Why I Talk About My Mental Health

Linda talks about why the misconceptions surrounding mental health encourage her to talk about her experience with an eating disorder.

- Linda

Sometimes, I curl up in bed and hide under my duvet. I videocall my boyfriend crying. With fragmented sentences and sniffs, I explain that I hate myself. Confused, he asks me “why?” He loves me. In his opinion, I deserve tenderness and kindness; full stop. I sadly explain that I draw so much attention to myself. I am extremely loud, hideous, and all I ever do is humiliate myself. Often, he asks me why I constantly put myself in situations that make me unhappy? If I hate the attention, then why do I treat the world like it is a captive audience? If I want to hide under a rock, why am I constantly choosing jobs that rely heavily on communication? I sigh and explain that it is complicated. Mental health is complicated and that is why I talk about it. 

For me, it is important to dispel the assumptions and misconceptions around mental health. One common misconception that people have about eating disorders is that the person affected must be thin. Unfortunately, this is a misconception that some health care professionals hold, and this can sometimes create a barrier when accessing treatment and support. Personally, my worst experience of dealing with this was when a nurse told me that I needed to lose weight, despite having lost a lot of weight due to my bulimia. She told me that I should exercise more; someone who she knew was hardly eating and compulsively exercising every day. I think she looked down at the scale when she weighed me and concluded that my eating disorder wasn’t that bad. I am sad to say that she was not the only one. As I was losing weight, I told my family and friends that I was unwell. However, going from overweight to a healthy weight was a cause for congratulations; I had “lost my baby fat” and I finally looked “healthy” and “pretty.” I started to believe that I was being overly dramatic. I wasn’t ill, because I did not fit the perfect mould of an eating disorder. 

Unfortunately, I am not alone in my struggles. There are so many misconceptions and myths around mental illness. For instance, of course EVERYONE WITH schizophrenia will be violent! The socially anxious kid in class cannot carry a conversation! That friend with OCD will wash their hands five, six, seven times! That extroverted, bubbly colleague couldn’t possibly be depressed! However, mental health doesn’t care for stereotypes or statistics. Through talking about my own issues with mental health, I have been able to educate some of my friends and family. For instance, now my boyfriend knows about eating disorders, he is careful not to trigger me. My friends know not to make a big deal about me eating in front of them. Additionally, I feel confident enough to disagree or speak up if a health care professional makes an unwarranted assumption regarding my mental health. Moreover, I am actively engaging with challenging my own misconceptions and educating myself so that I have a better grasp of the complexity, contradictions and intricacies regarding mental health.

 

Hello, my name is Linda. I am studying a MSc in Psychological research at the University of Warwick. I found out about Student Minds when I was doing my dissertation. I was impressed by their efforts to try and improve University experience and was eager to get involved.

Overcoming Isolation in the Foreign Lands

Yusuf shares his experience regarding the problems faced when he started living alone as an international student in Canada and how he overcame them.

- Yusuf Matin

Isolation is one of the problems that international students face when they travel to foreign lands to study. So, what is isolation? Isolation is setting oneself apart from other people. This is a common phenomenon and is usually faced by freshers as they step in to new foreign lands for the very first time of their lives. I myself have gone through this experience. The excitement of living alone in a foreign land did not even last for an entire month. I began to miss my family gradually. Back in my country, I used to be pampered and never appreciated the care of my friends and family members. They were always there for me whenever I needed them most. Even when I was ill, I was looked after by everyone around me. Due to time differences I was not able to contact them. I had never felt lonely in my life and never knew that isolation could be a serious problem. A problem that lead to different kind of problems. I often laughed and mocked people when they said that they felt lonely and isolated. 

After arriving, I had a lot of things to do and I did not even have proper guidance. I had to wait for my classes to begin so that I could ask for proper help and support. Living in my own country, I knew all the names of the streets and locations but living here in the foreign land came with its own challenges, especially when it came to traveling to different places. As the days went by, other kinds of problems started to arise. One being emotional isolation. I was connected to everyone via social media, yet I felt very lonely and isolated. I was running out of cash and did not have a job. I had to wake up early in the morning to attend my classes and returned home in the evening with an empty stomach and tired legs. I did not know how to cook and so I consumed snacks most of the time. Sometimes I felt so tired I did not even have food and just went to sleep. 

This caused the biggest problem. Due to this habit I developed a peptic ulcer. At night when I slept, I screamed in pain. This scream was from my inner voice and it remained unheard all the time as I was so isolated. I tried to reach out for help but unfortunately there was no one. I always had difficulty expressing my remoteness to people because it felt worthless discussing something these to people. This feeling arose because whenever I tried to talk to them, my words became unheard. My mental and physical health was deteriorating.

From what was happening around me, I had to bounce back and had to stand tall on my own two feet. This was not at all an easy task. After doing classes, I would talk to my classmates and bond with them. Gradually, my friendships grew and I started feeling less lonely. I finally met people from my country and started bonding with them. I gained more knowledge from my countrymen who came before me and started acknowledging their experiences. During my weekends, I took cooking lessons from them and shared food for dinner. I learnt that strengthening my resilience was the only way to move forward. The damage had been done, but for me time was the best healer. Even though it took a lot of time to recover, but I was glad that I went through and came out victorious. I had to setup my everyday schedule and made hourly and weekly plans. Traveling to different places with friends actually helped as it gave me the peace of mind that I needed the most.

Check out our helpful information on starting university or study abroad.

I am an International student who living a life that was beyond thinkable, which is living alone. There are many students who are young and dependent on their family and friends. This is for them. No damage is permanent, and we can all recover if we really try hard enough. I don't want anyone else to face these problems.

How the University Mental Health Charter Will Support Students

Alyssa writes about how the key provisions of the University Mental Health Charter can make lasting changes to the state of student mental health.

- Alyssa

As a former student who dealt with anxiety throughout university, I know how hard it can be to balance your mental health with your studies, especially when you don’t feel supported by anyone around you. I also know I’m not alone. So many university students today struggle with addressing and supporting their mental health — but that’s changing.

As a nationwide UK initiative to promote mental health support, the University Mental Health Charter wants to recognise and reward institutions that promote and support the well-being of their whole community. Students and educators alike collaborated with university leaders and professional staff in creating the charter. Student Minds recently launched the first stage of the project — one that will change mental health conversations and change the future for university students like us.

What Is the University Mental Health Charter?

