When things get tough, most of us turn to family and friends for support. This can be tricky if you have recently moved a long way from home and can’t easily access your usual support network. Thankfully, there are things we can do as parents and carers and there are specialist organisations out there who are keen to help.
According to their website, Student Minds research discovered that 30% of the students they surveyed said their mental health had got worse since starting university. They also discovered that 1 in 4 students would not know where to go to get mental health support at university if they needed it.
If the student you are supporting is keen to find help for themselves, then the Student Minds website is a great place to start. The tabs at the top give them options to search for support for themselves or a friend with a helpful resources section with plenty of links to explore.
If you want to offer support but are not quite sure how, there is even a section on the website to help parents with ideas! Some of our ideas include:
Creating regular times to keep in touch via technology.
Consider arranging face to face meetings, perhaps even part way between home and where they are studying.
Checking in and reminding them about healthy eating and sleeping habits.
Encourage assertive behaviour such as seeking advice about areas of study where they may be struggling.
Offers of support with financial advice such as budgeting and prioritising.
Reminding them that it’s okay to feel homesick at times, that many people feel like this when they are away from home and that there are ways to manage this.
Reminding them that the university experience is more than attaining the highest possible grades. It is also a time to learn to be independent, to manage your finances, to shop and cook for yourself, to make new friends and to have fun! And this isn’t always easy.
Student Minds also offer their Student Space website with a dedicated text line (text SHOUT to 85258) for advice plus many other ways to access support for specialist areas such as help with addictions, LGBT safety and support for students from different ethnic or religious backgrounds.
If are struggling and we can help you in any way, contact us.