‘Anxiety is not an uncommon problem. More than 1 in 10 people are likely to visit their GP to discuss a ‘disabling anxiety disorder’ at some point‘
I was first diagnosed with anxiety in 2017. I realised something was going on with my mental health in secondary school when I’d feel sick every day in certain classes. It soon became apparent that I was experiencing anxiety, with one of my primary triggers being school. It felt like I was playing life on maximum difficulty, experiencing the same challenges as everyone else whilst also feeling terrified pretty much all the time.
I look at my life now, wondering how I managed to get here. I’m in my third year of university, with my graduation quickly approaching. I have managed to get through my degree whilst living with an anxiety condition. These are a few tips which helped me to navigate university as someone with anxiety.
Practice self-care
Self-care is about more than just doing a face mask and having a bath, It is about listening to yourself and giving yourself exactly what you need. After a difficult day at uni, practising self-care can help you unwind, relax, and prepare for tomorrow. Personally, if I have had a day that has been particularly challenging on my anxiety, I like to come home, get into my comfiest clothes and play some video games under a blanket. I often find it hard to escape the stresses of the day, but immersing myself in a game I love can help me to channel that energy into something enjoyable.
Speak to Student Wellbeing
Student Wellbeing offers a number of resources for students struggling with anxiety. I have used these services myself previously and can vouch for them.
Self help
The university offers resources on its wellbeing services website, where you can find tips and advice for managing your anxiety. For example:
- Breathing exercises
- Distraction
- Validating feelings
You can explore these tips more with the wellbeing service’s complete anxiety and self-help guide:
Skills workshops
The student wellbeing service also offers an anxiety skills group. The website says: ‘This course aims to give you a better overall understanding of anxiety; how it affects us and exploring techniques to help you take back control. This course runs for 4 weeks and will have a different focus each sessions. By the end of the 4 weeks, hopefully the course will have provided you with a toolkit to help you to better manage anxiety. For more information on the workshop including session dates, please contact the Student Wellbeing Centre on studentwellbeing@lincoln.ac.uk or pop along to a First Contact Appointment.
You can find out more about our First Contact Appointments and access the contact form by clicking here.’
Counselling
The university offers free counselling to all full-time and part-time students. The website says, ‘Student Wellbeing have partnered with Health Assured to deliver a comprehensive Student Assistance Programme (SAP) which is accessible through the Wisdom App and online portal.
The Live Chat feature allows you to contact a dedicated wellbeing counsellor using live messaging and video calls.
For further support, you can call their helpline which is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
More information can be found here:
The Wisdom App is available on mobile, tablet, and desktop. When you have registered, you will need to enter the unique code MHA289405 which identifies you as a University of Lincoln student.
Reach out to your friends
From YoungMinds:
‘Your mental health can sometimes have a massive impact on your friendships, but more so if your friend does not know what’s going on. If you’re struggling with your mental health, it can sometimes make you act differently and this can be picked up on by your friends. You might be more distant, ask more questions, need a bit more reassurance from them or you might be cancelling plans or avoiding phone calls with them. The way you behave as a result of your mental health is different for everyone, but being able to explain this to your friends can help them to understand what you’re going through and why you’re acting the way that you are.
It’s okay for you to not want to tell everyone; it’s personal to you and not always something people want to broadcast because it can make you feel vulnerable. But after you talk about how you’re feeling and release your emotions it can make you feel so much better, like a weight has been lifted!’
YoungMinds provide some tips for talking to your friends about your mental health:
- Make sure you’re somewhere you feel comfortable. This could be at home, or somewhere quiet. It can also help to talk while doing an activity where you may feel less pressured, like going for a walk or for a coffee.
- Write down what you want to say.If this feels a bit too formal, write some notes on your phone or practise how you want to start the conversation in your head.
- If you don’t want to answer all of their questions, that’s okay. Whoever you talk to may have questions but you can answer them in your own time, or not answer them at all if you don’t want to. Your friends should respect how difficult it is for you to talk to them, and understand that it can take time.
- Talk about what they can do to support you. For example, if you’re talking about panic attacks, what could they do to help you if you had one while you were with them? How would a friend know you were feeling depressed or anxious, and what could they do to help? Letting your friends know how to help you is SO important, and will help you to feel less alone and more supported. Remember, the same things don’t work for everyone so let them know what’s best for you, or let them help you to figure it out.
You can read the full YoungMinds article on reaching out to your friends here:
Speak to your personal tutor
If your anxiety is impacting your learning, reach out to your personal tutor. It is important to keep your personal tutor in the loop when it comes to your studies, and they may be able to advise you on ways the university can help, like extending assignment deadlines.
Remember…
Living with anxiety is hard. Living with anxiety as a university student is even harder. But remember that there is a village of people behind you, ready to support you. Anxiety is a common issue, and you are not alone. With the right help and support, there are clear skies ahead.
