Wednesday 10th October, 1pm at the Dome (Avery Hill Campus)
Wednesday 10th October marked the twentieth anniversary of World Mental Health Day. The Students’ Union and the University’s *AccessAbility Ambassadors celebrated this at Avery Hill, handing out information, free (and useful!) stuff to staff and student visitors. 56 students and staff took part in the mental health quiz, helping to raise awareness of mental health issues generally. The 3 highest scoring answers went into a raffle for the first prize (a free University of Greenwich hoodie) and the two runner-up prizes of a £5 food voucher for the Students’ Union bars.
Our hoodie prize winner wishes to remain anonymous (put the hood up and he or she will be both warm and hidden from view!). Our runners-up are Jaimum Mistry and Rebecca Tomlin. (Jaimum is pictured here with Russell Sax with his voucher). Congratulations to both of them.
Russell Sax, Student *AccessAbility Ambassador, organised the event and the quiz. Russell writes,
“I am currently studying for a BA(Hons) Creative Writing Part Time. In the past, I have been a jobbing actor, singer, and most recently stand-up comedian, performing to hundreds. And sometimes one man and his dog! I have also suffered with bouts of depression since the end of 2005 when I left the job I’d been doing for 5 years. When I’m well, I’m a highly functioning person who helps others, and I’m doing well with my assignments…I’m getting a lot of satisfaction and camaraderie as a Student Ambassador working with a number of organisations…Starting at University can be hard at the best of times, particularly for someone in my position where my disability is invisible. However, there are a number of support networks at the University and the Students’ Union where there are staff who are willing and able to help. The Student Centres can help you find the best support and they’re available as soon as you start University.
My advice …is to go at your own pace, ask for specific help when you need it and find someone to trust for advice, a second opinion or a shoulder to cry on.”
In no particular order, here’s the answers to the quiz.
1 in 4 people in the UK are expected to suffer from some kind of mental health problem in their lifetime (source: www.nhs.org.uk/mentalhealth). Both rich and poor people suffer from mental health difficulties. But, maybe unsurprisingly, poverty and debt are both stressors. Debt in particularly is known to trigger or worsen anxiety and depression. According to the NHS, 70% of prisoners in the UK suffer from mental health problems. 400 people per 100,000 in the UK self-harm. Women are more likely to report a common mental health condition than men, leading to women being more likely than men to be treated for a mental health problem (29% compared with 17%). (Like the BT adverts say, it’s good to talk, especially if it means you get the help you need!)
The World Federation for Mental Health came up with the idea of World Mental Health Day in 1992. This year marks the twentieth anniversary. See www.wfmh.org/00WorldMentalHealthDay.htm. This year, Mental Health Day aimed to encourage governments and civil society around the world to address depression as a widespread illness that affects individuals, their families and their peers, and to recognise that it is a treatable condition. According to the World Health Organisation’s list of the ten most serious worldwide illnesses, major depressive orders are expected to rise from third place in 2004 to first place in 2030.
We can all feel ‘down’ from time to time, but if you’re feeling grumpier than usual for several days to a week or longer, if you stop enjoying things that you usually enjoy, and you feel that life is hopeless, those are all indications you may be depressed. Depression can be a disability (and you don’t need 3 doctors to say so!). There are a range of social and legal definitions of disability which consider how depression and other physical and mental health issues affect your ability to undertake daily activities. There’s no question that the effects of depression can be disabling for many sufferers. Depression is not a sign of weakness. It’s believed to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. People can lead a normal life again after having clinical depression, but that’s not to say it will never be a problem again. You should try to tend to your mental and physical health and well being. Treatment for clinical depression usually involves a combination of medicine, talking therapy and self help. ‘Talking Therapies’ involve talking to someone who is trained to help you to deal with your negative feelings. Exercise has been proven to help depression, and is one of the main treatments for mild depression.
