Over 45% of students say they have experienced serious psychological issues during their time at university. Maybe you’ve got an existing mental health diagnosis, or ongoing problems that you don’t yet have a name for; maybe you’re processing trauma or grief; maybe things are happening in your personal life, or you’re juggling university with parenthood or caring responsibilities. Whatever’s going on in your life, you don’t have to struggle on alone.
Make sure you’re getting the healthcare you need
When you start at a new university, it’s important that you make sure your new GP is informed about any diagnoses or medication you already have – and, if someone else has been helping you keep on top of your medical care at home, it’s important to make sure you don’t lose track. Make sure you set reminders to take any medication, and put notes in your calendar if you need to book regular appointments to renew your prescriptions.
If there are things you’ve been struggling with for a while, university can be a great time to explore your options. Many universities will be able to offer free counselling and advice services – if there’s something you’ve realised is causing you issues, whether it’s trouble focusing, low mood, anxiety, or something else, they may be able to help you find a path forwards.
Talk to someone
Mental health is such a stigmatised topic, it can feel too embarrassing, or like admitting failure, to ask for help. But your university, your tutors and your friends are likely to be more ready to help you out than you think – they just need to know what’s going on.
If you’re struggling to keep on top of your coursework, missing classes, or feeling unable to cope, reach out to your tutors. Tell them what’s up, and they will be able to work with you to plan ways that your course can work for you. You might be able to access additional support like deadline extensions, disability accommodations, help with childcare, and so on.
Dealing with trauma
Whether you’ve experienced traumatic events earlier in life or something happens while you’re at university, tens of thousands of students every year are grappling with symptoms of trauma. Leaving home, being in high-stress environments, and getting other perspectives on your past experiences can mean that past, as well as present, trauma can impact you very hard.
It’s important to know that it isn’t your fault, and that support is out there. If you feel able, talk to someone you trust – a friend, trusted tutor, or student services – and seek their support in accessing some help.
There’s no right or wrong way to handle trauma, but be gentle with yourself. If you need to take some time off, or drop some responsibilities, give yourself permission to do so.
If you need to stop, stop.
Sometimes, it just is not a good time for you to be studying. Maybe you’ve experienced a massive loss, you’re dealing with something heavy in your personal life, or you need to focus on recovery.
If you need to defer, take a year out (voluntary suspension), or retake a year, that isn’t a failure, nor does it mean you’ll never recover. It’s better for your education (and your wellbeing) to give yourself some time to recover than to try and push through when you can’t give your studies the time and energy they need.
If you’ve exhausted all other options and you’re still struggling to cope, then you may feel you need to drop out. If that’s the case, make sure you contact your university about it – you may be able to claim a partial degree. If you do drop out, it isn’t the end of the world – SAAS will cover up to 5 years of university, so if you’re able to provide proof that you withdrew from your original course, you will be able to use the remaining years of SAAS loans to fund another course when you’re ready.
Having to suspend or quit your studies doesn’t mean you’ve failed, nor does it mean you can’t return to them later. Your wellbeing comes first.
Get support
The following UK-based organisations are focused on mental health support for students (although some services may only be available for students in England)
Wherever you’re studying, check out what’s available in your area through our regional infosites.
