In 2011, a report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists called for more investment in mental health support at universities, but it seems like we still have a long way to go for student wellness. According to a new poll by the National Union of Students (NUS), one in five students considers themselves to have a mental health problem and around one in eight has suicidal thoughts.
Of the 1,200 young people surveyed, all of whom are studying at universities across the UK, a whopping 92% of respondents said they had suffered feelings of mental distress, including feeling down, stressed and demotivated. Mental distress affected the wellbeing of students once a month or more, and almost one-third of students reported suffering mental distress every week. High workloads and financial worries were found to be the main causes of stress and unhappiness.
According to NUS spokeswoman Hannah Paterson, ‘These stats are confirming what I have been hearing on campuses for some time. My primary concern is the fact that over a quarter of those surveyed did not tell anyone about their problems with a mere one in ten using care provided by their institution. We are currently meeting with mental health organisations in a bid to bring all stakeholders together to examine the standard of mental health care in UK universities, and hope to make an announcement in the coming weeks on the shape this will take.’
Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, noted, ‘Higher education institutions need to ensure not just that services are in place to support mental wellbeing, but that they pro-actively create a culture of openness where students feel able to talk about their mental health and are aware of the support that’s available. Opening up to friends and family can help those feeling stressed or anxious, but anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, or consistently feeling down, may have an enduring mental health problem, so it’s best they visit their GP.’
A spokesman for Universities Scotland commented, ‘The health and wellbeing of their students is of the upmost importance to all of Scotland’s universities. All universities take their duty of care very seriously and have in place a range of student support services including a dedicated, confidential counselling service for students to provide help and advice on a range of issues whether personal or academic. Any student who feels they have mental health issues are encouraged to seek help from their institution and should do so without the fear of being stigmatised.’
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