The wait for Wellbeing

Image credit: Niklas Rahmel

An exclusive investigation by Exeposé has shown that a dramatic increase in the number of Exeter students seeking support for mental health issues has led to the University’s Wellbeing Services being granted emergency additional funding. The funding has been granted amidst students complaining of long waiting times, with one student claiming that they waited up to a year for ongoing support after their initial contact with the Centre.

718 students contacted the Wellbeing Services last term to seek support. This is compared to 517 students that contacted the Wellbeing Centre in term one of the 2012/13 academic year, indicating a 38.8 per cent increase in the number of students contacting the service. 2,324 appointments in total were issued, an increase of approximately 700 appointments compared to the same period the previous year.

This increase in students struggling with mental health related issues at Exeter has also been seen by both the Student Health Centre and the Students’ Guild Advice Unit. A representative of the Student Health Centre told Exeposé that there has been “a noticeable increase in mental health cases [last] term, including severe and complex cases”. The Students’ Guild Advice Unit, which provides students with practical information and support on funding, housing and academic-related matters, confirmed that they had also seen an increase in the number of students seeking support where a mental health issue was contributing to their situation.

The increase in Exeter students requiring consultation on issues on mental wellbeing is in line with a national trend amongst students. An NUS study from May 2013 revealed that 20 per cent of students consider themselves to have a mental health problem, while 13 per cent claimed to have had suicidal thoughts.

The study, which questioned 1,200 students, said that 92 per cent of respondents identified as having had feelings of mental distress, which often includes feeling down, stressed, or demotivated. 74 per cent of respondents who experience feelings of mental distress experienced them at least once a month, with almost a third admitting to feeling like this every week.

65 per cent of respondents who experienced mental health problems cited coursework deadlines as triggers of distress, while 54 per cent mentioned exams. 47 per cent also mentioned financial difficulties, while 27 per cent were worried about “fitting in”, with 22 per cent being concerned with homesickness.

Last term, Exeter’s increase in demand for support relating to mental health led to a serious delay in the waiting times for the Wellbeing Services on campus. Although the Wellbeing Centre aims to see all students for their initial assessment within one to two weeks of their referral, some students waiting for a Wellbeing assessment were forced to wait for three weeks or more during term one. Those waiting for mental health initial assessments had to wait for up to six weeks for their first appointment.

After receiving an initial assessment, students had to wait on average for three and a half weeks before they could access ongoing support. According to Wellbeing Centre records, the longest any student had to wait between initial assessment and ongoing support was 31 days.

However, multiple students have reported a much longer waiting period and, worryingly, noted the negative impact of this. One student who wished to remain anonymous told Exeposé: “I had to wait for about a month before my initial consultation and then waited for another extended period of time after being referred for a series of counselling sessions across the term. I found the counselling itself extremely effective and overall had a positive experience. However, at points during the waiting period, I did wonder if I had been forgotten or lost in the system due to the length of time between my consultation and the counselling beginning. I feel that had the issue been more urgent, it would have been exacerbated by the slow process”.

Another student told Exeposé: “My doctor diagnosed me with major depression and began my course of antidepressants. She said they were best accompanied with, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy available at the Wellbeing Centre. Having contacted the Centre, the wait was long. I felt thoroughly let down and dislocated. After my mental health assessment, there was another three week wait to start CBT. The idea of having to wait again for treatment put me off and I have not returned to the Wellness Centre. Instead, I’ve been able to steadily continue increasing my dosage as a coping mechanism to compensate”.

The additional funding to the Wellbeing Centre, granted as a rare in-term increase, has led to the employment of two new permanent staff members, additional group support sessions and the consolidation of the Risk Assessment and Focus Triage (RAFT) unit, a service to provide immediate support to those who are severely distressed.

The Wellbeing Centre has also reconfigured its services in order to be able to cope with the increase in demand. As well as counselling, the Wellbeing Services also offer a series of therapies, such as CBT, to address a range of mental health issues, including stress, anxiety and depression. In light of the increase in demand, the Centre is providing an increased number of short-notice appointments, online support and one-off group sessions on student focussed issues that anyone can attend.

