My name is Nkasi and I struggled with a mental illness during my undergraduate and postgraduate life; and continue to struggle with depression, anxiety, and pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder as a PhD student.

As well as my battle with mental illness I also often struggle to navigate the varying degrees of racism I face as a black female PhD student. Research in young adults suggests certain personal identities (e.g. identifying as an ethnic minority, female, LGBTQI+) might mean you are more likely to struggle with mental health problems. There is lack of research into whether similar patterns of mental health inequality are present in the UK university student population.

The rise of the zombie academy, the valuing of higher education in future earning potential terms solely and the attainment culture cultivated in the UK education system are creating a toxic environment for both students and staff.

​Concerns around the wellbeing and mental health of the student population are well documented. In the 2017 report ‘Not By Degrees’ (pg34) the IPPR comments on the YouGov survey findings. Study was found to be the primary cause of stress among students, this is coupled with pressure to find a high-class degree as ‘Finding a job after university’ is the second highest cause of stress reported by students (“Not by degrees”, 2017).

​I am a researcher looking for people who have had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapy in the last 2 years to take part in a research project.
 
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a talking therapy that aims to improve how people feel and reduce distress and mental health difficulties. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy involves helping people challenge and change their patterns of thinking and/or behaviour. 

Late childhood to early adulthood is a vulnerable period for the onset of long-term physical and mental health conditions. It is also a period of increased risk for the development of harmful health behaviours. In addition, this period is marked by significant life changes. These include the transition from child and adolescent to adult health services, moving out of home for the first time, and going to university or beginning employment. It is for these reasons that we, at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, have developed a project dedicated to improving the health of young people.

The University of Worcester 'Suicide Safer Project' launched a HE Student Suicide Prevention Community of Practice (CoP) hosted at University of Worcester Arena last Thursday September 26th 2019. A CoP acts as a knowledge exchange and development hub bringing together people with a shared interest in preventing student suicide to provide an opportunity to learn together and from each other. Its aims are to develop and support practice, showcase and drive innovation and address sector challenges through collaboration. The CoP is designed to encourage participants to connect, seek support and advice, learn from each other and share best practice, as well as hearing about training, research, policy and practice developments to help grow suicide prevention practice development across HE institutions.

With rising attrition and declining student mental health, peer support is a growing area of interest for many higher education institutions. Despite being a readily used term, its meaning differs according to the institution running the programme, making it difficult to share best practice in the sector. The aim of this work is to create a shared language and understanding of peer support so that universities can improve their peer support structures in a consistent and strategic way.

Many factors suggested as causing student mental distress (like the transition from home/school to university) have been true for generations of students, so are unlikely to explain why reported distress has increased. 
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That’s why, in our research, we’re exploring what has changed in young people’s lives that might explain the increase. We’re focusing in particular on what is happening to young people before they go to university – and would welcome any feedback on this from fellow researchers.

Students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK are increasingly suffering excessive stress and/or mental health difficulties. Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are chronic bodily symptoms for which tests and scans return without a diagnosis. Conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, IBS etc. mostly affect young people, non-native speakers and women. All these populations are found in high numbers in HEIs. It is acknowledged chronic stress can lead to, or exacerbate, mental health difficulties and/or MUS. Sometimes MUS appear before any mental health issue although frequently MUS is associated with anxiety and depression.

Mind will soon be launching an exciting new pilot programme with 10 Universities across England and Wale. This programme will see local Minds deliver tried and tested models of building mental health literacy, peer support, and resilience, to prevent mental health problems before they arise.
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​In the next two years they will have a variety of opportunities (paid and voluntary) to get involved in designing, developing and reviewing our programme content and to share your experiences of mental health at university.