Student Minds’ University Mental Health Charter represents a voluntary reward and quality improvement plan designed to recognise universities that prioritise student mental health. In March of 2019, a team from Student Minds brought together 360 students and university leaders from six campuses across all four countries in the UK and surveyed more than 2,000 students and staff members online to develop the content of the charter. It aims to make mental health a university-wide priority while maintaining the unique diversity of each institution. Students experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges can often feel isolated and unable to talk to their professors and peers, but this charter is here to make sure universities encourage mental health support at the administration level, whilst ensuring on-campus resources are available to help students.

What Are the Key Provisions of the University Mental Health Charter?

How will the University Mental Health Charter work? How can universities achieve recognition — and, more importantly, how can they improve the mental well-being of their students? Here’s why the charter is important and how it will bring about change:

1. Dedicated To Diversity: The charter recognizes that different students have various needs and can face unique barriers to accessing services, and it encourages departments to be more inclusive and supportive with their provisions and policies.

2. Evidence-based: The charter will be underpinned by relevant literature and a robust research base. As such, the charter encourages universities to develop resources based on what’s relevant to student mental health.

3. Collaborative: Students, instructors, university leaders and mental health counselors alike have been involved in developing this crucial charter.

4. Open To All Institutions: The recognition program is designed to let every institution apply for charter status, whether a university is a large, research-based facility or a smaller, private specialty school.

The University Mental Health Charter Will Make Lasting Changes

Mental health awareness is so important — especially for tutors and universities who work to support and advance students. For too long, it’s been hard for students to voice their struggles and find the right level of mental health support. But with expanded services and recognition of those universities that go above and beyond to support student mental health, more individuals will be able to realise their academic dreams without struggling alone. 

Find out more about Student Minds' work and how to get involved here. 

Hi, I'm Alyssa, an education and student life blogger with a passion for connecting with students of all kinds. Making positive self-care choices like these has kept me grounded through school and life — and I hope to help other students succeed, stay healthy and make the most of their university experience. Follow along on my blog, Syllabusy.

Refocusing my priorities

Linda shares her experience about managing her time whilst studying a Masters. 

- Linda

Why, why, why, would someone torture themselves by studying a Masters? There is the expense, intense workload, and imposter syndrome. My parents' friends tell me that I MUST be smart because I am tackling mountains and storms. My graduated peers shudder at the thought of more exams and coursework. Before starting my MSc, I looked at the outside world baffled because my friends preferred commuting on jam-packed trains and the rigid monotony that is a nine to five. I saw adults perpetually sleep-deprived, balancing parenting and working, paying council taxes and mortgages. In comparison to the other options, doing an MSc seemed like it would be a lot easier.

However, the first term of my MSc has been quite a challenge. During the first couple of weeks, I felt like I was floundering about. I had one lecture a week on research methods and everything else was independent work and study. It felt like a long stretch of procrastination and loneliness. I went to the University library every day, desperate to fill my time with something productive. I read journal articles. I worked; one, two, three, four part-time jobs. At home, I tried to be busy. I drew, and nothingness. My priority and purpose were to excel academically. By my fifth week, things had picked up in pace. I FINALLY received full ethical approval for my research project. I had to run forty individual laboratory experiments, analyse the data and write up a report.

Eager to get started, I woke up at seven every day, tested all day, and went home in the evening to work on my report plan. Five days later, I finished testing and analysing my data. I had twelve weeks to write my report. I could have stopped there with testing but being productive and proactive was addictive. I wasn't focused on recovering from my eating disorder. Eating nutritious and healthy meals could take a back seat. I did not care that I was shaking from the five cups of coffee that I drank in the morning. I wasn't worried about the fact that my sleeping pattern was deteriorating. I did not realise that I spent all my day locked up in a lab, living and breathing my research. Everything felt second-best compared to my research.

Fast forward four weeks, academically, I was doing exceptionally. I had run one-hundred experiments, whilst working four part-time jobs. My supervisor was impressed; she remarked that I was doing the level of work that she expected from a PH.d. student and that we could potentially try and publish our research in an academic journal. However, mental health-wise, I was struggling. I was hardly sleeping, socialising and engaging in my hobbies. I was having many outbursts of irritability and self-harming. I was excelling academically, but quite clearly unwell and unhappy. Don't get me wrong - studying an MSc does not mean that you will be unhappy. I personally feel like I need to constantly prove myself to the world. I have to appear smart, resilient and competent. I think it is a pervasive pattern of behaviour that would have surfaced regardless of whether I decided to work full-time or do a graduate scheme.

More than ever, going forward, my mental health, as opposed to my MSc, should be my priority. Since then, I have made some positive changes to improve my wellbeing. Under the supervision of my GP, I have increased my anti-depressant dosage. I am refocusing on recovering from my eating disorder in small steps and allowing myself space to breath. Hopefully, during my next term, I can maintain these positive changes whilst enjoying my MSc. 

For more information on looking after your mental health as a postgraduate, see here.  

Hello, my name is Linda. I am studying an MSc in Psychological research at the University of Warwick. I found out about Student Minds when I was doing my dissertation. I was impressed by their efforts to try and improve University experience and was eager to get involved. 

Raising the Student Voice on the University Mental Health Charter

Michael writes about how the University Mental Health Charter offers an exciting opportunity got improving student mental health.  

- Michael Priestley

“If universities had the ideal approach to student mental health, what would that look like and how would we know?”

What is the University Mental Health Charter? 

The University Mental Health Charter is a set of principles that outline what universities can do to better support student and staff mental health and wellbeing. Student Minds will launch the content and dimensions of the Charter on the 9th of December 2019 with the pilot phase taking place in 2020. 

Why is the University Mental Health Charter Important? 

As a student with lived experience of mental health difficulties, I believe the University Mental Health Charter can offer the following exciting opportunities to benefit student mental health. 

1. It supports universities to adopt a ‘whole university approach’ to mental health. It can provide a framework to help universities to think beyond the provision of services to develop a joined-up transformative approach that embeds mental health initiatives across all policies, cultures, curricula and practices to try and prevent difficulties from occurring. This represents a shift towards stimulating structural and cultural change to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors that support the wellbeing of the whole university population. For us as students, this offers the benefit of our mental health and wellbeing incorporated holistically into the design of all areas of university policy such as accommodation, teaching and learning, support services, environment, and culture. 

2. It is grounded in diverse student voices and experience to ensure that it will be responsive to the challenges and issues we face at university on a daily basis. Moreover, Student Minds have worked tirelessly to involve underrepresented student voices so that the Charter recognises and responds to the diversity of the student body. After all, different students have different needs and can face different barriers to good mental health. 

3. It encourages universities and university leaders to really prioritise student and staff mental health and wellbeing. It aims to be challenging, ambitious, and create radical transformative and long-term change; it will not simply be another box ticking exercise for universities to compete with one and other for our fees! 