A University spokesperson said: “The University takes a holistic approach to student welfare and provides a comprehensive package of services that students can access, which go far beyond purely academic support; the Wellbeing Centre is just one of these. However, we understand that it is an important part of our total offer and, once we recognised that there had been a significant increase in demand for this service, we put in place additional resources to support it”.

Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare and Community, who has pushed for improvements to the Wellbeing Services, told Exeposé: “I am pleased that the University has recognised the urgency of this situation and has responded quickly to the need for additional funding to meet the needs of students. It is important, however, that the University continues to recognise the increasing demand for mental health support beyond this year, as this appears to be a nationwide trend that is likely to continue”.

Any students who feel affected by issues raised in this article are urged to contact the University’s Wellbeing Centre, or national medical services.

Meg Drewett, Editor. Additional reporting by Owen Keating 

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Workout Wednesdays: Choosing an Exercise Class

Carmen Paddock gives us the run down of many of the fitness classes available for you to try…

One of the scariest things about starting at a new fitness centre, or joining a gym in the first place, is the great range of exercise classes on offer. It does not help that intense or unfamiliar sounding titles make these classes seem incredibly intimidating, which could not be further from the truth! This breakdown of common gym classes makes it evident that all abilities, preferences, and training goals are catered for, so there is no reason to be scared off from trying a new programme!

Aerobics

The goal of this class is to elevate your heart rate and keep it there for 30-60 minutes, making it ideal for those wishing to improve cardiovascular fitness and/or lose weight. Aside from a warm up and a cool down, it is not typical for you to stop moving for the entire time! These are definitely difficult, but the movements allow for variation in intensity, thus making it flexible for all stamina levels and certainly open for complete gym novices!

Image Credit: nrg_4

Zumba

Calling all dance lovers! This class is based in hip-hop and Latin dance moves combined with short sections of aerobics, all choreographed to fun dance songs. Classes usually run from 45-60 minutes with a warm up, a cool down, and very short breaks between each choreographed number. No dance experience? No problem! The moves repeat themselves, and there are variations for all levels of dance ability and fitness. It is a great way to have a fantastic time whilst getting fit!

Anything with ‘Pump’, ‘Sculpt’, or ‘Conditioning’ in its title

These classes typically focus on toning muscles, sometimes targeting certain areas of the body and using other equipment – for instance bars, dumbbells, balls, straps, steps, mats, or a combination thereof – to challenge you in different ways. ‘Pump’ classes almost always involve some form of weights. Although there is a wide variety of class types within this heading, you may want to check one of these out if you are looking to improve muscle tone or strengthen a certain muscle group.

LBT – ‘Legs, Bums and Tums’

This toning class falls under the category above and is exactly what is says in the title: leg and abdominal work combine to offer a full sculpting workout targeting the lower half.

Pilates

Image Credit: Melbourne Osteopathy Sports Injury Centre

Developed in the early 20th century by the dancer-turned-fitness specialist Joseph Pilates, this is a conditioning routine which builds flexibility, stamina, balance, and strength whilst focusing on correct alignment and posture. It is most popular among dancers and casual exercisers but practised by athletes of all disciplines as well. It is a low-impact, full-body workout which can be modified for all levels.

 

 

 

Yoga

This practice originated in ancient India as part of a physical, mental, and spiritual system aiming to improve wellness and find inner peace. There are several different ‘schools’ but three common ones you will encounter are hatha, vinyasa, and power: hatha or holistic yoga is gentle, easy, and focused on stretching and rehabilitating muscles; vinyasa yoga, varying from moderate to more difficult, focuses on breath and building stamina; and power yoga is an intense strength and flexibility session typically recommended for more advanced yogis. More detailed information about these and other schools can be found online, along with lots of advice, tips, and encouragement for newcomers. Yoga might sound intimidating, but every pose has variations tailoring it to every experience level. Since research has proved that yoga improves both sports performance and overall wellness, there is no reason not to give it a try!

 

Image Credit: Go Interactive Wellness

 

Spinning

This is essentially a cycling race in an exercise studio. An instructor calls out instructions on cycle resistance level and pedalling speed as high-energy music keeps you energised and motivated. As the difficulty and tempo varies throughout, this is an excellent (and certainly challenging) workout for leg strength and cardiovascular fitness, cycling enthusiasts, and those who often get bored by the monotony of gym equipment. As with all classes, you take this at your own pace, making it suitable for novices and gym rats alike.

Carmen Paddock

Oliver Cary: an increase in mental illness among students

In his latest column, Oliver Cary assesses the rise of instances of mental health illness amongst students.

The Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety at some point. Picture credits: Lyssa Darkness

University brings independence, and this is often associated with freedom, personal decision-making and endless opportunities for enjoyment. For many students, university is the stepping stone between late childhood and adulthood. It is a balance between study, socialising and first experiences with the ‘real world’.

But university can also bring pressure to graduate with a 2:1 or higher in a degree, to constantly improve a CV, or to work towards overall employability. Many employers value other skills such as communication, leadership and enterprise in their candidates as well as suitable work experience gained during your university career.

Education journalist Mike Baker wrote in his BBC article that employers are looking at these ‘soft skills’ second to academic requirements. He states that Deloitte LLP, employer of approximately 1, 200 graduates each year, have basic requirements of a 2:1 or higher and then hopefuls need other transferable skills and experiences to make it through the next screening process.

This increasing pressure of employment that runs concurrently with academic deadlines and financial concerns can be hard to cope with for an independent young adult. Layla Haidrani, a student at Kent University and contributor to The Independent, views the academic pressure, financial difficulties and anxiety of job guarantee as a major contributor to the increasing figures of mental health in students.

Does an extended use of social media contribute to negative feelings of self? Picture credits: Eminent Youth

Some students suffer from isolation, loneliness and chronic anxiety after loosing their mechanism for coping with the pressures of university life. Isolation can be increased by the extended use of social media, and in particular this generation’s dedication to purport a particular image of their university life and activities. It is difficult to feel happy when seeing friends having fun at their respective university, whilst you struggle with the pressures of your own.

Chronic anxiety and depression is a global health issue. Carol Midgley writes in The Times that depressive disorders will be the biggest international health issue by 2030, according to the World Health Organisation. At universities it is believed to be increasing also. The Times suggests that one in four students will encounter or experience a mental health issue. Similarly the Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety, and 10% clinical depression.

Whilst it seems staggering that university, a place of socialising, ‘partying’ and also extensive opportunity, can be so challenging for individuals, it is important that each institution recongnises the need for student support. Universities have counsellors, tutors and recently ‘Wellbeing Day’ on the 20th February. Symptoms are described on studentsagainstdepression.org as a combination of constantly feeling ‘low, sad, anxious or empty’ or all of these at once. Everyone deals with anxiety daily, and it is not to say feeling the pressure of university means that one is experiencing clinical anxiety or even depression.

Charlotte, a student, has battled with depression as a teenager. She explains to Carol Midgley that she was a perfectionist and placed pressure upon herself to excel academically. She realised that she didn’t seem to have a protective layer or coping mechanism to help her deal with the anxiety she felt. The hardest part was voicing her feelings, and admitting that she was struggling with her daily life. Now hoping to restart university this September, she believes that speaking to a GP helped her and ‘she didn’t necessarily know the answers, she was just kind and listened. That was what I needed’.

The pleasures and pressures of university are new to all students and it is part of our emotional development to come to terms with these feelings. Lucie Russell, from YoungMinds, understands that ‘young people need to build a resilience to navigate the world they live in’. At times this is challenging, and one should always use friends, family and professionals to help themselves become a strong and independent young person ready to engage and participate in society. All students face strenuous times, but they are not alone, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but of intended self-belief and recovery.

The Time to Change campaign in Birmingham aims to get the public talking about mental health in a more open way. Picture credits: Time to Change Campaign

Fighting mental health issues alone seem insurmountable. Charlotte and others found sharing their difficulties with family, GPs or university counsellors as the hardest but most helpful solution. Isolation and anxiety can be dealt with, and recognising this is the first step to recovery.