Post on 17-Jan-2016
SUPPORTING STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTHSarah Moffat, Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA)sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk
OUTLINE• What is mental health?• Common issues for students• How can you support
someone?• Further support
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
•Everyone has mental health•Mental health is not a binary, it is a spectrum•Mental health is fluid, & can change over time
MENTAL HEALTH IS A SPECTRUM
optimal mental wellbeing
minimal mental wellbeing
minimal mental illnessmaximum mental illness
People can have a mental illness, but be mentally well if they have successful coping strategies & support.
Equally, people without a mental illness can have very poor wellbeing if they face challenging circumstances and do not have coping strategies in place.
COMMON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
AMONG STUDENTS• Stress – Almost all students will experience some form of stress at
University, usually triggered by academic pressure or personal circumstances• Anxiety – While it’s normal to be nervous in stressful situations, people
with Anxiety often feel overly anxious under pressure (sometimes to the point of panic attacks) or experience low-level anxiety all the time, regardless of the situation.• Depression – Again, while it’s normally to sometimes feel down, these
feelings are categorised as Depression when they continue for over two weeks, recur regularly (e.g. once a month), or have significant negative impact on an individual’s quality of life.
SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY
•Feelings of panic, fear or uneasiness•Problems sleeping•Catastrophic Thinking (obsessing over the worst case scenario)•Heart palpitations•Difficulty concentrating•Panic attacks
HOW TO SUPPORT SOMEONE THROUGH A
PANIC ATTACK1. Find a quiet space away from people2. Encourage them to take slow, deep
breaths3. Reassure them they will be ok4. Provide an activity to redirect energy
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
•Exhaustion and lack of energy•Problems sleeping•Difficulty concentrating•Feelings of hopelessness•Loss of interest in activities which used to bring joy
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT SOMEONE
A – Assess for riskL – Listen non-judgementallyG – Give reassurance & informationE – Encourage appropriate professional helpE – Encourage self-help and other support
Whether you notice someone is acting differently, or they disclose to you that they are struggling, you can use these five steps to support
them.
CREATING A POSITIVE CULTURE AROUND MENTAL
HEALTHMODELLING THE WAY
• Be open & honest about your own mental health• Check in regularly – give people the opportunity to discuss how they’re doing• Encourage self-care – Especially at stressful times, encourage people to rest & relax• Establish support networks – Set up a buddy scheme & encourage people to check in with each other
FURTHER SUPPORTThe Advice Place
Practical advice & support
• Main office in Potterrow but smaller office at KB
• 0131 650 9225
• advice@eusa.ed.ac.uk
• www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice
Student Counselling ServiceIn-person & online counselling; opportunity to talk through issues with someone who is neutral• Third floor of Library (main
office, but smaller offices on other campuses)
• 0131 650 4170• student.counselling@ed.ac.uk• www.ed.ac.uk/student-
counselling
FURTHER SUPPORTMindInformation & advice on all mental health related issues •www.mind.org.uk
Sarah Moffat (EUSA)General question on supporting students or mental health•sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk
ANY QUESTIONS?sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk