SUPPORTING STUDENTS’

MENTAL HEALTH
Sarah Moffat, Edinburgh University
Students’ Association (EUSA)
sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk
OUTLINE
• What is mental health?
• Common issues for students
• How can you support someone?
• Further support
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
• Everyone has mental health
• Mental health is not a
binary, it is a spectrum
• Mental health is fluid, & can
change over time
 MENTAL HEALTH IS A SPECTRUM
People can have a mental illness, but be mentally well if they have successful coping strategies & support.
Equally, people without a mental illness can have very poor wellbeing if they face challenging circumstances and
do not have coping strategies in place.

optimal mental wellbeing

maximum mental illness minimal mental illness

minimal mental wellbeing

COMMON MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES AMONG STUDENTS
• Stress – Almost all students will experience some form of stress at University,
usually triggered by academic pressure or personal circumstances
• Anxiety – While it’s normal to be nervous in stressful situations, people with
Anxiety often feel overly anxious under pressure (sometimes to the point of panic
attacks) or experience low-level anxiety all the time, regardless of the situation.
• Depression – Again, while it’s normally to sometimes feel down, these feelings are
categorised as Depression when they continue for over two weeks, recur regularly
(e.g. once a month), or have significant negative impact on an individual’s quality of
life.
SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY
• Feelings of panic, fear or uneasiness
• Problems sleeping
• Catastrophic Thinking (obsessing over the
worst case scenario)
• Heart palpitations
• Difficulty concentrating
• Panic attacks
 HOW TO SUPPORT SOMEONE
THROUGH A PANIC ATTACK
1. Find a quiet space away from people
2. Encourage them to take slow, deep breaths
3. Reassure them they will be ok
4. Provide an activity to redirect energy
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
• Exhaustion and lack of energy
• Problems sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Loss of interest in activities which used to
bring joy
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT SOMEONE
Whether you notice someone is acting differently, or they disclose to you that
they are struggling, you can use these five steps to support them.

A – Assess for risk

L – Listen non-judgementally
G – Give reassurance & information
E – Encourage appropriate professional help
E – Encourage self-help and other support
 CREATING A POSITIVE CULTURE
AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
MODELLING THE WAY

• Be open & honest about your own mental health

• Check in regularly – give people the opportunity to discuss how they’re
doing
• Encourage self-care – Especially at stressful times, encourage people to
rest & relax
• Establish support networks – Set up a buddy scheme & encourage people
to check in with each other
 FURTHER SUPPORT
The Advice Place Student Counselling Service
Practical advice & support In-person & online counselling;
• Main office in Potterrow but smaller opportunity to talk through issues
office at KB with someone who is neutral
• Third floor of Library (main office,
• 0131 650 9225 but smaller offices on other
• advice@eusa.ed.ac.uk campuses)
• www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice • 0131 650 4170
• student.counselling@ed.ac.uk
• www.ed.ac.uk/student-counselling
 FURTHER SUPPORT
Mind Sarah Moffat (EUSA)
Information & advice General question on
on all mental health supporting students or mental
related issues health
• www.mind.org.uk • sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk
ANY QUESTIONS?
sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk