NoPanic

Tag: Students

  • Dear University Students

    Daniel Seow, Content Team Editor

    Going to university is one of the most important times of a person’s life. It could be your first time leaving home and becoming independent, or the beginning of a dream career. Some people claim university to have been the ‘best time of their lives’. After all, it’s not everyday you get to move to a fresh environment, get to meet new people and learn more about yourself in the process. The university journey itself, however, can be a daunting prospect to some. 

    According to a 2022 survey on students from the mental health charity Student Minds, 57% of respondents self-reported mental health issues, with 27% disclosing that they had a diagnosed mental health condition. During their educational journey, students may encounter stress, anxiety and/or other associated mental health issues. This can be due to a wide range of factors, from financial difficulties, heavy workload, or simply missing home. Although mental health issues may seem to come hand-in-hand with the rigours of studying and university life, not all students will suffer from these issues. I was, however, one of those burdened by anxiety and stress in my early days.

    When first starting at university, one of my biggest fears as someone who didn’t socialise much was being unable to make friends and find a group to be a part of. Anxiety seeped into my life at university, adding stress to my degree workload and leading me to worry repeatedly about my undecided future. This took its toll on my motivation to do anything productive, exacerbating the issues further. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic ended up being a blessing in disguise for my mental health, allowing me to step back from university to look at my situation with fresh eyes, as well as properly establish a strong support network for the rest of my degree.

    With the help of friends and family after lockdown, I reevaluated my goals and motivations and set about making sure that I didn’t regret any of my choices. The second half of my degree ended up being the most enjoyable and productive part of my time at university, with my academic stress managed by a combination of my support network and being able to try out new activities.

    The most important part in my journey of managing anxiety in university was being able to notice when I was burning out or building up stress, acknowledge it, and then do something about it. I found that the first step of noticing the problem was always the hardest – it took me an entire change in perspective during a global pandemic after all! However, once the problem was dragged into the open, I could finally find different solutions to it: spending time with family and friends, joining a sports team or playing gigs with friends. I gave myself control over what I did, rather than being dictated by stress and worry.

    My experience is only one of many – different solutions work for different people after all. However, if I were to go back to 4 years ago to my former self, I would tell myself these 3 things:

    Always be open, especially to new people, activities, and change. Opportunities will always come in a new environment, and you can choose to take them or leave them. These choices will often open up new doors and paths you may not have considered.

    Prioritise work-life balance and understand when it is the right time to work or to take a break. My initial focus on academic work unfortunately meant my mental health fell to the wayside, leading to a buildup of stress and anxiety. Figuring out my work-life balance was greatly beneficial not only to my mental state, but my academics as well.

    Establish your support network and never be afraid to reach out for help. I was extremely lucky to have friends and family supporting me over the course of the pandemic, as well as my tutor and members of the careers team at my university. There are also other university services and charities available for further support.

    University may seem like an exciting new horizon, an unknown journey that you have no control over. However, I believe that having the knowledge to manage stress and anxiety will allow you be able to manage your mental health and make the most of your invaluable time at university.

  • Raising Awareness of Anxiety in Universities

    Wayne Senior, Content Team Supervisor and Growth Officer

    At this time of year, new students leave their parents for parts of the country they have never visited, as they begin a new adventure at university. This year, No Panic is joining some of them, and for us too, it will be a new adventure.

    Anxiety affects students who are starting university, and students who are further along their university journey. No Panic wants to help. For us to be able to help anxious students, they need to know we exist, and be aware of the support we offer.

    We are a small national charity. The vast majority of our volunteers volunteer on the helpline. We only have a couple of paid staff.

    For us to reach more students, we need new volunteers. We need volunteers who are at university, and can therefore raise awareness at university fairs, and deliver talks to health students. We have created a new Student Ambassador role, and we are recruiting now.

    Student Ambassadors will raise awareness of anxiety, helping students who have never experienced anxiety to better understand how it affects people. Raising awareness of anxiety will help students studying for careers which may bring them into contact with anxious members of the public.

    An understanding of anxiety can also help students while they are at university. A common problem people who have anxiety experience, is lack of understanding from friends and loved ones. Students will be able to better support their friends if they have panic attacks.

    Student Ambassadors will not provide support to people who have anxiety. Instead, they will tell students about the support No Panic has to offer. We will provide Student Ambassadors with the information they need, so they can tell students about our helpline, our recovery services, our online Anxiety Support Chat, and even our Single Session Mentoring which is handy if you’re anxious on the day of an exam, anxious because you’re about to go back to university after a holiday or anxious because you’re about to fly abroad for a holiday.

