Student mental health – the issues students face

Going to university or college can be exciting and fun - with new people, a new course and often a new location with a new place to live. That's a lot of new things and because of the large amount of change, going away to study can also bring about feelings of anxiety and stress. 

Indeed a study carried out during the covid pandemic found that students were more likely than the general population to report higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of happiness. 

Some reasons why students struggle

Students are often away from home and therefore away from their emotional support network of family and friends. They may be required to work in a way they are not used to with more autonomy and greater pressure to meet deadlines and achieve good results. Add to this the financial worries that many students have and you can see why students may struggle with their mental health.

Seeking help - some issues

Universities and colleges often have a wellbeing service and this can be a great place to go for free help. However not all mental health provision is equal and educational institutions differ greatly in the quality and amount of support they can offer students. 

A study carried out this year by Tab (a student news site) and the Campaign Against Living Miserably (a suicide prevention charity) found that out of 4,000 students surveyed, a large proportion reported living with some form of mental health issue and more than half had not wanted to seek help from their university. They also found that 65% of the students who had sought help from their education institution, were not happy with the help they received. 

It's worth remembering that our students are alone in a strange location with new routines, new friends, and a new focus. They are perhaps having to acquire new life skills such as cooking, managing their own financial affairs, organising themselves, etc. 

It's perhaps not surprising that anxiety has been highlighted by the Tab/CALM survey results as being the most common mental health issue faced by students, and stress and loneliness are also common issues. It's clear that students need a good quality mental health service to support their needs during this time of great upheaval. 

Additional issues faced by those studying abroad

Those who study abroad may face additional challenges such as being in a new culture with new ways of doing things, not feeling able to express themselves fully, additional academic pressure, and family and friends being further away and less able to offer emotional support.

Parents of students

Parents of students may feel concerned for the wellbeing of their grown up child. It can be hard to see them move away and struggle, especially when you know that they are having to make new friends and may feel more alone than usual. It can be reassuring to see your young person during the holidays but it can also throw up feelings of worry and fear for their wellbeing. 

Resources and help

• Download our free booklets and workbooks on a range of mental wellbeing topics. 
• Find out more about our therapy, coaching and wellbeing services for students. We are located in several popular university cities including Newcastle, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow