Postgraduate Wellbeing: Where Can You Find Help?

Is juggling studies and managing pressures of the festivities weighing you down? Please know there is help available! We’ve taken a look around and collated some university, local and national student helplines and resources so you know where to go if you need help.

Your university will have services to support you with wellbeing (and more!) and these should be your first port of call if you’re struggling with your mental health. You can usually book a one-off appointment to meet with wellbeing practitioners. They can then refer you to appropriate services if needs be.

Student wellbeing support services usually have standard office hours during term time, but most will be closed down over the Holidays. However, check with your university to be certain.

Can you still find support at your university during Christmas?

Yes, you can! Urgent help is available with the university security services. Your university might have online services and forums which may be open during this time. It is also worth checking if your university has a 24x7 helpline number.

You can find all this information on your university website. Student Space, run by Student Minds, a student focussed mental health charity in the UK, also has a service where you can search what help is available by university.

What can you do if you can’t get in touch with your university services at all? For example, what if you’re visiting home for Christmas, or your university services are fully shut? There is plenty of help available through mental health charities, helplines and local support groups, some of which are student specific.

Mental health charities

Student Minds is a student-focussed mental health charity in the UK. They run a service called Student Space which has dedicated support services all students can access. You can talk to them through text message which is completely free to use and confidential.

Student Space can also support you with any specific concerns you might have. Check their website to know what they can support you with.

The Wellbeing Thesis is a one-stop-website created by Student Minds with resources to help postgraduate research students navigate the stresses and challenges of a research degree.

National helplines

There are a number of national helplines you can call if you’re struggling with your mental health. You can speak to a trained volunteer about anything you’re struggling with, and they can either offer you advice and information (if you ask for it) or just listen. Some are charity-run and broader in scope and others are meant to tackle very specific concerns. Here’s a list of some national helplines:

• National suicide helpline - 0800 689 5652 (open 24x7)
• Saneline - 0300 304 7000 (4pm – 10pm)
• Mind support line - 0300 102 1234 (open 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday)
• Samaritans helpline - 116 123 (open 24x7)

Helplines are usually free to use, however sometimes phone charges may apply.

Support through your local community

Whether you’re at university or at home, you can reach out to local support groups and helplines. Your local council may have their own mental health helplines. They offer the same help as the national ones just for a smaller area. Check your council website to know more.

You can find support and comfort in a community where you can share what you’re struggling with. You’ll notice that you’re not alone! You can meet people who’re going through or have been through something similar at local support groups. Support groups are safe spaces for people to share their struggles, find people who can understand what they’re going through and provide help. They may be in-person and sometimes even online.

If you’re looking for a support group near you, Hub of Hope, an initiative by Chasing the Stigma, can help!

A postgraduate degree is hard work, and it’s ok if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just remember to keep talking to your university, professors, friends, family and professionals (if you need to) and know there is help available at every step.

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