Students not engaging with university counselling services

Students are failing to turn to university support and advice services for help with mental health problems, new research shows.

A survey of 1,200 students by the National Union of Students (NUS) found that of those who reported experiencing symptoms of mental distress, 64 per cent said they didn’t access any “formal” services for advice and support to discuss the issue.

The vast majority of students turned to friends (58 per cent) and family (45 per cent) to talk about mental health problems, while just 17 per cent used services provided by their university or student union and nine per cent sought private counselling.

The professional students turned to most was their family or university GP, with 23 per cent seeking advice this way. However, 26 per cent of students said they didn’t talk to anyone about the problem.

The study found that 58 per cent of respondents were aware of university support services for mental health issues, suggesting students were reluctant to seek formal help in this way.

NUS disabled students officer, Hannah Paterson said: “My primary concern is the fact that more than a quarter of those surveyed did not tell anyone about their problems. We are meeting with mental health organisations in a bid to examine the standard of mental health care in UK universities.”

Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind, said the research demonstrated the scale of mental health issues experienced by students.

“Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and stress among students, many people are not seeking help, perhaps because of the stigma that can surround mental health problems,” he added.

The survey, carried out in May, showed that eight per cent (109) reported having a mental health problem they were not seeking help for, two per cent (20 were in the process of seeking a diagnosis, while 10 per cent (134) had been diagnosed and thought the condition was ongoing. A further six per cent (82) had been diagnosed with a mental health problem in the past but felt they had recovered, and two-thirds of respondents said they had never been diagnosed with a problem.

The most common serious symptoms of mental distress experienced by respondents included anxiety (55 per cent), depression (49 per cent), panic attacks (38 per cent), paranoia (16 per cent), thoughts of self-harm (14 per cent) and suicidal thoughts (13 per cent). Study pressures, relationship problems and financial difficulties were the most common contributing factors to mental distress.