World Mental Health Awareness Day 2020

Image of lines, dots and brush marks in blue and pink. Text World Mental Health Awareness Day 2020

Saturday marks an important date in the 2020 calendar – World Mental Health Awareness Day 2020. In this blog, we will be exploring the impact that Covid-19 can have on your Mental Health, and some important contacts that you can keep to hand, if you ever need them.

Coronavirus has had a massive impact on the way in which we live our daily lives, studying from home, self-isolation and worries about the future and more can have a real large impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

In August, a group of NHS leaders said they were seeing a rise in people reporting severe mental health difficulties while charities including Mind, Samaritans and Calm have all said they have seen an increase in people coming to them for help.- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54418913

Young Minds recently released a survey investigating the mental health impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, showing that many are under increasing pressure and struggling to get the right support. The results reveal that:

80% of respondents agreed that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse. 41% said it had made their mental health “much worse”, up from 32% in the previous survey in March. This was often related to increased feelings of anxiety, isolation, a loss of coping mechanisms or a loss of motivation.

87% of respondents agreed that they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period, even though 71% had been able to stay in touch with friends.

During this time people will react differently, that is only natural given the situation we are in. You may be bored, frustrated or lonely. You also may be feeling anxious, scared, let down or worried. It is important that you take care of your mind and make sure you are looking after your wellbeing as much as possible.

Good mental health is described as feeling positive about yourself, being able to cope with everyday pressures and being able to form and maintain relationships. It is important to know if you are not coping well as you thought you would – maybe you’re not feeling ‘normal’, or experiencing feelings of anxiety, loneliness or worry among other things, if you feel this way, it might be time to seek some support.

Support doesn’t instantly mean going to see a counsellor, which can be a daunting step, although this can be helpful for some. It could mean chatting to a friend about the way you are feeling, going for a walk and clearing your head or writing down your feelings. It is important to know you are not alone and help is available to you.

The chair of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s (BACP) has put together his top tips for students to look after their wellbeing.

Communicate

“Make space to communicate with the people in your social bubble. Invite them for a walk around your new environment.”

Structure your time

“Create a structure for your time. Be sure to add times to study but also time to rest and reward yourself.”

Feeling anxious is okay

“Accept that everyone around you is feeling anxious at the moment. Feeling uncertain when facing a new situation is normal and will pass.”

Other people are also struggling

“Accept that others might be struggling too, and this can affect their behaviour and expectations”.

Coronavirus is impacting everyone

“Covid is creating uncertainty, but is also teaching us to compromise, adapt and to be more emotionally resilient.”

Counselling can help

“Reach out. Your college or university has spent months planning for you to come back. Counselling services are still working and offering sessions remotely.”

Feel safe

“If you feel uncomfortable with a fellow student’s behaviour, then make a member of staff aware. Feeling safe is important.”

There is also a great guide on How to look after your mental health by the Mental Health Foundation, you can download the guide to help you.

As a University of Reading student, you have access to a wide range of resources and specialist teams to help take care of your mental health and wellbeing. This includes:

  • Life Tools – a programme of practical webinars to help you manage some of the day-to-day challenges of university life (including sessions on coping with pressure and improving concentration).
  • SOS – The Supporting Our Students Scheme (SoS) Scheme was set up in Spring 2020 in response to the emerging global pandemic and the eventual closure of our campus.
  • The scheme connects you to a fellow student or university staff member to help you feel more connected to our community at a time when we still cannot quite return to normal
  • Togetherall – a free, online support community (available 24/7)
  • Student Space – developed by Student Minds to help you find the support you need during the coronavirus pandemic, including access to a phone and text support service
  • Student Welfare Team – our dedicated team are here to help with any personal difficulties you may experience while studying, by phone, email and in person
  • RUSU Welfare Directory – a helpful overview of support available here at the University and externally
  • RUSU Advice Service – free, confidential and independent advice is available from the Reading University Students’ Union

Make sure you get the support you need to stay healthy and happy.

Thank you for reading.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54418913

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-aspects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

 

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