4. It allows us as students to see and understand how, and how well, our universities are working to support mental health and wellbeing.

Going Forward

We all have mental health and better mental health benefits all of us. There is still a long way to go, but the launch of the University Mental Health Charter represents a positive step towards improving the mental health of the whole university community. As students, lets continue to engage with its development and ensure that our voices are heard so that universities take action to change the state of student mental health. 

You can find information on how to get involved with Student Minds here. 

I’m Michael and I’m the editor of the Student Minds Blog. I’m a PhD student at Durham University studying student mental health and wellbeing. I write for Student Minds to share my own experiences of mental health difficulties, and tackle the stigma around mental health. 

The Pressures That Be

Siena writes about the pressures on mental health during and after university, and advises that it is okay to be not okay. 

- Siena Hocking

I can be a negative and cynical person. I tend to find it difficult to see the positive side in a lot of situations. I’m not sure why this is and most of the time it doesn’t really affect me, it’s just who I am. Any sort of hurdle I’ve faced seems to get covered by a dark, self-depreciating sense of humour. I sometimes have an innate ability to see my world through a lens tinted with negativity, anger, and indifference, but at least I make it funny!

I feel bad about this. I feel like maybe I’m just being dramatic about everything and that I’m merely some sort of narcissist for constantly drawing attention to myself. I’ve not had to endure the death of a loved one, I’m not a victim of trauma, I’ve not suffered a debilitating physical or mental illness – then why then do I feel so hopeless sometimes? I try to laugh it off. But there’s only so much laughing I can do before it catches up with me again; I’ll cry on the tube, train, bus, in the gym (granted this might be due to a minor stress-induced asthma attack), in a stationary shop. It really can be relentless. I feel dramatic to admit that this constant headache is due to a trivial issue: my first heartbreak. We have all been there, and it’s not like my husband of forty years has suddenly dropped dead, but it’s still crap. I’ve also landed myself in the position of being (temporarily, let’s hope) unemployed. I feel as though I’ve been dropped back into the deep end of a dark hole that often reared its ugly head in third year of uni.

I loved university. First and second year was just a doss and a party. Third year I still loved but it really screwed with my head. I was essentially a hot mess I was always raging about something – I cried in the shower a LOT, torturing myself with Khalid songs which brought me joy and despair. But I always laughed it off – haha, cried in the shower again guys …

Third year was also when I fell in love. It’s hard to let a person see your pain and see them trying to understand it, when you don‘t even yourself. What’s wrong? What makes you feel like this? What can I do? Why don’t you seek professional help? These questions are hard to answer when all you’re feeling is numb, nothing but a dark void fills my head. I just don’t know. All I could feel was the pressure of questioning my existence, my purpose, my abilities, what do I WANT? WHO do I want to be? What am I actually good at? I’m nervous, scared, anxious. WHEN will this relentless and pointless stream of coursework, exams and grades end?

University ended well. I got what I came for and the final few weeks were pretty much a boozy bliss. Within a week of being at home, I’d landed an internship in London. I was in the place I wanted to be, and everything was great, but only for a while. Things started to fall apart and here I am now.  It feels like I’m sinking under water, the deeper I get the more the pressure starts to crush me. Luckily, I’m surrounded by people who will always be there to help me resurface, but it hurts that the hand I want, the hand I need, is no longer there to pull me out. But that’s life, stuff happens, and you have to learn to be your own lifeboat.  Every day I feel the pressures – a pressure to be strong, be impressive, be successful, find a job, become financially independent, love myself, look after myself, not to care, to care too much, get over it, move on, feel the anger, hate and sadness, put on a brave face but also to allow myself to feel, to cry, to know that not every day I will be ok. And that’s ok. My friends reassure me that I’m doing well, I’m being strong and that’s all I need.

It’s the small things that are important to consider when feeling: sad, tired, worthless, pointless, hurt. I remain positive in the hope that these feelings will fade over time.  There are days when I do feel great. I’ve got my ‘Independent Woman’ playlist on for the 1000th time, and it bangs. I’ve crushed an insanely sweaty spin class, similar to the one in Bridget Jones’ Baby – if you don’t know what I’m referring to then grow up - how have you not watched it a million times already!? There are moments of feeling empowered that I revel in.

The message I’m trying to convey is that you’re allowed to feel like utter crap. Whether it’s about love, heartbreak, stress, university, your job, your friends, your flat, anything – don’t hide from your feelings, all it does is eat you alive. Allow yourself to be upset but allow yourself to feel good about the things you enjoy and love – things that bring you happiness. Don’t abandon them. Let your friends and family see and accept your demons, no matter how painful it may be. I’m glad to know mine will always be there for me with handfuls of loo roll when I tell them I’m ok, only to have an emotional breakdown. But I know that over time I’ll be ok. If you feel anything like me, know that time is always on our side and it’ll get better.

You can find advice on looking after your wellbeing here. 

Hi, I’m Siena. I’ve recently graduated from University and wanted to share how it can be a really tough time and can really affect mental health.

Migraines, Study, and My Mental Health

Ehsana shares her experience of migraines, study, and mental health with some tips and advice to get through for those who are facing similar problems. 

- Ehsana Tazrian

Migraine is a real issue that many people can fail to understand these days. It is an extreme throbbing pain on one side of your head that can cause nausea as well as vomiting. In my experience, people can confuse migraines with normal headaches which might go away after you take some rest and some medication, whereas if you are suffering from a migraine, even the light becomes an enemy. The sound of people talking pierces your ears, and all you want to do is crawl up into your bed in the dark for hours … but still don’t feel any better. I have experienced migraines for three years, and although initially different doctors explained it as the consequence of either sight problems, sleep deprivation or excessive screen-time, the solutions they prescribed made no difference.

Experiencing frequent unexplained migraines had a significant impact on both my studies and my mental health. I couldn’t study for too long or even look at the screen more than an hour; my head felt like bursting and at times I used to blackout. I could never take too much stress or else I would end up with a migraine, but having migraines increased my stress about my studies; it became a vicious cycle and both my studies and my mental health suffered. It was getting worse day by day and at one point I struggled with migraines for four days straight, causing me not to eat or sleep. I ended up crawling into my bed under my blanket and cried. Often though, I felt that everybody dismissed my suffering. I felt hopeless and alone with my pain where I couldn’t even expect people to understand what I was going through. I could not tell them people how I was feeling, nor I could bear the throbbing headache which made me blackout. I stayed silent and suffered and eventually I learned how to deal with it without screaming my lungs out. 

