Useful Techniques to Manage Stress: Stress Awareness Day

Tazmin shares her experience of stress and some useful techniques to manage it, in support of National Stress Awareness Day.

- Tazmin

The first step to dealing with stress is to accept and acknowledge that you are feeling stressed; avoidance will only cause it to become more life-affecting.

As a society I feel we can accept stress as a part of our everyday lives. I believe that this attitude is completely flawed and must be changed.

Although university may be considered some of the best years of your young adult life, it can also cause a great deal of stress due to both external and internal factors.

We are constantly surrounded by and reminded of change; we are away from home, and are in a completely new environment. We have to deal with higher and more complex amounts of money. We are surrounded by new and different kinds of people in new social situations. Our work load and level may be greater than what we have dealt with before. It is natural, especially in the first year of university, to feel overwhelmed by all that is happening around you.

Stress is a part of our biology, just like it is with animals. It is vital for our survival; having both negatives and positives. Animals only know instinctive fear, that is, if a rabbit sees a fox it will run as fast as possible and hide in order to protect itself from what it feels � death.

We as people have a similar response to things which threaten the balance in our lives. Sometimes people thrive under a stressful situation. I have known people who have left their dissertation rather late and the pressure of having to get it done means they do in a short amount of time and achieve very high grades. There are other people who do not respond so well to stress, in which it has negative effects on their wellbeing, their grades and happiness. These are two simple cases of the �fight or flight response�.

When stress starts to impact your life in many areas this is when it may become life-altering. Often times when someone is feeling high stress they very well may begin to avoid the things that are causing them stress and when they are finally faced with the reality of it, this can cause them to feel worse and maybe even cause a bout of ill mental health.

There are many effective techniques to help you deal and manage this. If you�re truly feeling the full weight of stress talk to your tutors, student support officer and other peers in regards to getting support from them. Do not bottle it up � it�s simply not worth it.

- Schedule: Form a schedule that works for you. Make sure it is a realistic one, ensuring you still have social time and time for yourself. It is so important to keep restoring balance in your new university lifestyle.

- Exercise: Find some form of outlet that is healthy for you, such as joining the gym, going for a run, practicing meditation, yoga �something active that releases endorphins and takes your mind off everything else.

- Sleep: Depending on how you are and what your social life is like, having a good sleeping pattern can only benefit your brain and your stress levels. If you�re constantly overtired, due to frantic sleeping patterns, this is not going to help. Take a step back, do social things in the day and try to get to sleep at the same hour and for 8 hours each night.

- Writing: As a writer, I find this really helps me get all my thoughts, worries and feelings out � we are reflective beings and writing only has positive effects. Write down your stresses and see what it reveals. Use it as a therapy.


- Goals: Set yourself realistic goals, weekly. Put this alongside your schedule but be realistic and don�t expect to write 5000 word essays each day.

- Relax: Find your own comfortable way to relax; mine used to be put all technology away and go for a nice long walk as the sunset.

Understand that stress, to a certain extent can be productive for us, but not all the time. It is a part of university life, but it doesn�t have to be a constant part of it. Take things at your own pace. Try not to let the university lifestyle cause you stress and panic. Everything is new and changing. Enjoy it because when you look back, you won�t remember the days you were stressed, you�ll remember the days you were happy.

Hey guys, it�s Tazmin. My journey suffering with severe depression and anxiety has been a difficult one; but I would not be who I am today had I not accepted my illness and worked to get better. I have just graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a First in Film and Media Production, something which I thought I'd never do.  I�ve had my blog Awareness for two years and it has been so rewarding for me; I want my writing to help, inspire and touch people. I now wish to support and encourage anyone who is suffering through university with this blog. Happy reading!
awarenessbytazmin.wordpress.com

Stress and the Future: Stress Awareness Day

Katie shares her own experience of Stress in support of National Stress Awareness Day!

