Student mental health: your guide to finding support at UCL
For students of all year groups, UCL’s mental health support system can seem at best confusing and at worst overwhelming. Matilda Singer clarifies the different services available and how to access them.
It’s no secret that we’re dealing with a student mental health crisis. A recent survey found that 88% of respondents were struggling with anxiety, and the suicide rate among higher education students is creeping upwards each year (95 in the year ending July 2017). In an article addressing this emergency, published last week in the Guardian, former SUUCL Postgraduate Officer Mark Crawford hit the nail on the head: “universities enact policies and a structure of learning that encourages poor mental health among students while at the same time underfunding services that could offset the consequences”.
From homesickness (at any stage of your degree) and loneliness when you haven’t yet settled into a friendship group, to the pressure of looming deadlines and anxiety about finances and housing, there are so many unique, personal reasons why being at university can be tough – sometimes really tough – on your mental health. It’s also true that the support offered by our institutions is paltry (see UCL Fund Our Mental Health Services). Even when there is something in place, the network of different systems can appear confusing and bureaucratic from the outside, such that students don’t know what is available or that they are even eligible for receiving help in the first place. Reaching out is easier said than done – especially when simply telling someone you’re not okay is all your energy spent – but knowing exactly where to go, and what you need to do when you get there, is invaluable.
Disability Services
In case you’re unsure, long-term mental health conditions are a disability. You’ll need to provide medical evidence of a clinical diagnosis from your GP or Psychiatrist, so unfortunately this service isn’t necessarily accessible for those confronting mental illness for the first time. But if this applies to you, use it to your advantage and declare your condition.
Depending on the nature of your illness and the way it impacts your studies, you will then be offered ‘reasonable adjustments’. These can be anything from deadline extensions and extra time in exams, to remote learning technology if you are unable to make it onto campus. The first step is meeting with an advisor – Drop-In Sessions happen every working day – or you can book a specific time via the askUCL portal. At this meeting, advisors will work with you to create a ‘Summary of Reasonable Adjustments’ or ‘SORA’. This is a document that lists all the adjustments you need, to be shared with your department administrators and the leaders of any modules you are taking. Don’t worry, this doesn’t require specific personal details, and the advisors will check what you are happy to share (more information on confidentiality here). It certainly isn’t a black mark against your name; it is actually incredibly helpful in that you don’t have to keep explaining your situation to different members of staff.
The Disability Service can also link up students with mental health ‘mentors’. These are not therapists or trained counsellors, rather they are individuals that work with you one-on-one to navigate the system. Mentors are a bit like personal tutors (more on them below), except they’re focused solely on pastoral care and can probably meet with you on a more regular basis.
Student Support and Wellbeing, floor 1 in the Student Centre
Student Psychological and Counselling Services
Through this service, UCL provides counselling for any and all students, although it’s worth noting that SPCS are not equipped to support certain mental health conditions such as PTSD and eating disorders, and they won’t offer appointments to those already seeing a therapist. You can register using this online form, which should take 20-30 minutes to complete. The form includes admin details such as your address and GP, some personal questions such as what you enjoy doing in your spare time, some specific information about the problems you are facing, as well as two psychological questionnaires: Generalised Anxiety Disorder and a General Health Questionnaire.
After completing the form, you’ll be given a consultation appointment with one of the therapists so they can work out whether to offer you short-term individual counselling, an appointment with one of their psychiatrists, or referral to a more specialist service outside UCL. As with all therapies, effectiveness definitely depends on your ability to connect with the specific counsellor you’re matched with.
SPCS is more accessible in the sense that you don’t need a diagnosis from a medical professional to register, but the waiting list for an initial consultation can be unacceptably long, especially at peak times such as exam season. The severity of your condition may also influence how quickly you can be seen. I could write an entire article on this paradox, but let’s just say it’s pretty problematic that students are left waiting until they are truly in crisis, when issues could be addressed much earlier. If you need more urgent care, don’t wait – use the emergency numbers listed at the end of this article.
UCL Student Psychological Services, 3 Taviton Street
Care First
This is an external organisation that UCL have partnered with in order to provide free out of hours support for students when the above services are closed. That means from 5pm to 9am on weekdays, and 24 hours on weekends, bank holidays, and UCL closure periods. Care First employ a ‘brief solution-focused therapy’ model i.e. short-term counselling. They have a telephone service (0800 197 4510) and an online portal with a unique login and password for UCL students (uclstudent; bentham).
Personal Tutors
As you’re probably already aware, every student has a personal tutor organised by your department to provide academic support, career advice and keep an eye on your wellbeing. Tutors can be hit and miss, with some who invest time in monitoring their students’ wellbeing, while others only offer you a ten minute catch up at the end of each term so they can check a box. If you’re lucky enough to have a brilliant personal tutor, make the most of it and keep them in the loop. If you don’t think you’re getting adequate support from them, speak to your department or go to one of the services detailed above.
What about..?
This feature has focused on mental health, but there are a variety of other support structures at UCL for those with other long-term conditions such as mobility difficulties, visual or hearing impairments and specific learning difficulties. Visit the newly refurbished advice centre at 25 Gordon Street to pick up all the information (I left with an armful of leaflets while researching this piece!) or watch the following video.
Emergencies
999 | Samaritans 116123 | Nightline 02076310101