This all had an impact on my mental health and wellbeing because it impacted on my self-confidence about my studies. It also put a distressing strain on my relationships with friends and family who I felt did not understand, and who I sometimes was unable to be around when my migraines were really bad. Being in unbearable pain a lot of the time and unable to eat or sleep was really draining, and effected my energy levels and my mood; I felt drained and exhausted a lot of the time and unable to enjoy things which I normally would. Eventually I visited a doctor and found that my experiences were the symptoms of migraines. The doctor didn’t prescribe me many medicines. She told me to get at least 8 hours of sleep and I rest my eyes every half an hour while using a screen. Soon it got better, and whilst I don’t get migraines as frequently as before, it still haunts me sometimes.

So for the people who are suffering from migraines and the effects this may have on your study and/or mental health; I know how it feels and it can seem like a living nightmare, which is why I would like to give you some tips and advice for how to get through this. From my experience, I would recommend trying to get proper sleep even if it means, at times, sacrificing your social life. Staying hydrated is also a very important tool to stay healthy. Spending more time with nature and getting involved in sport activities is a good way of preventing the stress which can eventually cause the migraine to occur. Try to be as stress free as possible; even though university students like me have a lot of workload and assignments that makes it hard to get time for themselves, but taking some recovery time is going to help with stress and could help reduce migraine.

You can find more information and advice on looking after your wellbeing here 

I am a first-year student who has been diagnosed with migraine and made it through recovering from it. This story is worth sharing because there are people who are like me who are going through a lot of challenges because of this condition. I would like to move forward to make awareness and help them in any way possible.

But what if...? Advice to Manage Anxieties About Your Year Abroad

Hannah shares four tips for managing anxieties about, and making the most of, your year studying abroad.

- Hannah

The idea of studying abroad filled my head with all of the worst-case possible scenarios; I struggled and continually questioned whether the whole year would be a disaster. Everyone I had spoken to said that their year abroad was the best in their lives but all I could think was ‘but what if…?’. These ‘What if’s’ nearly caused me to miss out on my fantastic year in the Netherlands, so today I want to share some of the anxieties that I experienced and how I looked after my wellbeing to hopefully reassure you on your decision too. 

But what if I miss home?

My main worry when applying for my study abroad year was that I was going to miss my family – this isn’t a bad thing, this is amazing. Missing home shows how you must have a great support system and people around you that you are going to miss. I’m not going to lie; I did miss my family. Still, it made me appreciate them a lot, plus I had so many visitors whilst in the Netherlands that it made it so much easier. 

But what if I don’t make any friends? 

Are you a scary man-eating monster? No! I assure you that you can and you will make friends. It might seem terrifying at first, but all you have to do is say hello, and if people shut you down, don’t worry as there are plenty more people out there to meet. Join societies and clubs in and outside of the university. All exchange students are in the same position as you, even if they don’t show it. If you go on socials that take you off-campus, I highly recommend that you Stick With Your Mates to ensure you keep yourself safe when experiencing a new country.

But a year is so long. What if people forget about me? 

A year seems like a long time. This year is a small segment out of your whole life, and it will be worth every moment. It’s surprising how fast time flies when you’re experiencing a new culture. Plus, its rarely ever a whole year - more like ten months. Don’t be worried about people forgetting you, worry about people being jealous of your fantastic experience! I’d highly recommend you share and document your time away; the Travel Aware Instagram is a great place to get inspiration for your posts. Plus, if you ever feel sad, you can look at all of the amazing memories you’ve made and see how far you’ve come.

But what if I can’t get access to my medication? 

One thing you can’t be too relaxed about is if you take medicine because different laws and customs vary all over the world. Travel Aware keep up to date with 225 countries’ laws and customs. They can also send you email updates if anything changes. Easy! On the same note, don’t forget your insurance and vaccinations. 

I hope I have helped to debunk a couple of your worries. A year abroad is a scary prospect even for those who do not usually struggle with their mental health, and you’re doing the right thing by researching before you apply. From my experience, I would encourage you to think carefully how you could manage any risks or worries, and have a fantastic time away.

You can find advice about looking after your wellbeing while studying on a year abroad here. 

Hi! My name is Hannah and I am a Drama student at The University of Exeter. I'm obsessed with all things travel-related. I love exploring new places and experiencing the culture.  I’m also living my life with an old pal, anxiety - you may have heard of it? I know many of us are familiar with it, and sharing my experience of anxiety is very important to me. I also share my highs and lows of travel on my Instagram

My Channel Splasher Fundraising Challenge

Barry shares why he took on the incredible challenge of swimming across the English Channel to raise money for Student Minds

- Barry

On the 5th July, 2019 at 12:24 I climbed up a slipway at Cap Griz Nez in France and fulfilled a long-standing dream to successfully swim across the famous English Channel. It took me 11hrs 52min. After 8 months of hard training both in the pool and in open water, I knew I was ready and was relieved to start from Abbots Cliff at 00:32 where I jumped into the sea under the cover of darkness and undertook one of my greatest swimming challenges to date. I was surprisingly calm and focussed. I knew I was well prepared not only from a training perspective but I had 5 crew members with me and a great pilot whom I knew would do everything they could to help me succeed in my goal and look after me. My crew consisted of my wife Marian, my son Kevin, my brother Pat, and two good friends – Jim and Neil. My pilot was Paul Foreman.

At the start of this journey, I decided that I would like to raise funds for charity. There are so many that do such great work, it was hard to choose. After thinking about it for a while, I decided on two charities – Student Minds in the UK and Jigsaw in Ireland. I choose these as I work with a number of companies who work closely with students and I have attended a number of events where Student Minds talked about the challenges many students face with their mental health - especially students who have come to study in the UK from abroad. I also have university going children myself and my wife works in a university and is acutely aware of the challenges in this area. 

Having selected these charities was a great motivation for me to complete this huge challenge. I wanted to get there as I knew I could raise even more funds having being successful. My crew were fully briefed to remind me of why I was doing this in case I wanted to get out. Luckily it never happened and I was delighted to know that my swim and the money I had raised could make some small difference for students experiencing mental health problems today. I set myself a target to raise €10,000 which I am delighted to report was achieved.   

Many people have asked me what I thought about during the swim. A lot of the time was spent thinking about my stroke rate, how I was physically feeling, trying to conserve as much energy as possible and keeping a close eye on my support boat. I did have time to think about other things like my family, my friends and the huge support I received in preparing for this adventure, too. 

There were many challenges during the swim which I was prepared for. The cold was one. Luckily I had done a lot of open water preparation and it was bearable.  The jellyfish were a different story as I was unlucky enough to endure a lot of stings over the course of an hour. It sort of freaked me out when it started, but after an hour or so, the jelly fish disappeared and I had got through the separation zone and France was in sight… I knew then that I had a chance.

