University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day: Is enough being done to help?

Today is University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day, but are universities doing enough to unsure students know how to help one another, as a statistic reveals 86% of students agree there is still a stigma surrounding the issue.

Today my university, and others all across the country have set up shop to try and get more people talking about mental health. First set up in 2012 by University Mental Health Advisors Network (UMHAN) and has been an annual event ever since. They believe it is a great way of getting people talking about students’ mental wellbeing.

Although this day has support from charities such as comic relief, a study published today by the Huffington Post, suggests that due to ‘lad’ culture men are not believing their friends have real problems.

According to a study more than three quarters of male students struggle to believe their friends have mental health problems. Psychiatrists are concerned this is due to ‘lad’ culture putting men’s health at risk.

The study found that London students are 80% least likely to believe a friend has a mental health issue. This is the top in the country. So does this mean most of my own fellow students wouldn’t believe me if I was struggling?

Whereas (back home for me) in the South West you are most likely to believed, with 54% of students taking their peers seriously. For me personally these figures are just shocking. I know a few people from home who I would take seriously but then again I know a few people at university. I don’t know if it is just that my mind is just more broadened, but from living in both of the extremes I would have thought London would have been the more accepting.

So what could universities be doing to improve this? Well more than one day to highlight it would be good. Not to complain about my university but I would have no idea where to go for help if I needed it. Also with the stress of university I would assume there are procedures in place to help people who are suffering.

In most cases students get looked upon as being lazy and drink too much. Although in some cases this is very true, there is a lot of work you are expected to do. Many students will be studying (which is supposed to take up as much time as a full time job) and also have a part time job, and in some cases live hundreds of miles away from home.

If this was you would you always be able to keep it together? Or would you like to know where you could find support?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02/18/three-quarters-male-students-mental-health-_n_6697398.html

http://www.studentminds.org.uk/uni-mental-health-day.html