Everyone has mental health.

Mental health determines how we think, feel and behave. It can affect how we interact and form relationships with others, as well as our ability to cope, adapt, and solve problems, which can negatively influence how happy we are and our productivity. For example, poor mental health can affect our energy levels, concentration and optimism, as well as our dependability. For some students, poorer mental health may make it more difficult to learn and/or finish their degree.

Thus, maintaining good mental health is essential for personal wellbeing and development, as well as being able to contribute to society.

With high living costs and fees, the pressure to succeed, competition for jobs and peer pressure around campus, students are under much stress and pressure. According to the website ‘save the student’, reports show that one in four students experience mental health challenges at university. 

There are many ways that students can maintain their mental wellbeing whilst at University.

This includes:

• Doing tasks and activities that gives you energy, optimism and joy
• Taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing
• Manage symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression
• Forming good relationships, including with yourself
• Having good routines and boundaries, including sleep routines
• Being kind and compassionate towards yourself, including self-acceptance
• Avoid giving in to peer pressure
• Be mindful about the effects of drugs, alchohol and STD's
• Having a positive relationship with food and your body
• Fostering a recovery approach to managing your wellbeing

What is the recovery approach?

Mental health recovery can you overcome obstacles. It can help you build resilience and resourcefulness to embrace with positivity all of the possibilities in life without being burdened by the labels and stigma associated with mental health diagnosis. Read more about recovery and why it’s important on our ‘about recovery’ page. The free activity journal on this page discusses the tips above and identifies some of the most effective activities that can contribute to good mental health and wellbeing.  All of the tips and activities are recovery focused and aim to encourage hope, optimism and good mental health.

Long-term unemployment, difficulties finding a job or losing a job can evoke difficult emotions, such as feeling useless or unwanted, which could lead to poor mental health. Conversely, having a job or taking up meaningful activities gives a person a purpose, aids creativity and critical thinking, promotes independence and allows them to develop social contacts, not to mention providing an income; all of which can contribute to improved mental health and wellbeing.

However, poor mental health, inability to cope with pressure or stress and lack of self-esteem can reduce your motivation and ability to apply for or retain work or volunteering opportunities. If you are looking for employment opportunities and to learn ways to support your mental health at work, the following may help you to reach your goals:

• Employment and self-management course
• Employment: the pros and cons to telling your employer about your health challenges
• Self-acceptance, self-compassion and self-care courses
• Daring to dream
• Learning for wellbeing
• Building opportunities
• Understanding stress, anxiety and depression
• Mindfulness, art and creative writing courses
• Understanding and overcoming stigma
• Building healthy relationships

Materials

PNG: Social media image
PDF:Enhance your employability poster

Parenting and supporting others with health challenges can be a big role in people’s lives; especially if you are studying at the same time. We understand that for some, it can be a full time job to care for another, and your extra responsibilities can make it harder for you to take care of yourself. Some students express feelings of guilt and loss of identity when they are caring for others. 

The courses below may help to alleviate some of the stress and pressure you feel, as well as guide you on how to manage your wellbeing when looking after others. Our curriculum teaches people self-management strategies and courses that touch upon how to care for themselves whilst still supporting others. Topics of interest to those supporting others may include:

• Building healthy relationships and setting boundaries
• Self-care routines and sleep hygiene, acceptance and recovery and self-compassion
• Caring for others
• Living with a long-term physical health need
• Understanding stress, anxiety and depression

Physical wellbeing contributes to how people feel emotionally and it’s important that people look after their physical health to aid mental health.

However, maintaining good mental health is a big part of some people’s journey to a healthier body. For some, low self-esteem, low confidence, busy lifestyle and guilt become a barrier to success. For others, poor sleep and / or poor self-care routines can affect energy levels and make it harder for someone to stay motivated to become physically healthier.

Our courses and workshops can help students with their mental health recovery; and give you time to reflect and the practical skills to build upon your strengths and reach your goals.

Courses which help people build your self-esteem and motivation could aid the success of fitness programmes, weight-control and journey to develop a positive body image. Courses which may be suitable include:

• Self-compassion for everyday living,
• Practicing self-care
• Acceptance and recovery
• Five ways to wellbeing
• Having a positive body image (new course released soon)
• Living with a long-term physical health need

Our recovery and wellbeing college shares these tips for free and provides people with the opportunity to learn practical strategies to manage their wellbeing through free educational short courses and workshops. You can find more information about our recovery college and how we have helped people with their mental health and wellbeing from our ‘home’ page, ‘about us’ page and our ‘what can help’ page. Our courses will expand on the information and activities found in the journal.

Other links to support students:

Mind for students 
Prospects
NHS counselling for students
Save the student
Further help leaflet
Digital inclusion

Please 

contact us

or give us a call on:

01442 864 966

Co-Production is at the heart of the college. The college works with experts by experience, college staff, subject experts and students (course attendees); and the college takes on board everyone's opinions and experiences and works together to produce courses and materials. This ensures that content is relevant and beneficial for all.

If the current courses do not meet your mental health needs, please contact us to make a suggestion. Some suggestions we have already recieved include courses for burnout and time management, as well as information about what to say to others that are having a difficult time.