After what seemed an age, I saw that there was a lot of activity on the boat. Finally  I heard the words that every channel swimmer wants to hear – This is your last feed !! This meant that I was within 1km of shore and would hit land soon. Unfortunately, the tide turned within minutes and while I was swimming strong, I was not making progress. 

Luckily my Pilot, Paul Foreman, knew what to do and instructed to swim around the headland that I was heading for and eventually after nearly an hour I broke the tide and finally landed on a small slipway in France. What I didn’t realise was at the top of the slipway was a small restaurant who have a tradition of tracking channel swimmers as they approach land. If one of them lands on the slipway, all the diners and owner of the restaurant come out to congratulate the swimmer, get photos and drink champagne. While it was one of the most incredible experiences I have had, I can confirm that the last thing a channel swimmer needs after climbing out of the water is CHAMPAGNE !! That said I did drink it and we all had a wonderful time. I then said goodbye to my new friends and swam back to the boat and headed back to Dover.

I am proud to say that I have now swam the English Channel and have fulfilled a dream. 

Click here to find out more about fundraising for Student Minds 

I am the Founder & CEO of an Irish software company called TCAS Online ( see www.tcasonline.com ) which has developed a property management platform to help owner/operators manage their Purpose Built Student Housing buildings.

How Do Gender Norms Impact on Men's Mental Health?

For International Men's Day, Michael shares his experiences of how gender norms can impact on men's mental health help-seeking behaviours, experiences, and literacy. 

- Michael Priestley

In thinking about how gender norms impact on men's mental health, it is important to acknowledge that men, like women, are a diverse group and that multiple factors will shape this relationship- such as class, race, and sexuality. I write therefore from my own mental health experiences as a man, and cannot speak for all men.

I understand gender roles as both learned and performed; I act as a man in different ways in different contexts as shaped by the different models of masculinity that I see around me. I see one particularly dominant model of masculinity as follows. Men, as opposed to women: 1) Don't talk about or show emotions; 2) Are brave and physically strong; 3) Have sex with women and 4) Drink beer. Stick to these simple rules society tells us, and we'll all be fine. But will we? Research shows men to be at an increased risk of certain mental health difficulties and death by suicide, and are significantly less likely than women to seek help for their mental health from professionals, friends, or family. In this context, and drawing on my own experiences, I suggest that these dominant gender norms may impact on men's mental health in three main ways:

1) Gender Norms Can Impact on Men's Help-Seeking:
Clearly, if men don't talk about or show emotions and if men are brave and strong, this can make it hard as a man to openly acknowledge and admit that you are struggling with your mental health and ask for help.

2) Gender Norms Can Impact on Men's Emotional Experiences:
As a man, in trying not to show difficult emotions such as sadness, embarrassment, or fear, you can end up trying not to feel these emotions which, in turn, can change the way that you understand, articulate, and experience them. For me, instead of experiencing feelings of sadness or anxiety as something that could be related to my mental health, for which I should probably get help, at the time, I experienced these feelings only as confusion, frustration, or anger with the events or people in my life. Not only this, but by repressing and avoiding how I was actually feeling, these feelings built up to a boiling point and I ended up expressing them in ways that were destructive, both for myself and for others around me.

3) Gender Norms Impact on Men's Mental Health Literacy 
If men don't talk about or show emotions, it can become difficult for men to develop a language in which to express or understand difficult emotions. The problem then is that when men do feel them, they can feel ill-prepared and under-equipped to understand and share these with others, forcing many men into silence and isolation to deal with problems alone.

The point is that, from my experience, not only do gender norms create conditions where it is hard for men to speak up and ask for help for their mental health, they also condition men's emotional experiences and language in ways that, in the long term, can have a negative impact on mental health. In isolation, simply telling men to talk more (whilst obviously very important!), can be an oversimplification of the complex social processes that influence the way that men understand and experience emotion. As a society, we need to develop other models of masculinity, but in the meantime, we also need a new language for recognising, understanding, and responding to men's distinctive mental health experiences as situated within, and mediated by, social gender norms.

These ideas were initially shared as part of an International Men's Day panel discussion organised by Changing Relations; an arts-based education and training company that challenges thinking around gender norms, gender equality, and healthy relationships. 

To find out the work that Student Minds are doing to improve male students' mental health, please see here. 

I'm Michael and I'm the editor of the Student Minds Blog. I'm a PhD student at Durham University studying student mental health and wellbeing. I write for Student Minds to share my own experiences of mental health difficulties, and tackle the stigma around mental health. 

Migraine Associated Vertigo and Attending University

Robbie shares the experience of living with a balance disorder

- Robbie Millross

Balance isn’t something that most people consider when they wake up. It’s something we just expect our body to grant us. Moving objects and vertigo: they’re symptoms of hangovers or flu…aren’t they? Certainly not signs of long-term illness! At 18, I felt pretty untouchable. I enjoyed football, socialising, girlfriends: the usual experiences of someone my age. 

One day I went for lunch at work when I suddenly felt unwell. A weakness, dizziness and spaced-out feeling. Walking down the street, I felt like I had leaned too far back on a chair and was about to fall. I put my hands out and grabbed the nearest thing – a bus stop. I sat down and composed myself. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I sat there wondering what had just happened. After calming down, I returned to work and thought no more of it. But, as the months went on, I gradually found it difficult to stand for long periods. I wasn’t feeling well. Everyday felt like I was hungover. I was avoiding people and situations. Even my friends. I went to the GP several times and kept being misdiagnosed: I wasn’t getting better, I was feeling worse. Customers, colleagues, family and friends now commented on my declining personal appearance. I started to fear that something was seriously wrong, and I started experiencing panic and anxiety attacks for the first time. It became impossible to work my shifts…eventually, I lost my job.

Around 15 months after this first episode, I discovered a specialist while watching Embarrassing Bodies. I went to see him in London. He diagnosed me with Migraine Associated Vertigo: a vestibular disorder affecting the brain. He prescribed medication, therapy and head exercises, and I was signed off work. At last I had a diagnosis. I was nearly 20, unable to function and isolated from who I used to be. When I was 21, 3 years after my first vertigo attack, I returned to work. I felt healthier than I had for a long time. Not symptom free, but functioning. Still doing head exercises, and on medication, but rebuilding my life. I also knew I wanted to be a paramedic.

