Whether you’re in your first year, or in your final year, mental health is something that 1 in 4 of us will suffer with at some point during our university career. Here are five ways that can help to improve your wellbeing.
1. Keep in touch with loved ones
Image from Pinterest
There comes a time when we all lose touch with friends and family, but a great way to manage your mental health is to ground yourself by speaking to those you love most, no matter who that may be. Although you may have an incredible circle of friends at university, sometimes we need to speak to someone who has nothing to do with work and remind ourselves of the things we love in life. Call your family, call your friends, give yourself something to look forward to, and make the stress worth it.
2. Go home
Image from youngtraveller.org
It can be hard to admit that we need some home comforts from time to time and even when we feel this way, we are often reluctant to give in to these overwhelming desires. Similar to keeping in touch with our loved ones, if we feel the need to go home, it’s something we should do for our own sake and to remind ourselves either why we left and why we love university life. Going home can feel as though we are giving in and that is why many people refuse to acknowledge these feelings, but suppressing these emotions can do more harm than good for our mental health. Most of us will naturally gravitate home, because that’s the only life we’ve ever known, and that’s ok. Going home for a weekend doesn’t make us weak, it shows that we’re stronger than we know because we know what we need to do.
3. Do something creative
Image from mdfarragher.com
You don’t have to be a creative person to do something creative. One of my favourite things to do when I feel overwhelmed with emotions is to colour. I have a number of mindfulness colouring books that I put to good use when I’m having a bad day and it’s something I find extremely calming, as it draws my mind away from any negative emotions I may be experiencing and focuses my attention on something particular. If you are a creative person, you may like to try drawing your emotions, or painting in any style that suits you. Even if you don’t think it’s a necessary step to managing your mental health, try taking an hour off a week to do something other than uni work and see if it makes a difference to you!
4. Use a mindfulness app
Image from bia.ca
Prior to downloading these apps, I was sceptical about using them as I didn’t think they worked. However, I was proven wrong fairly quickly. Through mindfulness, I became aware of how to identify the emotions I experience, and learnt to not allow them to be overwhelming to a point where I can no longer function. Mindfulness is a great way to relax using meditation and is a perfect opportunity to accept our emotions for what they are. My recommendations include ‘Headspace’ and ‘Calm’, both of which are available on the Apple Store and Google Play store.
5. Seek professional help
Image from UCL
If you find that self-help and/or mindfulness is no longer a sufficient strategy to manage your mental health, it is then time to consider seeking professional help. Although this can be a daunting step to take, it’s one that is necessary to begin improving your wellbeing. There are a number of facilities available through the university:
- College Wellbeing Officers – every college has their own officer(s) who are more than happy to have a chat about things that trouble you, and help you find the right treatments. Details on how to contact your College Wellbeing Officer can be found here: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/student-based-services/wellbeing-counselling-and-mental-health/contact/
- Mental Health Services at The Base – this is a more formal treatment, and usually lasts for 6 weeks (typically 1 hour sessions per week, for 6 weeks). You can submit a self-referral, or you can speak to your College Wellbeing Officer about how to refer yourself: https://qmp.lancaster.ac.uk/em5/coun/counselling.asp
- Visit your GP at the Doctor’s Surgery on and off campus – for this you will need to be a registered patient at the Doctors Surgery. However, you can book an appointment with them to discuss your mental health, and see how they may assist you; they can also provide details about how to get an NHS referral: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/about-us/theuniversity/our-campus/health-services/