    We don’t expect Student Ambassadors to do all the work at their university themselves. To make the role easier and less stressful, we are recruiting teams of Student Ambassadors. We hope to have 3 or 4 Student Ambassadors in each Student Team. Each university where we are recruiting Student Ambassadors will have a Student Team.

    Just as new students start university every year, other students complete their studies and leave university. Student

    Teams will provide continuity.

    This type of work is new to No Panic, so we are only targeting a few universities in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and the Midlands. However, we hope that over time we can expand this initiative to more universities across the UK, enabling us to reach even more students.

    If you would like to become a Student Ambassador for No Panic, please apply here.

  • How Can Students Tackle Anxiety More Effectively?

    Dylan Thomas, Mindless Mag

    Anxiety in Students

    Anxiety is common for many students and young people. The demands of university can cause anxiety to manifest in many ways, and everyone has different experiences with it. For many, university marks a massive transition in their lives, being the first time many have moved away from home and lived independently. Going from the supportive bubble of sixth form or college to university is hard. It is important to remember however that anxiety is a completely normal response to big life changes like university. What is not normal is when this anxiety stops you living to the fullest and being able to enjoy university.

    According to StudentMinds via an online survey they conducted among students, 64% of students feel the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing. For many, the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing mental health conditions and made it harder than it already is to receive support with them. 7 in every 10 of students have either been diagnosed with a long-term mental health condition, are experiencing a short-term mental health condition, or think they may have an undiagnosed condition. 

    Many different factors can contribute to anxiety and poor mental health, and with recent contentious topics such as the cost-of-living crisis contributing, the problem is clearly widespread among the student population. We need to see more effective action from universities and the government. However, students can do certain things to relieve their anxiety and other mental health issues and prevent further issues from rising.

    What Can Students Be Doing?

    For many students, their first port of call when facing mental health struggles is their university. This is the institution they pay tuition to and expect support from. However, research shows that university counselling services are underfunded and oversubscribed, and for many the waiting list is simply too long. I know from my own experience with my university’s wellbeing team, they have good intentions but the sheer number of students they must assist means they have to prioritise who they offer help to. This means however that students either have to self-fund therapy or look at other aspects of their life to improve their mental health.

    Many of the activities of student life are not conducive or helpful to ensuring good mental health. For many students, drinking and going out is an active part of their culture and a way in which many of us socialise. However, poor sleep habits, unhealthy eating habits, and lack of exercise can all impact mental health, along with substance abuse, including alcohol and drug use. For many students, university is the first time they are exposed to things like drugs and alcohol, and for many the desire to fit in and peer pressure mean they partake in things they wouldn’t usually. Many students then get into a cycle with alcohol or other substances where they find it difficult to escape. However, many universities now offer societies focused on sober socialising, and it is becoming more common for young people to try sobriety.

    One of the most effective ways to tackle anxiety is to practise self-care. This means taking time for yourself to relax and recharge. University is an extreme environment, and it can be stressful and intense. Engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation can help students cope with anxiety and reduce stress levels. Some activities that promote self-care include exercise, meditation, yoga, listening to music, reading, or spending time in nature. For many students, waking up on a Saturday not hungover from the night before and going on a walk in the park can be all the difference they need.

    Another important strategy to tackle anxiety is to try and identify and challenge negative thoughts. Anxiety often stems from irrational or distorted thinking patterns, such as catastrophizing or assuming the worst-case scenario. By questioning these thoughts, students can develop a more realistic and positive outlook and stop jumping to the worst-case scenario. For instance, instead of thinking “I will fail this exam,” students can challenge this thought by reminding themselves of past successes, developing a plan to study more effectively or asking others for help.

    Other Resources

    Other resources can be accessed to try and assist with the anxieties that students feel. NoPanic is a helpline and resource set up to help people who suffer with panic attacks, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and more. They offer monthly support emails for those struggling with their mental health and offer a membership with access to recovery services and a member’s chat for peer support.

    Anxiety and poor mental health are extremely common, and it won’t last forever. Building a support system is crucial for managing anxiety. Talking to friends, family members, or someone from your university can help you feel less isolated and provide you with a different perspective on any problems. It is never weak to ask for help if you need it.