usually make up your support network. <\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n How to recognise that you might need help with your mental health<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While everyone deals with things differently and has different behaviours and triggers, it's worth being aware of some common symptoms of struggling with your mental health. This could help you get support earlier or recognise the signs in friends or classmates if you're worried about them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not everyone will show these signs, and some people might experience more than one of them, but if you're noticing changes to how you feel and behave, then the first step is to recognise you might need to find some help.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are the signs to look out for:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n University Students and Mental Health: Main Sources of Stress<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stress and needing support with mental health can seem to come out of nowhere, or you might feel it building up. Recognising the signs and the triggers is important to get the support you need to manage your mental health and ask for help. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some of the main factors that impact student mental health include:<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Isolation and loneliness <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Making new friends can be a struggle, and student mental health can be impacted as new students can often feel isolated and left out when starting their university years. Joining local student societies, sports and cultural activities can help students connect with others and feel less isolated. Studies found that around 37% of students don't take part in any extracurricular activities outside of their studies. While this may be for financial reasons, time constraints or mental health, building a support network can help with feeling lonely, anxious or depressed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/a><\/u> about coping with loneliness at university.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Academic pressure and uncertainty about the future<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Seven in ten 18-24-year-olds feel anxious about employment and their ability to earn money in the near future.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With the job market becoming ever more competitive, students are under increased pressure to maintain good grades and excel in their chosen field of study. Today's students spend more time studying than previous generations, face more competition in their career, and find it more challenging to achieve job satisfaction.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Health-related anxiety<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The impact of covid has understandably caused students to become more anxious about their physical health, and the health of their families. This can impact mental health too, so it's important to speak to someone if you're feeling the strain of worrying about your health and need some help.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stress-Busting Things You Can Do Right Now<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are some things you can do today to help manage stress and boost your mental and emotional wellbeing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of course, these tips can be helpful, but sometimes they are not enough. For those struggling with mental health issues, it's essential to talk to someone about it and get professional help if needed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember to be kind to yourself and each other. If you feel up to it, reach out and make (safe) connections whenever possible, and make your wellbeing a priority. Don't be scared to ask for help, everyone has found things difficult at some point in their life.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking for Support?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you're struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety or isolation at uni, speak to your campus counsellor or reach out to a student support group. If you'd prefer to keep things anonymous, here are some useful resources for you. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Anxiety UK – Support for those diagnosed with anxiety<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Helpline: 03444 775 774<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Text service: 07537 416 905<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Website: https:\/\/www.anxietyuk.org.uk\/ <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mental Health Foundation – Support and info on mental health problems<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Website: https:\/\/www.mentalhealth.org.uk\/ <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n No Panic – Support for those affected by panic attacks and OCD<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n General helpline: 0844 967 4848<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Youth Helpline: 0330 606 1174<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Website: nopanic.org.uk <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n![\"Student](\"https:\/\/cdngeneral.rentcafe.co.uk\/\/DocumentManager\/UploadedImages\/85a401a0-87c5-4c2a-b731-cfaecb344143.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"student](\"https:\/\/cdngeneral.rentcafe.co.uk\/\/DocumentManager\/UploadedImages\/08f21602-4f88-45e5-a90b-94a454d9c3e0.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n
\n
{"id":190,"date":"2021-04-01T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thisisfresh.com\/blog\/?p=190"},"modified":"2023-04-12T13:15:40","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:15:40","slug":"university-student-mental-health-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisisfresh.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/01\/university-student-mental-health-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Mental Health and Anxiety: How Stressed are Young Adults in the UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"