Exploring Mental Health: A Student-led Q&A for Alumni and Professionals

Step right into an extraordinary Q&A session conducted by students, which focuses on Mental Health Awareness, where we address some of the burning questions our alums had to ask about mental health and well-being. But that's not all! We reached out to psychology students from the University of Bristol, who, with the essential support of Creative Tuition Collective , have provided insightful answers to help shed light on various aspects of mental health

Throughout this engaging Q&A session, we dive deep into the complex mental health landscape, offering invaluable advice, evidence-based strategies, and personal experiences. We aim to create an open and inclusive space where students, alums, and professionals can foster understanding, support, and resilience.

Mental health is a topic that affects everyone, regardless of their stage in life or professional journey. By facilitating this dialogue between students and professionals, we aim to bridge the gap to mental well-being within our wider community.

What are some effective ways to manage stress and anxiety as a student?

Charlotte, a psychology student, imparts her valuable insights and advice:

Recognising when you’re becoming stressed is essential to maintaining your well-being. Think about what your triggers are. For example, do you become more stressed in certain situations or environments? Around certain people? Do you find particular lessons and subjects more anxiety-inducing than others??

If you feel comfortable, write down the scenarios where you notice yourself feeling more anxious.?Does this anxiety or stress feel proportionate to the environment or situation you’re faced with??Can you reduce how often you interact with this environment or situation??

Jessie reflects on some of the techniques she puts in place to manage anxiety:

Anxiety can become an all-consuming feeling within ourselves so it is important to find ways to reduce such symptoms that work for you. I find that planning things to look forward to helps relieve anxiety as you can focus on achieving your goals and reward yourself as a result. Also redirecting your mindset to be more positive is another healthy coping mechanism as it enables us to put things into perspective.

Zoe shares her personal strategies for combating homesickness or feelings of isolation during her time at university:

It can be really difficult especially if you move far away from your hometown. However, there are ways that you can deal with this transition of coping with feeling lonely. For example, making sure you keep regular contact with your family and friends from home is really important. Try calling a family member every day, even speaking to your parents/siblings for just 5 minutes can make a huge difference. Also, regularly check up on your friends, they’re probably feeling the same way if they’re also at university.

I’ve also found that getting involved in societies can also help to combat feelings of loneliness. Making friends can be hard, but through joining societies you can meet people who have similar interests to you.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the psychology students from the 英国布里斯托大学 sharing their expertise and insights, and to Creative Tuition Collective for their valuable support in making this Q&A possible. Let's continue spreading awareness, destigmatizing mental health issues, and supporting one another on our journey toward better mental health and well-being.??

#mentalhealthawarenessweek ,?#In2scienceUKSupportsMentalHealth,?