PARENTS
Advice
Best days U
of your life?
Dr Nihara Krause looks at how resilience can help students to stave off potential mental ill health problems while they are at university
niversity is often seen as being a halcyon period in life and, while this is true for a large number of students, for some it also poses
a challenging transition point, potentially increasing the risk of mental ill health. Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of risk, so building a young person’s ability to be resilient is essential to maintain positive mental health. Resilience is made up of many factors and it is often very helpful for parents and young people to identify protective factors such as good family relationships, the ability to self regulate, positive interpersonal skills,
adaptability and resourcefulness. Resilience can be learned, and this quality can be very beneficial in negotiating the challenges that come from the university experience. The expectation that university has to be the best time period of your life can be daunting. Some of the challenges faced by young people as they step into university life include looking after their finances, taking responsibility for their academic attendance and performance, managing their diet, regulating their social life, resisting binge behaviour in the face of various temptations, maintaining good sleeping habits and forming friendships. Such change is stressful and will require adaptation on the part of the young person. Some students negotiate this positively, but for others these stressors take a heavy toll. The statistics are concerning. Research indicates that one in four young people who are over the age of 18 present with a diagnosable mental ill health difficulty in their lifetime, with three-quarters of adult mental ill health difficulties having started by the age of 24. Over the past five years, 80 per cent of
UK universities have reported a significant rise in student mental health needs. It’s important to note that institutions
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WhatLive.co.uk Spring 2019
are responding to this by updating and improving wellbeing and support services, and are working to increase awareness of how students can access such help. As with physical health, mental health can fluctuate on a spectrum from well to ill, and for many young people the trigger may be the pressures they face during university. Students who have had previous mental health problems are particularly vulnerable, and will need extra preparation and support to make sure no relapse occurs. Mental ill health includes a range of conditions, and depression is by far the most common. A university lifestyle of poor sleep and diet, as well as excessive alcohol, along with poorly managed stress can often have significant effect on mood. There are some conditions that more commonly start in young adulthood, which need accurate diagnosis and early treatment. Family can contribute in supporting the
positive mental health of students. This means parents have extra responsibility towards those who have or are vulnerable to mental illness through making sure that early identification, and provision of access to early intervention, is made available, as well as working with the university to access support services, monitoring safety and ensuring progress. It is important to acknowledge that a son or daughter leaving for university is a significant milestone for the family, often requiring adjustment to this change, so taking steps towards building family resilience is a useful preventative step. Ultimately, going to university should
be a joyous experience. It is a step towards independence and exciting future prospects. There is no reason why it can’t be the best time of a student’s life, and with a focus on building resilience and access to support, students and families can thrive. l
Dr Nihara Krause is a consultant clinical psychologist, and founder and CEO of the charity stem4
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