Mental health

Depression is a mood disorder characterised by low mood and a range of other possible symptoms, which will vary from person to person.

This illness can develop quickly or gradually, and can be brought on by life events and/or changes in body chemistry. It can strike anyone but is curable in very many cases.

Anxiety is the feeling of fear and panic and as many as 1 in 6 young people will experience an anxiety problem at some point in their lives.

Most people feel anxious, panicky or fearful about situations in life, such as money problems or exams but often once the difficult situation is over, you feel better and calmer.

Symptoms of anxiety include feeling frightened, nervous or panicky all the time.

You may also feel down or depressed, have difficulty sleeping and eating, be unable to concentrate on things and feel tired and irritable.

Physically you might have palpitations or a racing of your heart, dry mouth, trembling, faintness and you may experience stomach cramps or diarrhoea.

Panic attacks are associated with feelings of extreme anxiety that come on in unpredictable attacks that usually last for about ten minutes. If you have panic attacks, you may have difficulties breathing, feel panicky and tend to feel out of control.

Students experiencing stress and anxiety can have difficulties with food, which can result in over-eating or under-eating as a coping mechanism.

Eating problems can have an impact on your mental and physical health but advice and support is available from a number of sources on our resources page.

Self-harm is when someone carries out an act to hurt themselves as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, old memories, or overwhelming situations and experiences.

There are various self-harm services to provide support across Northern Ireland on our resources page.

Suicide is the second most common cause of death in young adults and incidents of suicide is rising, particularly amongst young men.

Most people who attempt suicide are ambivalent about killing themselves; their focus is trying to put a stop to unbearable feelings or a situation that seems intolerable.

Someone who is suicidal may well be feeling frightened, trapped, hopeless, helpless, confused, distressed and desperate to escape from their suffering, rather than actually wanting to die.

However, at times like this suicide can feel like the only way out.

Thoughts about suicide are very common and the thought of suicide may fleetingly cross the mind of many people at some point in their lives.

However, the vast majority of people never act on these thoughts, or seek support.

At Ulster University, we believe that suicide is an avoidable death. Student Wellbeing have worked to challenge the stigma around mental ill health and asked for help from our students through the Mind Your Mood campaign.

We have delivered safeTALK suicide alertness training to students as part of Mind Your Mood, as well as offering this to student facing staff groups within the University.

If you are worried about thoughts of suicide call into Student Wellbeing on any campus during working hours to get support from our trained staff.

Outside of working hours you should call Inspire (student counselling service) on 0800 028 5510 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000

• Inspire Wellbeing
• Mind Your Head
• Lifeline Helpline

Serious loss is something which we will all face at some point in our lives. This may be the death of someone close to us or it may be because of other circumstances such as the loss of our health or our home or the death of a much loved pet for example. During this time it can be difficult to know what is normal and to understand how we or our families respond when we face a loss.

Coming to terms with loss, grief or bereavement for example can involve many feelings; such as denial, isolation, anger, deep sadness, loss, emptiness and depression. The good news is that these feelings are normal. Each person experiences loss and grief in their own way and every experience will have its own unique process there are no ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’.

How can I help myself following a loss, grief and or bereavement?

• Look after your own health. Eat well, rest properly, take extra care of yourself.
• Don’t bottle things up.
• Talk to people about how you feel. Talk to a friend or family member. Go to your doctor if you feel you have no one to talk to. They may suggest speaking to a counsellor.
• Talk to us at Student Wellbeing.
• Do ask for help if you are not coping; speak to a friend and/or your lecturers
• Stay in touch with family and friends. Find out about local events, clubs and societies on your campus.
• Seek help from other organisations.

Leaflets

• The NHS Northumberland Tyne and Wear website contains a downloadable leaflet about bereavement.
• The Royal College of Psychiatrists have a downloadable leaflet about bereavement that can be translated into several languages.
• Help is at hand is a downloadable leaflet to support anyone bereaved by suicide.

Bullying and harassment can have a significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. The Student Wellbeing team can support you with stress, anxiety, sleep issues or any problems which arise as a result of bullying or harassment.

If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to call into Student Wellbeing on any campus, we are available from 8.45am-5pm (Mon-Thu) and 8.45am-4pm (Fri). Alternatively, you can contact us on studentwellbeing@ulster.ac.uk or 028 9536 7000.

Other Resources Available

• Ulster University complaints process
• Ulster University Students’ Union Advice Bureau
• Victim Support
• Citizens Advice

If you are worried that someone you know is thinking about taking his or her own life, it is difficult to know what to say or do. Many factors are involved in how your friend is feeling and people at risk of suicide often feel very isolated and alone.

If someone is not their usual self or if they are showing signs that worry you, do not ignore it.

If you are concerned about suicide, it is important to talk to the person about how they are feeling and encourage them to access support through their GP, Lifeline, Inspire or other support services such as those listed in our Helplines page.

These services can also be also sources of advice and support for you, as this can be very stressful and you must carefully manage your own wellbeing while supporting someone at risk.

If you want to discuss your concerns, you can come and meet with a Wellbeing Assistant or a Wellbeing Adviser in Student Wellbeing.