Mental Health

For the majority of students, their years at University will be regarded as some of the best years of their lives. It’s a time of freedom, liberation, fun and challenge. It is also a time of change, uncertainty, financial hardship and academic pressure. This can lead to stress, which can then lead to more complex mental health difficulties.

Some students may already have experienced such difficulties prior to entering University. The majority of people will manage stressful periods with the support of friends, family and tutors with only minimal disruption to their day-to-day life. Occasionally things may become just a bit too difficult to cope with in this way.

Experiencing stress or mental health difficulties is nothing to feel embarrassed about. It is now estimated that one in four of the population will be affected by these problems at some point in their lifetime. Often a student can feel overwhelmed by their problems and it can help to share those feelings.

The University employs a Mental Health Coordinator who is a qualified practitioner in the field of mental health. The Mental Health Coordinator is part of the Disability Services team and is situated on the third floor of the Student Union building.  She is able to liaise both within the University and with local mental health agencies in the community.

Some students may be concerned about disclosing a mental health difficulty at application stage, but by disclosing this information you are then able to discuss your individual support needs with us to ensure that the transition to University is as easy as possible.

If you have been experiencing any of the following symptoms for a number of weeks and they are starting to significantly affect your ability to function and cope with life you may be suffering from stress or some form of mental health difficulty and should seek help.

• Increase in alcohol/drug consumption
• Sleep disturbance
• Changes to appetite
• Loss of concentration
• Loss of energy
• Difficulty in coping with usual day-to-day activities
• Frequent episodes of weepiness
• Feelings of isolation
• Thoughts/expressions of self-harm
• Unwanted thoughts and images
• Restlessness and agitation

Please see the links on the left for more information on the help and support that is available.