I decided to move to Newcastle alone and do a Higher Education Pathway at college so I could study paramedic science. It was a huge step. I was healthy enough to move across the country. Support myself through work. Educate myself. By now, my mental health had also improved. I completed 18 months in Newcastle, I even travelled to America with my family. I was also offered a place on Bristol’s paramedic course. Now, at 25, I had nearly stopped my medication as per my specialist’s instructions. My recovery, after 7 years, was nearly completed. 

Before moving to Bristol for university, I noticed I was feeling dizzy again. A few experiences here and there. I ignored them. I felt anxious, but I considered it normal given my current situation. I moved to Bristol and couldn’t focus. I had anxiety worse than ever. My balance issues were back. In truth, they  returned slowly in the months leading up to Bristol, but I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. I  phoned friends and family numerous times in the 2 days I had been in Bristol, seeking reassurance. After hours in my room planning how I would cope going out with my housemates, I finally managed. I drunk a fair amount and the next day I could hardly stand. I was scared. I knew what it meant. I returned to London that evening and withdrew from my course the next day. My dream of being a paramedic lasted 3 dizzy days. 

Back in London, I saw my specialist. I was put back on medication and head exercises and advised that doing a course as ‘strenuous’ as paramedic science wasn’t realistic for someone with my condition. I moved back home with my family, worked a quiet night job and restarted recovery. I soon decided that I still wanted to pursue higher education, this time in politics. In 2019, now 27, I received and accepted an offer at the University of Hull to study PPE. I still take medication, do head exercises and experience anxiety which is too regular for me to be comfortable or happy. My specialist and I are still aiming to reduce symptoms again and hopefully my full recovery will eventually happen.

I started my course in September and have lasted more than 3 days. University is a great environment for many reasons, but it’s also a pressured environment: pressure to be social, pressure to be healthy enough to attend lectures and achieve your potential, etc.  Being ill throughout most your 20s is extremely challenging and disheartening. Everyday there’s a barrier of some sort. When mental health difficulties are also involved, the challenge becomes even greater. Often, we look at the person next to us and think: 'Why aren’t I like them?' 

Men definitely don’t talk about mental health enough. Men don’t talk about health enough. Actually people in general don’t talk about their health enough. If you've had similar experiences or are feeling isolated and alone at university , there are ways to seek help. Either through the variety of university support, or through your local GP or Helplines. Things can always be improved. One thing I’ve learned: Never assume you know what people are going through in their lives.

Find out more about support for your mental health on the Student Minds website. 

I'm a 27-year-old student at the University of Hull. I have been diagnosed with MAV (Migraine Associated Vertigo) since my late teens and want to share my experiences of attending university with this diagnosis. This diagnosis has also led to experiences of panic attacks and anxiety. Here is a link to my Twitter.

Suffering from Post-Graduation Depression? You're Not on Your Own

Scarlett shares her experience of post-graduation depression and reminds graduates that whatever they are feeling, they are not on their own.

-Scarlett 

Just graduated? Feeling lost? No idea what you’re going to do with your life? YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Post-graduation depression is a topic that is under-researched and is not often discussed. And if you’re like me, you may only hear about the term if you suddenly find yourself suffering from it.

See, I’ve recently graduated from Staffordshire University in July with a first-class degree in Sociology, which as you can imagine, was the best feeling ever. Graduation day was everything I’d hoped for and more: a day full of celebrations with family and friends, drinking Prosecco, eating great food, and being proud of all the hard work I had put into my degree.

As I contemplated these possibilities, my mental health decreased significantly, and I realized I was suffering from post-graduation depression. I also realized that it’s more common than I thought. Many graduates who suffer from this are often faced with stressors like moving back to their hometown, giving up their independence, and missing the friends they had lived with for three or more years. But in my case- commuting from home to my local university-my post-graduation depression stemmed from different factors like fear of the unknown, not having a set plan in place, and not knowing where life was going to take me. I felt like I had worked so hard for my degree, and for what? There was no job out there waiting for me, no one to guide me through this process and honestly, I just felt completely lost.

And if I’m being honest, I didn’t feel ready for full-time work after I graduated. I wasn’t ready to commit to the 9-5 life and become a ‘real adult’ and I felt ashamed because of this. To try and feel like I was doing something more productive, I decided to pursue postgraduate study, which is something I’d thought about doing during the last year of my degree. Although I was initially encouraged by my supervisor to jump straight into a PhD, I just wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. I loved conducting research during my undergraduate degree, so I figured my best middle-of-the-road option would be to undertake a Masters degree in Social Science Research Methods, and I’m currently really enjoying it!

After I’d graduated, my boyfriend and I went on a 3-week Californian road-trip, which has been a dream of mine since I can remember. Life was GOOD. But then a few weeks passed by, and I started to find myself hurtling towards panic-mode. Unanswerable questions were floating around my mind. What comes next? What career do I want to go into? Will I be successful? Was my degree worth it? 

Even the open-ended nature of my degree scared me, because on the one hand, Sociology is great! It’s such a broad subject which can open doors to so many different career paths. But by the same token, the freedom of multiple different choices, each of which would lead my life in a different direction, made it so hard to narrow down what I really wanted to do. 

I’m glad I made the decision to continue my studies as it means I get to carry on with what I enjoyed doing, and I get to conduct further research into the topic of student well-being, which I’m extremely passionate about. I don’t think I’ve fully recovered from my post-graduation depression just yet though. Despite enjoying my Masters degree, I’m still panicking about what’s going to come next. I can’t help but feel a pressure clock counting down in the back of my mind which is reminding me that I only have a year left to decide what I’m going to make a go at. So, while I don’t have it all figured out yet, and being in your twenties is hard, if I’ve learnt anything through this process, it’s that you are not alone. 

I still don’t know what I want to do career-wise, but that’s okay, because- despite the societal pressure to know exactly what you want to do early on-  it’s extremely rare for someone to discover their dream job in their twenties. In fact, many people go through numerous different jobs before they find the one that’s right for them. Social media doesn’t help us either, because we’re constantly exposed to a feed of our friends living their ‘best lives’ and it seems as if everyone has their lives figured out, but trust me, that is not the case. A big part of my depression came from me comparing myself to others, and I’ve now learnt that this can be extremely toxic for my well-being. I have learnt that everyone is on their own individual path; some people my age are married with kids, some live in their own houses, some live with their parents. Some have been working for years, some are still in education, some are working in supermarkets, some are working for big businesses, some are travelling around the world and some are partying in Ibiza – and whatever it is that you’re doing with yourself, it’s OKAY.

You can find some advice about looking after your mental health during the transition from uni 
to grad life here! 

Hi! My name is Scarlett. I'm a 21-year-old who has just graduated with no idea what I want to do with my life! But that's okay. I'm sharing my story to remind graduates that feeling lost after graduation isn't uncommon, there are many others who feel the same way as you and it's okay to not be okay.