- Katie

Sometimes it�s easy to feel overcome with fear of what the future might hold. The unknown is scary to everyone, but those of us who deal with Anxiety, OCD and other mental difficulties, are likely to stress even more. Here�s how I deal with the stress of moving forward:

I�m currently in my second year at University which is usually the time in a person�s academic life when people are told to be considering their future, future careers in particular. I�ve been bombarded with emails regarding career fairs, talks, and opportunities and sometimes it can all feel a little bit overwhelming. I�m 19 years old, I don�t know exactly where I will be in the next ten years, and this often causes me a lot of stress.

The unknown is terrifying, isn�t it? But it doesn�t have to be. I deal with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in my everyday life and this means that I like order, and the future is something I cannot control. There is no set path through life that everyone goes down, life varies so much for each person but this isn�t a bad thing.

It�s okay that we can�t have everything planned out. Life is so much more exciting because it is unpredictable. Will I live in England forever? Or will a future job or relationship mean I move abroad? How many children will I have? What will my home look like? These are all questions I cannot answer. Of course I can have a basic life plan, but no one knows exactly how life will turn out.

When you tell someone you suffer from anxiety, often you hear this response �just don�t think about things that worry you�, which is an impossible feat for anyone to achieve. I have my own ways to deal with anxiety and stress; useful tips I want to share with you. Therefore, when the thought of your future gets you down, you can find a way to calm yourselves, relax and know that no one�s future is set. You can turn that anxiety into excitement for what your life might bring.

Firstly, a good night�s sleep is always a good way to combat stress. I use an app called Sleepcycle to track how well I am sleeping. I also use it to notice any patterns in my eating and drinking habits, and other activities which could be impacting my sleep. Food and drink are very important as caffeinated products are going to intensify stress and anxiety. For me the effects of caffeine particularly on my heart rate is what led me to restrict my intake of things like coffee.

Secondly, reading is my safe haven. Whenever life seems to get a bit too much I bury my head in a good book. I am currently reading �The Little Book of Hygge�, which is a particularly relaxing book as it�s all about the ways in which Danish people live their lives, as Denmark is known as the happiest country in the world.

Finally, little things like lighting candles, and taking long hot baths, listening to your favourite album whilst taking a long walk on a crisp sunny morning can all help to destress your soul. The app Headspace is a favourite of mine. I listen to a guided meditation each night before sleeping as it allows you to clear your mind of the days worries and helps you get the best night�s sleep you can.

Stress is a part of everyone�s lives but I hope that some of you can use my tips to relax. Remember it�s okay to feel worried sometimes, you just need to be able to let go of that worry at the end of the day. Don�t let it drag you down, trust me I�ve been there, but you can power through. You�re not alone. I hope you all have the most exciting lives you could ever want.

 

Hello, I�m Katie, a history student in her second year at Queen Mary University of London. Going to university while living with diagnoses of GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can be difficult; I am writing for Student Minds to share my experiences.

Fresher�s Fever: behind the curtain of euphoria

Emma writes about how being a Fresher isn't necessarily carefree and the best time of your life, and reassures readers that if you're struggling to settle into uni, you won't be the only one who feels this way.

- Emma Wilson

Insecurity.

Low self-esteem.

Perceived rejection.

These are the feelings that are seemingly hidden behind the mask of Fresher�s fever.

University can be the best time of your life. It is a chance to make long-lasting friendships, learn from professors who are experts in their subject area, and experience the big wide world outside of the family home.

But there is another side to starting university, one that isn�t glamourised in the news or spoken about during sixth-form. And that is dealing with the emotions, thoughts and feelings that arise when dealing with a new environment. This is most apparent in the first few weeks of university, when social events take place and friendships are being formed.

Amidst the haze and whirlwind of Fresher�s week and your first few months at university, it may get to the point where you start to wonder: am I fitting in? Why are those girls hanging out but haven�t invited me? Why do I feel lonely when last night I felt on top of the world? I didn�t go to clubbing last night, will I now be an outsider? Have I missed out?

Let me tell you this. How you feel is how most people feel when starting university. Seriously. It is only in hindsight and having spoken to university friends that I have learned just how terrified everyone feels during those first few weeks or months. It is amazing what persona people can put on during the quest for acceptance amongst one�s peers.

It is also important to gain some perspective about meeting new people. If you're lucky, you'll get on with your new flatmate as soon as you realise your mutual love for the Great British Bake Off. But more often than not, it can take a while to find a group of people that match your interests. 

