Are Universities doing enough for Mental Health?

With Mental Health at an all-time high, Universities are facing increasing pressure to ensure the health and well-being of students.

However, with 1 in 4 people suffering with a mental health problem the question continues to arise, are Universities offering enough support to those who need it

Advertised to you as the best years of your life, University is an opportunity to endorse yourself in new experiences, such as the chance to learn a new sport or take up a new interest, from burlesque to rugby, the options are endless.

But nobody ever mentions the longing for home, the overpowering feeling of loneliness and complete absence of routine that university suddenly seems to throw at you.

A lack of transparency about the University experience has created a stigma around mental health for students.

Kit O’Callaghan, 18, is currently in his first year at Nottingham Trent University.

When asked about his own views on the topic, O’Callaghan said: “My view is that they are doing enough, or at least NTU is.”

“I think because it’s been such a big issue for so long now and there have been so many student suicides and cases of poor mental health such as students suffering from depression, stress and anxiety, universities are finally now taking it seriously enough to put real money and real effort into
tackling it,” he added.

However, despite the opinion that universities are starting to take more action to combat mental health struggles amongst students, statistics would suggest otherwise.

In 2017, 95 university students committed suicide within the UK. This is significantly higher than previous years.

One student from the University of Hertfordshire who wishes to remain anonymous said: “I believe mental health is overlooked by universities, looking for help equates to waiting on the phone. I had
to wait ages for counselling sessions, so I didn’t bother in the end.”

Kristiana Liscuka, dropped out of Nottingham Trent two years ago after university wasn’t the experience that she hoped it would be.

When asked about her opinions on the topic Liscuka said: “When it came to getting signed off, they didn’t even ask why I was dropping out or anything, they just signed the forms and that was it.”

It is no doubt that universities are making a significant effort to reach out to students, but it appears that a combination of lengthy waiting times and impersonal practice is causing students to not want to pursue help.

Although the services are there, making them more easily accessible is something that needs to be addressed. In coming years, universities will hopefully gain an even broader understanding of mental health and how to best care for students.

Struggling with mental health can be a very isolating experience, but with 450 million people in the world also experiencing the same struggle and numerous services designed to help, it never has to be.

By Ellen Plater