Coping with Borderline Personality Disorder at University

Charlotte shares her experience of struggling with mental health at university and the support that she has found useful. This blog is for both those who suffer with Borderline Personality Disorder and those who may wish to support someone with it or understand it further.

- Charlotte

Experiencing university, and the new relationships it brings, with Borderline Personality Disorder, has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding times in my life so far. I have had some of the best and worst experiences here and learnt not only how extreme the struggles of mental health can be but how much support is available in a university setting. Despite my previous diagnosis of depression and an eating disorder, I wasn't officially diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder until just before my third year. However, the disorder has been affecting me for my whole life, particularly since I started university. 

Borderline Personality Disorder (now frequently referred to as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder) is an emotional regulatory disorder which impacts hugely on personal relationships, individual behaviour and, of course, on mood. It has nine symptoms; however, a person only needs to experience five of the nine to meet the criteria for diagnosis. Due to this, no two people with Borderline Personality Disorder are the same, and I can only speak from my own perspective. I personally experience all nine of the symptoms, however, some are far more problematic and prevalent for me than others. For me, my biggest issues are unstable personal relationships, mood swings and impulsive behaviour. 

In this blog post, I will be focusing on personal relationships. Because of the way that my mind works, I find it extremely easy to become attached to people. I meet certain individuals who I put on a pedestal and become fascinated with. My relationship with them becomes integral to my mood; when things are good with that person everything feels wonderful but if anything happens that I perceive as rejection, my world comes crashing down. This is very difficult at university when you are meeting a lot of new people in a brand-new environment. 

Naturally everyone is looking to make new friends and form new connections, however, the way I form connections is very spontaneous and I can be quite intense. I try to hide this from people but there comes a point where that no longer feels possible. The downside of this is that occasionally I have found it has caused me to lose friendships or put huge amounts of pressure on romantic partners. The fallout of the first attachment I formed at uni was difficult to process and resulted in me taking actions in an attempt to end my life. That was when I realised something had to change. 

My first port of call was my supervisor who was extraordinarily helpful. She expressed her regret at what had happened but also took practical steps to support me with accessing the help I needed, by giving me the option to take time off from university and providing me with contact details for the support team. In the end, I decided to use both options, a short break from my studies assisted me in clearing my head and getting some removal from the situation, and I have returned to the university support services several times throughout my three years. The university counselling offers emergency and booked appointments so is useful in providing consistent support or something more last minute and flexible. 

Without such services and support, I would have struggled to get this far in my degree, and I would strongly encourage anyone who is struggling to take advantage of all support that is available to them. Upon graduating, you may find that accessing support with such short wait times is more difficult than it was at university, so take the first steps to getting help as soon as you can. In such a challenging time which brings a lot of change and pressure, you deserve to be supported.

If you're looking for support, or want to support somebody else, you can find more information here.
More tips on accessing support at University can be found here.

I'm Charlotte and I'm a twenty-four-year-old Theatre student, originally from London. I was first diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder this year however I have been living with it for as long as I can remember. I want to be open about my experiences in the hope that people can either relate to them or learn from them. University is a challenging time, made even more difficult by mental illness but there are ways to make things a little bit easier for yourself.

Solo Travel and Anxiety

Shannon shares some tips for managing anxiety and maintaining wellbeing when travelling alone.

- Shannon

I have always loved the idea of travelling the world on my own in between or after my studies. But it can be anxiety-inducing, especially if you experience mental health difficulties. It is easy to be put off by worried family members and/or your own anxieties. To calm these anxieties, I decided to learn more about maintaining wellbeing when travelling alone – after all it can’t be that scary, can it?

After some research and discussions with my friends that have travelled on their own, been through gap years, and achieved great results from their year abroad – I compiled the following list of things that I think could help manage anxiety and benefit your wellbeing whilst travelling alone.

Hostel, hostel, hostel

When you’re travelling alone it’s easy to stay in your own little bubble and not put yourself out there. To overcome this a hostel or other shared accommodation is your best bet. The likelihood is that other people in these places are in the same boat as you. Once you have got over the first hurdle of talking to a stranger, it becomes a lot easier... Plus, you get to share and hear some amazing travel stories, which is a bonus. A hostel doesn’t necessarily mean you have to share a room, often you can pay a bit extra for a single room if you’d prefer a bit of privacy, however, the bonus is that they almost always have social areas with Wi-Fi, where they host events, and this can be a great way to break the ice.

Know your location

Knowing your location can make or break your travel experience and will help ease any anxiety your family might have of you going abroad on your own. Whether you are just passing through or you plan to spend the whole year in your chosen location it is important to keep up-to-date with the goings-on in that area. This includes any newly passed laws and any important announcements before you travel. The best way to do this is by visiting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website and looking up your destination. Plus, don’t forget to share your itinerary with your family and friends before or during your travels. Having a plan of action and clear route if you’re travelling around massively eases anxiety too.

Get involved

This might sound silly (and a little scary) - but get involved with community events and the culture around you. The local communities are more often than not happy to teach you about their culture, and that will help you settle into the area quicker, and you’ll feel less like ‘an outsider’. For example, see if there are one or two group activities or clubs you can get yourself involved with during your time abroad which will help you meet new people and give you something structured to do in your spare time. 

Keep a Journal

Travelling can be the best time of your life where you can make great memories and journaling is not just a good way to look back and reminisce but it is a very good way to express your feelings about your experience. If you have previously written in your journal it is good to read back and see what you have already overcome. Journaling can be a great way to help with mental health and wellbeing too. You can use a paper journal that you keep while you are abroad or you could use Instagram or start up a blog online - this is also a good way to keep friends and family up-to-date with how you are doing!

Plan your trips in advance

Finally, book your trip with lots of time to prepare, I always give myself plenty of time to get to know the area I am going to and what I will need. This gives you lots of time to get any essentials, vaccinations for that area, insurance etc.

So, with plenty of planning (and a little bit of courage) solo travel really can be life-changing. If you can navigate the world on your own, you really can conquer anything!

Student Minds has more tips and tools for looking after your wellbeing on this Resources page. 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offers a handy checklist for anyone who wants to travel abroad with a mental health condition. 

Hey, I’m Shannon and I’m 21 - currently in my third year, studying multimedia journalism at Bournemouth. I love to write about international and current affairs – and all things travel! Travelling has always been something that inspired me, from one trip to another. I know travelling (especially solo travel) can be difficult for anyone, especially that that suffer with anxiety - but this shouldn’t have to be a barrier.

Revealing my self-harm scars

Kristina discusses her experience with self-harm scars.