If you suffer from mental health problems, you might want to visit MIND’s website. See www.mind.org.uk. MIND’s Mission Statement is: We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect. See: www.mind.org.uk
If you think a student is depressed or suicidal, we want you to tell a tutor or staff member as soon as possible. Any one of us who goes through a crisis can find it very difficult to think through situations logically and clearly, especially if we’re disturbed. Someone experiencing a breakdown or deep distress may not be in a position to think things through clearly. Contacting a University staff member can be an important step in making sure that your friend gets the help they need to cope. It’s not always easy to do this, especially if your friend doesn’t want you to tell anyone what’s going on, which is why there are trained staff at the University and elsewhere who can provide confidential emotional support.
The University Counselling service is free, and although part of the University, the service is confidential. Information is not shared with other departments without your consent. If students or staff have concerns about students who seem to have disappeared without warning, the Chaplaincy team will seek to make contact with missing students. The Students’ Union Advice Service can also be a starting-point for students to talk through their own concerns, or concerns about other students.
And there’s the Samaritans and London Nightline. The Samaritans run a 24-hour helpline for anyone experiencing emotional distress, including people feeling suicidal. You can phone or email. See www.samaritans.org for further information. London Nightline is a service for students, available from 6pm to 8am during term time. See www.nightline.org.uk.
Depression and mental illness don’t solely affect the sufferer. We know that many students coming to the advice service are caring for family members with disabilities, including mental health problems, and this responsibility can add to students’ stress. When the need for care first happens, it often comes as a shock to both the carer and the person being cared for. For Carers UK, shock is the first stage of the caring process (not Jonathan! Although about 1 in 3 answers thought it was). If you're a carer and want further information on support, including details of local services, see the Carers UK website (www.carersuk.org). And you can always come to the Students Union Advice Service if you’ve got questions about your entitlement to support, benefits, or on other issues.
Useful Contacts:
Samaritans (tel 08457 90 90 90, email jo@samaritans.org) – 24 hour confidential emotional support for people in distress.
London Nightline (tel 020 7631 101, email listening@nightline.org.uk) – 6pm – 8am during term time – confidential support for students in London
Greenwich MIND (tel 020 8853 1735, email mindline@greenwichmind.co.uk) – community based mental health services for people living in Greenwich. See www.mind.org.uk for information on services local to where you live.
Oxleas NHS Trust (www.oxleas.nhs.uk) – information on local mental health services.
Carers UK (www.carersuk.org, tel 0808 808 7777) – support for carers of disabled people, including directory of local services, and telephone advice line.
University of Greenwich: Go to the Student Support tab on the Portal for details of the Counselling service, the Chaplains’ Team, the Listening Ear network, and the Disability & Dyslexia Centre services.
Counselling Service – contact through the Student Centres on each campus, or online via the Portal.
Avery Hill – 020 8331 9444
Greenwich – 020 8331 9111
Medway – 020 8331 8722 /9366
Chaplaincy Team:
Avery Hill – 020 8331 9854
Greenwich – 020 8331 8271
Listening Ears – see the Portal for contact information. Listening Ears are University staff volunteers who provide confidential support. There are Listening Ears based on all 3 campuses.
Disability & Dyslexia Centre – see the portal for contact information on each campus. Email d-centre@gre.ac.uk , or contact via your Student Centre.
*AccessAbility Ambassadors – are you a disabled student? Would you be willing to talk about your experiences to prospective students at schools and University Open Days? And get paid for it? If interested, contact Melanie Thorley for further information (email tm34@gre.ac.uk)
Disabled & Diverse Students’ Network – for social events and mutual support. For further information, contact Melanie Thorley (tm34@gre.ac.uk) or Katrina Harradine (hk922@gre.ac.uk).
Students’ Union Advice Service (tel 020 8331 8267, email suugadvice@gre.ac.uk) – confidential advice on academic & welfare problems for students at the Maritime and Avery Hill campuses.