The number of University students who have reported worsening mental health has increased.
This is due to the Coronavirus lockdown restrictions being placed on students, many of whom are staying away from home for the very first time.
Universities have had to cancel social events for students to attend and limited face to face teaching.
This has left some students paying thousands of pounds to be left on their own in their accommodation creating feelings of loneliness.
The National Union of students conducted a survey in November and they found that more than 50% of students said that their mental health had declined since the corona virus pandemic had began.
Results from this survey also said that of the students that were surveyed only one in five students sought help about their mental health.
Students have reported that the loneliness and isolation seem to be the biggest reasons for students mental health to have worsened.
It has also been reported by fresh student living that 33% of students often or always feel lonely and 8% of students often feel anxious and worried.
In these tough times, there is more of a call for students to come forward to talk to someone about their mental health.
Alex, a first year university student spoke about his experience on how he has felt during the first semester.
He said: “This first term of university has been a lot tougher than I expected. It certainly has taken its effect on me.”
“I just feel so isolated, their aren’t many of us living together in the same accommodation and with no face to face teaching I haven’t been able to socialise and get to know the people on my course.
“I struggled through the first lockdown during the summer and it got worse whilst at university due to being a couple of hours away from my family and friends.
“I used to be able to just spend time with them and talk to them to make me laugh and enjoy myself when I was feeling down.”
The corona virus restrictions have also had their effects on the support staff at Universities.
The lockdowns have meant that support staff can not have face to face meetings with suffering students and are having to help through emails and video calling.
A Student Life team member at Teesside University said: “Our staff are working remotely away from campus at the moment, but we are still here to help if you need counselling or support and advice with your mental health.”
“Student Space is also here to support you through coronavirus, with a free 24/7 text service, online chat, email and telephone service. It’s completely confidential and you will be speaking to trained advisers.”
If anyone is struggling with mental health here are a few links to get advice and support to help improve mental health or students of Teesside University can also contact the student life team.
https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/mental_health.cfm
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/getting-help
https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/mental-health-and-stigma/help-and-support
ABOUT ME
My name is Matt Dowling and I am a a first year student at Teesside University studying Sports Journalism. For the last couple of years I have had a high level of interest in the workings of sport from football to cricket to athletics. This passion grew watching sky sports and listening to what the pundits and commenters where saying about the players and teams and that is when I knew I wanted to study it at University and follow it as a career path.
I have had experience using editing software for photos and videos such as Adode Photoshop for any still photographs and DaVinci resolve pro for any video content during my A level Media Studies course.
