We have created some helpful resources that aim to support positive mental health and wellbeing. You can find some of these resources on this page and more information is available on Student Advice’s Blackboard page.
If you are worried about another student's mental health, please see our Student in Crisis page here or read our 'Worried about a friend's mental health?' guide here.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of your mental health, or need some additional support please contact Student Advice, or arrange an appointment with BGU’s Mental Health Adviser using our online booking system.
Managing Intense Emotions:
When we experience intense emotions such as anxiety or stress, things can quickly escalate. However, there are some simple practices that you can put in place to help manage this. Our ‘Coping in the moment’ guide will talk you through some simple strategies, including Box Breathing and Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
Coping-In-The-Moment-Managing-intense-emotions.pdf (amazonaws.com)
The above resource is really beneficial towards coping in the moment; however, you may want something you can keep on you at all times. This Micro Reminder card can be kept on your phone or printed off easily as a quick reminder to use specific coping mechanisms when feeling a certain emotion.
Challenging ‘Unhelpful’ Thoughts:
It is quite common for people to fall into a pattern of 'unhelpful' or negative thinking, and when this happens, it is likely that a person's level of distress will increase. To prevent the escalation of distressing emotions, it is helpful to identify, notice and challenge the 'unhelpful' thinking styles that you are using. Our ‘Challenging ‘Unhelpful’ Thoughts’ guide provides some examples of unhelpful thinking styles, and how these can be challenged.
Challenging-Unhelpful-Thoughts-style-and-challenge-examples.pdf (amazonaws.com)
Managing Anxiety:
Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel anxious about an upcoming exam, or have worries about life after university. For some people, it can be really difficult to control their worries, and this can start to impact their day-to-day life. Our ‘Managing Anxiety’ guide provides an insight into different types of anxiety and strategies that can be used to manage their symptoms.
Managing Anxiety (amazonaws.com)
Managing Stress:
Stress is a common emotion at university. Sometimes we are stressed about one thing, other times there are multiple things that overload us that make us struggle to feel in control. Although stress is common, it is still vital we look after ourselves and there are loads of great ways to manage your stressful emotions as well as the causes. This 'Managing Stress' guide covers a range of different stressors and helps you feel 'on top of things' whilst at university. Further down this page, there is also more specific guidance on assignments and looking after your wellbeing.
Managing Self-Harm:
Self-harm is when someone intentionally hurts themselves as a way of coping with intense and difficult emotions, experiences, or memories. Our ‘Managing Self-Harm’ guide provides some information about where to access support around self-harm, and strategies that can be used to manage this behaviour.
Managing-Self-Harm.pdf (amazonaws.com)
Crisis Support Resources:
During a mental health crisis and when experiencing complex emotions, it can sometimes be difficult to take rational or logical steps to improve the situation and keep ourselves safe.
It can be helpful to plan ahead so that we feel better equipped to cope with a mental health crisis. Sometimes physical or written prompts can be helpful- these can act as a reminder of things you can do to help yourself.
We have created some resources to help you during a mental health crisis- it is best to complete these on a ‘good’ day, so they are there and ready for when you need them the most.
Our Crisis card template can be used as a prompt or reminder and should be kept somewhere that is easily accessible, like in your phone case or wallet. On your crisis card, you may find it helpful to...
- Note the names and numbers of people or services that you can contact.
- List some positive phrases or statements that you can say to yourself.
- Plan out some things you can do or places you can go to, which help you to feel safe.
My Crisis Card (amazonaws.com)
You may find it helpful to make a more specific and detailed plan of things you can do to help yourself during a mental health crisis. We have created a ‘personal safety plan’ to help you to do just that.
My-Personal-Safety-Plan-keeping-myself-safe.pdf (amazonaws.com)
Everyday Mental Health Resources
It's important to look after your wellbeing everyday, even if you're feeling good at the moment. This is so you can track your feelings and implement resources more easily when you are in crisis.
A symptom tracker can be a useful resource to monitor existing emotions and feelings, whether that is related to a diagnosed mental health condition or not. Use this symptom tracker below to track symptoms every day and see the progress you're making!
A more in-depth tracker can be useful to analyse certain situations and how they may have made you feel. This Weekly Situation Reflection tool can help you look deeper into events during the week and understand what changes you can make to your communication and coping strategies.
Weekly Situation Reflection tool
Building a self-care box can be a fantastic way of making sure you always have support when you need it. Create your own box, or buy a nice one from the shop, decorate it, and use this guide to help you choose what to put inside!
Apps can be useful to manage your wellbeing on the go! We have collected our favourites into one big list so you don't have to. Give these a try when you're out and about and may not have access to your self-care box.
Building Relationships
Relationships are an important part of life and healthy ones can improve our overall wellbeing.
Before you can build relationships with others, it's important to have a good relationship with yourself! This guide below has everything you need to build a better bond with yourself, giving you the strategies and resources you need to flourish in life.
Building a Relationship with Yourself
Having healthy relationships with others is also vital to living a fulfilling life and having positive mental wellbeing. The guide below goes into detail and gives you lots of resources to build stronger relationships with those around you, whether it be partners, work colleagues, friends, or family.
Wellbeing Whilst at Work and Studying
Whilst studying or working beyond university, you may encounter challenges along the way - this is normal and perfectly okay! We want to make sure your wellbeing remains positive and the resources below will be able to support you with this.
This Wellness/Study Plan is a great way for you to work alongside your mentor at work on a placement, or your lecturer here at BGU! Take a look at it below and fill the relevant information out and share it with whoever you need.
Assignments can be a big stressor for lots of people whilst studying at university. This guide below covers a range of tips and tricks to help you get motivated and make you feel good about your assignments and course work to ensure you are maintaining your positive wellbeing.
LGBTQ+ Wellbeing Support
At BGU, we aim to be an inclusive university and recognise the diversity of students on campus. If you are LGBTQ+, there are so many things to take pride in, but we also realise you can experience some challenges along the way. Whether you identify as LGBTQ+, questioning your gender or sexuality, or have a friend that is LGBTQ+, this guide provides specific wellbeing support to the community.
Useful Links
Togetherall - Togetherall
Student Minds- Home (studentspace.org.uk)
Mind- Home - Mind
Papyrus - Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide (papyrus-uk.org)
Beat- The UK's Eating Disorder Charity - Beat (beateatingdisorders.org.uk)
We Are With You- Home - With You (wearewithyou.org.uk)
Stonewall- Stonewall