MENTAL HEALTH Awareness Week runs from May 11-17. This year’s theme of ‘Take action’ encourages people to take small actions to support good mental health.
For young people, the transition to university marks a significant life shift, often bringing a “perfect storm” of pressures, including academic rigour, financial strain, and the isolation of moving away from home. Here, the team at training experts High Speed Training aims to highlight how we can take action to support university students and their mental health.
Mental health issues are a widespread problem across all universities and all student bodies. The transition to university is often the first big change students experience and can be challenging to adjust to. In 2023, 1 in 3 students self-reported poor mental well-being during a survey by the mental health charity Student Minds. 1 in 4 students said they would not know where to get mental health support at university.
Dr Richard Anderson, Learning Experience Director at High Speed Training said: “While university is often a rewarding experience, students face pressures that put their mental health at high-risk.
“From the emotional strain of moving away from home and the isolation of making new friends in a new place, to the intense academic pressure of independent study and looming deadlines, the challenges are significant.
“When you add the weight of financial pressure and the social expectation to have ‘the best time of your life,’ it’s clear why so many struggle.
“Recognising these diverse causes is the first step in ensuring every student feels supported through this transition.”
Dr Richard Anderson continued: “With university students likely to face mental health challenges at some point during their studies, we all have a collective responsibility to look out for one another.
“Being able to spot the signs, such as a sudden drop in grades, withdrawal from social groups, or changes in sleep and energy, is vital.
“Whether you are a staff member noticing a student missing lectures or a peer noticing a friend becoming irritable or low, understanding these indicators allows us to step in early and signpost them toward the support they need.”
How to support university students’ mental health:
- Encouraging conversations about mental health: Moving beyond surface-level check-ins to create safe spaces where students feel comfortable opening up.
- Signposting and accessibility: Ensuring that Students’ Unions and faculty staff can effectively direct students to university counselling, welfare teams, and external charities and organisations like UMHAN and Student Minds.
- Flexible academic support: Promoting the use of extensions and mitigating circumstances as vital tools for students managing their mental wellbeing alongside their studies.
Dr Anderson concluded: “Mental health problems can be isolating, damaging and incredibly difficult to deal with. At university, these problems can either begin or escalate.
“Universities have a responsibility to increase awareness and discussions of mental health and ensure students have access to the support and services they need.
“Whether you work at a university, you’re a parent, peer or are a student yourself, you play an important role in supporting the mental health of university students, and there is always a way to take action.”
For more tips and in-depth guidance, visit the High Speed Training Hub, and view their range of mental health training courses.