- Kristina W. 

When I came to university, like most people, my entire friendship circle changed. Just like that, I had a new crop of people to explain my self-harm scars to. My flatmates, the people on my course, new friends, even professors. Unless I was going to studiously wear long sleeves, no matter the weather; they were going to see my scars. With the seeing, would most likely come questions.

The anxiety over the appearance of self-harm scars is a strong deterrent when it comes to trying new things, dressing for the weather and getting close to people. There are generally a few choices when it comes to scars:

• Cover with makeup (time-consuming and potentially messy)
• Tattoo over them to disguise them (expensive, might not be possible depending on the extent of the scarring)
• Topical treatments (which may or may not work)
• Laser treatment and surgery (expensive and may end up causing more scars)
• Accepting them (which is what I am trying to do)
  

I used clothes to cover mine day-to-day. Part of me was afraid of the conversations that would happen when people found out that I had scars. Another part of me feared the judgments that people would make about me because I had them.

I was able to keep them hidden while the weather was cold, but as it warmed up, the sweaters came off. Prepared to give my canned response to why I have the scars, I ventured forth. The responses I got, on the whole, surprised me.

Turned out, the people who cared about me were more concerned that whatever caused the scars weren’t a problem anymore and that I wasn’t in any danger of relapsing. I was lucky enough to not have had any overtly negative reactions to my scars. Although not everyone is that lucky, nobody is undeserving of happiness, friends, and relationships because they have scars.

Nobody should feel like they have to reveal their scars to anyone if they don’t want to. Some people actively conceal their scars and some don’t. There is no right way to go about it. Shame around having scars can negatively affect body image and self-esteem which can put the person with scars in a worse place. There are so many things that try and hold us back, but self-harm scars don’t need to be another one.
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties similar to these, more information and support can be found here. More information about self -harm can be found here.

Kristina W. spent a year as an international student at the University of Glasgow. Her experience changed the way she looked at her mental health for the better. She blogs about her student experience, money and career at saynotobrokeness.com.

What to do when you notice someone’s self harm scars

Kristina shares her advice on what to do if you notice a stranger's self-harm scars.

- Kristina W. 

Nothing.

Seriously. Don’t do anything. 

It’s hard to relate to why a person would injure themselves if you have never been in that position and the urge to ask them about it must be both strong and well-intentioned. 

However, to the people who notice self-harm scars on others (old, already healed scars - not fresh wounds) and feel the urge to say something, it’s a good idea to not bring them up. Chances are, they might not want to talk about them, especially if you are strangers. If you’re new at university and surrounded by strangers, your mental health struggles are not the best ice breaker. I know that I didn’t want to discuss them. Certainly not until we were better acquainted.

If someone close to you is self-harming and you want to help them, do take the steps to do so. There are several resources available for tackling self-harm. However, expressing concern to a stranger about their self-harm is another matter entirely.

Here’s why:

1. The reasons for self-harm are painful and the person bearing the scars may not necessarily want to rehash them with a curious bystander.
2. If their scars are visible, there is a chance that they overcame the enormous urge to cover them up. Or, it might be warm outside and they are dressing for the weather the same as everyone else. Whatever the reason, their scars are not an invitation to ask what happened.
3. It’s kind of rude. Especially in the case of someone you don’t particularly know, it’s incredibly invasive to ask about self-harm scars. It’s basically asking someone to reveal their mental health struggles to you when you barely know them. Would you be up for that?
4. You probably won't be satisfied with whatever answer they give you to why they did it. Since it’s a pretty grim kind of question to get, the answers you can look forward to can range from dismissive to passive-aggressive. Trust me when I say a lot of people with scars just don’t want to get into it. 

It differs from person to person but many people with scars don’t want them to be ‘a thing’. If you don’t know them, don’t make it a thing. 

If you’re concerned about the wellbeing of a friend or stranger and feel there are at risk of harm, they is a sensitive way of going about this. Gently enquire how they are, without directly asking about their scars and if they choose to disclose to you, you can offer them emotional support and signpost them to professional support.

If you or someone you know has been affecting by similar difficulties, you can find information and support here. Some information on supporting a friend can be found here.

Kristina W. spent a year as an international student at the University of Glasgow. Her experience changed the way she looked at her mental health for the better. She blogs about her student experience, money and career at saynotobrokeness.com.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – beginning to prepare for winter

Emily shares her experience with Seasonal Affective Disorder whilst encouraging others they are not alone.

- Emily Maybanks

For many people, the idea of autumn and winter brings with it cosy nights in, warming up with hot chocolate, the fun of Halloween, Bonfire Night and anticipation for Christmas. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, it is important to realise that there are many people who suffer with winter depression or, as its medically termed, ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ (SAD). For those who may not be familiar with SAD, it is a type of depression that you experience during particular seasons or times of year. It is commonly known as ‘winter depression’ as most people who are affected seem to suffer during this time, however many also suffer from SAD during the summer months too. 

My experiences of SAD began before I started university and was triggered by a traumatic event. Every year, I try to find more ways to manage it or make it easier for me to deal with, however it isn’t always easy. Some of the symptoms which hit me particularly hard each winter are a distinct lack of energy (not helped by the fact I also suffer from hypothyroidism), a difficulty concentrating or focusing on things, sleep problems (I find that I oversleep in the winter) as well as feeling tearful, low and hopeless. 

I have, however, found certain things that have personally helped me to cope with SAD. I try to take time out for myself each week to do something I love and something that relaxes me. For the most part writing helps me to express myself and manage my depression and anxiety. I also find it helps to get out for a walk during the day, even if it’s just a short walk. At university, I liked to walk along the beach while I was studying in Swansea. Since returning home after graduating, I have found that joining karate and a fitness class has really helped. I also try to maintain a healthy diet because when winter hits I find it very tempting to overeat or eat unhealthily. 

Sometimes those who suffer with SAD might feel as though they are on their own, which is understandable. However, sharing your experiences can help you to feel less alone and find people who can empathise and support you. 

My name is Emily (Em). In 2018, I graduated from Swansea University with my BA degree in Modern Languages, Translation & Interpreting; I was also passionate about and dedicated to Swansea Student Media and the University students’ newspaper – Waterfront. I am now an aspiring MFL or English Teacher and aim to undertake a PGCE course next year. I currently volunteer for Hospital Radio in Reading. I blog for Student Minds because I have experienced mental health issues as a student and also now as a graduate, as well as other health issues, and I support friends who also have mental health difficulties. I am a passionate writer and writing has been important in my mental health experiences – both in helping me to explore and to cope with my mental health, as well as sharing my story in order to help others.