We Need To Talk

This is a post that I have been umming and ahhing for a while regarding whether to write it or not. However, when I started looking in to it I felt compelled to write it. Even if it only helps at least one person out there.

Mental Health among students. Eek I said it! Yes, that taboo subject. Many are able to overcome everything that life throws at them it is dismissed and because of this it is assumed that only the minority of those in higher education need help regarding keeping their noggin from controlling a plethora of things in their life. However, this is not the case. Right now I feel like I should be stood in front of a lecturer’s podium with my “serious glasses” on and a power point behind me. If this post comes across as preachy, I do apologise, but like I said; it is something I feel very strongly about.

For me personally, my mental health has certainly declined since getting to university. It became evident in college and declined gradually until about this time last year when it plopped itself in a log flume and plummeted down those river rapids. A friend of mine in the common room earlier this week stated that he felt like he was hardly keeping his head above water in terms of meeting deadlines and making sure all work was done for classes as well as having other adult-ing to accomplish. Many nodded in agreement and I replied that I felt like my snorkel had holes in it. It was a humorous response that got a laugh from those in the common room but it was a nervous, yeah, that’s how I feel too, kind of laugh.

The Mental health of students is very much coming into the lime light these last few years it would appear. The Guardian, a somewhat respectable newspaper (they’re actually still a thing!) has now got a series on its website dedicated to uncovering the truth behind what it is really like to battle university and your brain simultaneously. I’ve popped the link down below if you’re interested in giving them a read.

As I said before mental health is very much dismissed by not only people from older generations but also fellow students who … well, they just don’t get it for lack of a better term. It is more than well known that many think that being a student is a breeze and a walk in the park. However, contrary to popular belief there are these things, that seem to be like big foot to some people, called dedicated students. I know, I had to sit down too. Believe it or not but we actually bust our butts to get good grades and to further this, there are students that battle themselves while doing so. I worked out before I decided to sit down and start typing that this week I did 40 hours of uni work, not including lectures. Last week I did 56. 56 hours of work, preparing for classes and seminars and completing assignments as well as working on my dissertation. That’s more than your average full time job. It is normally for me to put in anywhere between 40-60 hours a week and why do I do this to myself? For a number of reason.

Majority of the classes I go to I haven’t done before. So I do the reading that is recommended so I know what the f***k is actually going on.
If you don’t do the seminar work you’re not allowed to attend the seminar. It is as simple as that.
Deadlines. Cant’ exactly just miss them because I don’t feel like it that week.
Dissertation. Enough said on that one.

This is all done alongside feeling guilty when I put my laptop away at night. I feel like there is always something more to do and I feel like I have to justify all of this money I am borrowing in order to not have to work while I study, amongst other things.

So, enough of my waffle, get comfy guys and gals because here we go…!

I didn’t want to come all guns blazing in this post with nothing but my ego to back up my opinion. So I did some research.

An article was written by a lovely lady called Natalie Gil (I will leave the link below). She gave some statistics of a survey carried out by NUS. In 2015 78% of students admitted to struggling with mental health and to further this 33% had admitted to having suicidal thoughts. Furthermore, in November and December of this year 1,093 students in higher education were surveyed by NUS. 1/3 of those surveyed said they didn’t know where to get the help they needed from their institution.

Now we move on to the really heavy stuff. Also from my common room chat it came up in conversation that most of us in there could understand why people feel like they can’t carry on when they’re at university. Many would just think “If you can’t do it then just drop out!” but for many it really isn’t that simple. Student suicide. Right, now it has been said we can all let out that breath we have been holding. It is a scary word and a very taboo one at that. 2014 saw the deaths of 130 students in England and Wales which was an increase of 30 from the following year. In 2015 it came to light from a survey that 50 universities had noticed an increase in crisis’ coming from mental health from the following year (these figures have come from articles that I put below).

In addition to this, research was carried out by the university of Manchester that showed: from January-April in 2015 50% of young people that had taken their own lives, a factor had been academic pressure. It is the opinion of the Independent newspaper that the mental health of students is now at crisis point and this is an opinion I share with them. In the article written by the Independent that I read they had interviewed the Samaritans, a charity set up to help those who are suffering from mental health and they felt that it was awful that so many people are struggling at university when it is a time of such opportunity. They also reiterated that just because one person doesn’t find something overwhelming doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else.

It would appear that in a time where mental health is on the prowl, the world should be more empathetic. It is not my aim in this post to take away from the seriousness of anybody else outside of the “Student bracket” who feel like they too cannot go on. Like I said. Many think that mental health among students is something that doesn’t exist and that it isn’t serious enough for people to have the thoughts that they do because there are much bigger problems out there such as those that have come back from war or have lost everything they once had. These matters are just as serious. I just feel like mental illness’ and suicide among students should be a matter that has more awareness than what it has right now. Students shouldn’t think they’re not suffering or not allowed to suffer because there are people out there who have it much worse. Yes, there is. But that isn’t a sudden magical fix for that poor student who is battling as well.

Dealing with my own mental health and tackling university at the same time is like being able to slay the dragon and then it coming back to life and growing an extra head. You overcome a hurdle and suddenly there is an even bigger one.

But, the help that available is increasing. I have left a couple of links below and I will always be a listening ear for anybody that feels like they’re having a hard time. Don’t feel guilty for feeling like you’re suffering and please reach out to me if you feel like nobody else will get it because, I’ve been there.

Sorry if this post has been rant-y guys but,

I love you lots and Ta Ta for now,

Em xox

Perfecting

Emily

We Need To Talk

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