It is important to remember this: friendships don�t form overnight � not those which will stand the test of time. These strong bonds develop over months or years. Just think about the friends you have from back home. Those who mean the most won�t leave your life. In fact, going to university or moving away is a real test of any friendship. Having graduated from university in 2013, I can see this now. I ended up becoming good friends with people from outside of my course; those I hadn�t even met until the second term, or even the second year of university. People come and go in our lives. It�s important to be surrounded by people who inspire you, who drive you forward � who make you feel good about who you are.

My final piece of advice is this: enjoy the start of your university adventure. It is an experience like no other. But try to remember who you are. It�s good to step outside your comfort zone, but don�t go beyond your limits � respect yourself, and others will respect you. Don�t worry about being called the �boring one� for not taking 10 shots of tequila. And don�t feel like you don�t deserve to join your flatmates on a trip to Nando�s just because you never received that text message � it�s nothing personal, things just get a little hectic. And if these doubts start to creep into your mind, don�t fret. Chances are, most people are feeling the same.


If you are finding the start of university tough, we have more information about tips for settling in, missing home, and ways of looking after yourself on the Student Minds website here and information about finding support here. 

Hi everyone, I'm Emma. I graduated from King's College London in 2013 and completed an MSc in 2016. I struggled with different mental and physical health problems whilst at university and am keen to share some of the things that did, and didn't, help in my recovery. I now write, train and consult in the field of mental health and you can find me on Twitter (@MindfulEm).

Assignment 1: Accepting Me

Charlotte discusses her experience with grief and ongoing anxiety regarding her decision to change university course.

-       Charlotte Stevenson

When my granddad passed away from cancer, I was 17 years old. It was incredibly hard - not only had I always felt closest to him, but I had also been caring for him. The weeks which followed are a blur of grief, and my brain seems to have erased much of what happened. This is largely because at the same time, I was also learning to cope with my own anxiety and panic disorder.

Grief and anxiety are difficult to handle together. At first, both seemed entirely out of control; whenever I managed to control one, the other would rear its ugly head. For a long time, I tried to ignore it all and get on with life as �normal� - which back then meant giving all my attention to A level's and not really listening to my brain. Instead of allowing myself the time and space I needed to process everything, I threw myself into schoolwork and extra-curriculars. While these things mattered to me, they didn't distract from my larger problems. If anything, I now realise that it was merely to create the illusion that I was fine.

Until this point, I had spent most of my life preparing to be a classical singer. This dream had led me to sing with choirs and orchestras all over Europe, audition for elite conservatoires, and take extra exams to prove my vocal ability. However, the high-pressure environment of classical singing isn't for everyone. When I began a conservatoire course after A levels, I was excited! But upon arrival, I found that all my hard work, even at my ideal school, wasn�t a time machine that could take me back to my former self. In fact, throughout my entire time at music college, I felt like a failure; nothing made sense and I didn�t feel like I belonged. I decided to try moving home to complete the first year of my course.

Once I returned home, I told my mum everything. I had been incredibly worried because I didn't want to upset or disappoint her after everything we went through with granddad. But once I had told her (and we both spent that evening crying) I felt massive relief - now it was out loud, it was real. I had acknowledged anxiety for the first time. After that moment, which was a long time in the making, I was then able to learn how to care of myself and my mental health properly. I started speaking about it more, balancing my workload, and generally putting myself first. It isn't easy, and still isn�t 100% natural, but I�m gradually adjusting.

The most important step I made towards self-care was re-applying to university for a subject I love: English Literature. When you train for music all your life, it�s very easy to put on a pair of blinkers, thinking it�s your only possible future, but there were always other subjects that I enjoyed studying. In fact, now I want to learn everything I can in my lifetime. Getting accepted to my dream literature course was another confusing milestone. While I was over the moon, I also thought that I had let my granddad down. Before he passed away, he made my mum promise that I wouldn't give up music. I spoke to mum, and she said that while it was hard, I had made the right decision for myself and my own happiness - which is all that granddad would have wanted. She was right - studying English quite literally saved my life.

