Mental Health Awareness Week

Next week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health.

The week, which is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is in its 22nd year and runs from 9-15 May. This year, the theme for the week is ‘Loneliness’. Across the country, people will be reflecting on loneliness and how it impacts our mental health.

In this article, our advisors from the Advice Centre have put together some information and resources about tackling loneliness at university, and where to get help if you are finding it difficult to cope.

ONS findings

Going to university can be an exciting opportunity to meet a wide range of people and develop new relationships, but it can also be very isolating for many people. Feelings of loneliness are common among students - the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found last year that 26% of students surveyed reported feeling lonely ‘often or always’. The various lockdowns and isolation requirements over the past two years have caused significant disruption to our lives, especially our social lives, only increasing the impact of feelings of loneliness.

It’s a myth that you have to be alone to feel lonely- you may be a very sociable person, but still struggle with loneliness if there is a mismatch between the relationships you have and those you need or want. Sometimes, feelings of loneliness or isolation come out of nowhere or may be a symptom of an underlying mental health issue such as depression. No matter what the reason, there are ways that you can look after yourself and places to get help if you’re finding it difficult to cope.

Tackling feelings of loneliness

There are a number of things that you can do to help manage feelings of loneliness, such as:

1. Come along to one of our Give It A Go (GIAG) events - we have a really active programme with a huge variety of different and exciting things to do, and they’re perfect for meeting new people. We’ve run activities such as 'Crafternoons', Pets as Therapy and loads more.
2. Find a volunteering opportunity to get involved with. The university Volunteering team has an online portal which advertises opportunities on-campus and in the local community. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and connect with others in the community.
3. Join a club or society! There are over 130 student groups on campus, covering interests from football to musical theatre - there’s something for everyone! You can browse all the groups on our website - most will have taster sessions or trials that you can try out without becoming a member - contact the committee for more information about how to get involved!
4. Join a Collective! Our eight Collectives are groups of students interested in campaigning and raising awareness for different topics. They are a really great way to get to know people who have similar interests and passions to you.
5. Find an online community. If you struggle to talk to people in person, there is nothing wrong with using social media to connect with others. It can be a great tool to find communities of people who share similar interests and experiences as you, from all over the world!
6. Reach out to friends and family around you. It may seem obvious, but when we’re feeling down we can often forget about the support we already have around us or worry that we may be a burden. Giving a friend or family member a call, or arranging to meet up for a coffee can be a great boost to your mental wellbeing.
7. Keep yourself busy with a routine. If you are struggling with feeling lonely, and don’t have anyone you can easily reach out to at the time, keeping yourself occupied is really important - whether that’s with a book, exercising, cooking, or another hobby.

When and where to get help

It’s normal to experience feelings of loneliness from time to time, but if you’re finding it increasingly difficult to keep on top of those feelings, or they’re causing you significant distress, then it’s time to seek some external support.

The University’s Student Wellbeing service is confidential and free for you to use- you can speak to a member of the team by coming along to one of their drop-ins every weekday during term time. Find out more here.

London Nightline is a service run for students by students, where you can speak to someone in confidence about how you’re feeling. You can call them on (+44) 207 631 0101every term-time evening 6pm-8am. 

In the event of a mental health crisis, the emergency services can be contacted at any time by calling 999. For advice about urgent issues, you can also call 111. The Samaritans also offer 24/7 support, just call 116 123, or email.

Additionally, Student Space (from Student Minds) is offering free phone, email, and live chat support from 4-11pm and 24/7 text support, as well as loads of useful resources for students during this time.