Mental Health
Are you concerned about your mental health?
Mental health problems are health conditions that are characterised by alterations in thinking, mood or behaviour, but good mental health is more than simply the absence of problems.
Good mental health is just as important as good physical health, and maintaining it should be a priority for everyone
One in four people in Northern Ireland will experience problems that affect their mental health
Five steps to mental wellbeing
The NHS outlines five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you approach them with an open mind and try them, you can judge the results yourself.
- Connect
Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
- Be active
You don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find the activity that you enjoy, and make it a part of your life.
- Keep learning
Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
- Give to others
Even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
- Take notice
Be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”, and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Mind Your Mood
Mind Your Mood is a student led mental health campaign that is offering free mental health awareness workshops to QUB students.
The workshop training allows for both personal and professional development. They are designed to equip you with skills to manage stress and improve emotional resilience, provide information about the early warning signs of common mental health problems, including stress, depression and anxiety. Schedule of workshops for 2019-20 will be posted here, but in the meantime if you want to get in touch you can contact: mindyourmood@qub.ac.uk
For mental health student societies, visit the SU website
Resources
Mind your HeadSteps to deal with stress booklet
Directory of Services to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing
Student Guide to Managing Mental Health during Covid-19
Check out the Mind Your Mood and Fixers Videos created by students for students:
Mind Your Mood Mental Health 'Thoughts' Video
Fixers Video: Students talking about their mental health