Being at university is great… most of the time. But it’s perfectly normal to find yourself worrying about things now and then.
You could have concerns about money or be stressed about keeping up with your work. Or you may be feeling low or anxious. Whatever is bothering you, you don’t need to cope on your own. Luckily, there are lots of places in Leicester to find support. Here we’ve outlined just a few ways to find help.
At university
De Montfort University offers a series of daily workshops and mindfulness classes – all of which can be booked through your online student portal. These focus on health but also self-development / career development. ‘Healthy DMU Hub’ has info on what sessions are on offer. If you need further support, you can book a face-to-face ‘Single Point of Access’ meeting. These 30 minutes meetings allow you to discuss any issues and leave with a personalised ‘action plan’.
The Student Services Centre at Leicester University offers access to health and wellbeing services and counselling.
Your academic or personal tutors
If you are finding it hard to keep up with you work, keep talking to your tutors. If they are aware of your circumstances, they will be able to support you and give practical advice on managing your academic work. They can also let you know about study skills help that is available.
Students’ Union
De Montfort Students’ Union Advice is a free, confidential and independent service for current DMU students. The service has a team of advisers who are able to help with a range of welfare and academic queries. This includes most academic matters from swapping course and academic hearings, to student housing and student disciplinary matters.
The Leicester Students’ Union has a transitions toolkit, which helps you to settle into university life. It covers starting university, study skills, and managing your wellbeing and finances. The Students’ Union Advice Service provides free, confidential support and signposting you need to adjust, advance and achieve during your studies.
Doctor/ GP
People often worry about contacting their GP or “wasting their time”. Your doctor is there to help with all kind of physical and mental health conditions. If you’ve noticed changes in the way you feel or think over the past few weeks you should consider going to see your GP. This includes if you have experience any of the following symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling low or constantly anxious or worrying
- Not enjoying your life as much as you once did
- Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
As well as offering support, your doctor will be aware of the services that are available to you and will be able to point you in the right direction. If you’ve not yet registered at a doctor’s at uni, you can use the NHS GP Finder.
NHS approved apps
The NHS has a range of apps that they recommend for people who prefer to access help on their phone. The apps are assessed against a range of NHS standards, so you can be sure of the quality. We’ve picked out the best free NHS recommended apps for issues around “Healthy living”, “Mental health” and “Sleep”. You can also use the filters to find other useful apps.
National organisations
Every Mind Matters is a government-run platform to help people look after their mental health. It can help you manage and maintain your mental health – so you can relax more, achieve more and enjoy your lives more.
Student Minds offer student-led group support for students experiencing low mood, mild depression, and eating difficulties. Find out more and view their range of resources at www.studentminds.org.uk
Mind is a national charity which provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. You can contact them either through their national helpline or through one of their local Minds. www.mind.org.uk
Turn2us is a national charity who provide financial support to help people get back on track if they are having money difficulties. They offer advice to students and can help you find a local advisor using their search tool.
Which? University offers advice on student finance and can offer help on budgets and money matters.
Emergency phonelines
HOPELineUK aims to prevent young suicide in the UK. You can call on 0800 068 41 41 or text 07860 039967.
Samaritans 24-hour helpline provides emotional support for anyone in distress. Call 116 123
The CODE Team
Our CODE Team are trained to help with a range of mental health issues. If you want to talk to someone face-to-face you can pop into the Office anytime and ask for a confidential chat. You can also phone 0116 233 5678 during office hours or call security on 07512 074209 out of hours. We also have a dedicated email address – welfare@codestudents.co.uk – that you can use to contact us.