If there is one thing that I hope you take from this, it�s that putting yourself first and talking about your problems � especially when it�s difficult � is the best way to take care of your mental health. Too often, because it�s not physical, we call the problem 'imaginary'. But you would seek help for a broken leg, and it's the same for your brain. Telling someone you trust can be the first step to recovery - not straightaway, but gradually. It might not seem so now but I can promise you, reaching out does make a difference.

Hi, I'm Charlotte and I'm a student at York St. John University. My ambition is to be a writer, and I have worked on projects with UCAS, the Guardian, and the Travel Pocket Guide. Writing about anxiety, how I have dealt with it, and the importance of putting mental health first, is some of the most important work I have yet produced, which is why writing for Student Minds matters so much to me.

Resources for overcoming Mental Health Difficulties

Michael shares his go-to resources for mental health difficulties.

- Michael Rigby

There are so many resources that will help you get back up after being knocked down. However, we don�t always realise this� we tend to think we have nothing that can help us. I�ve probably asked myself more than a thousand times: �how do I get back up from this?� I even have a couple of falls to this day, but that�s just part of the rebuilding process. Here is a list of resources that could help:

1: Family/Friends- These are the key people who will always be there for you, whether you�re at your best or your worst. Never forget to show your appreciation for these people: you only get one set of parents, and friends can be just like family. I�m not saying that all friends will be there for you at your moment of weakness,  but re-evaluate your group of friends you have and think about the ones who are there for you as much as you are there for them. Those people will help you, and you will probably find that you�re helping them as well.

2: Physical Activity- I understand not everyone likes this subject. However, it�s proven that exercising daily for at least 30 minutes to an hour will improve your mental health as well as your physical health. Also, it can be a massive stress-reliever. You can�t beat the feeling of putting on headphones and blocking out this stressful world for an hour.

3: YouTube- I�ve managed to find many motivational videos that have been put together by professionals. Honestly, I think they are brilliant. My personal favourite: �Unbroken by Mateusz M�, a video that includes inspirational lines from motivational speakers Les Brown and Eric Thomas, and the late Louis Zamperini and Steve Jobs.

4: The background of your role models- Many people tend to think that big names have had it easy and are lucky to be where they are in life. However, that�s not always the case. These people are also human, just like the rest of us, and you�ll find that these individuals share our stories in some way. I personally think autobiographies are very engaging reads and you�ll get an insight into what life was like before �success�. At the moment, I�m reading the autobiography of the well known comedian Kevin Hart. Personally, I think the story is fantastic. To see somebody fight and crawl to make it to the big time inspires me. He�s not the only person to have had a difficult life before fame. Therefore, think of one of your role-models and go and read their story.

You�ll find that everyone has a story, but what matters is how you choose to write the next chapter. These people were just like us� the only difference is that they�re making their story the best it can possibly be. You could say �they�re true success stories� which is true. However, they�re also just people who didn�t let hard times defeat them; that�s the true success of their stories.

We all know these times are difficult. However, we have to keep going. Nothing that is dragging you down should be allowed to defeat you or define who you are as a person. You�re not weak, you�re not a quitter, you�re one of the strongest people in the world. Only the very few can relate to how hard it is to battle with your mind everyday. You will overcome this� you just have to KEEP FIGHTING!



Hi, I'm Michael Rigby and I study Sports Business and Broadcasting at UCFB Wembley. I have experienced mental illness, including depression and social anxiety, since the age of 14.

Always Be Your Biggest Inspiration

Tazmin gives advice on how to define, and follow through with, your goals at uni.

- Tazmin Pye

A couple of mornings ago, I woke up for work and got ready. Whilst sat in the car, about to be on my way, I noticed a Facebook notification pop up saying �you have memories�, so I had a look and realised that three years ago I started university.

Now, having finished, I have really been missing university and the lifestyle it offers, especially after entering the adult world. I wasn�t quite ready to leave, but I don�t think many of us were.
It caused me to feel incredibly nostalgic about who I was at the time, what I�ve been through, and the ups and downs I experienced at university.

I found it so interesting that someone who misses university greatly, who speaks so highly of their experience there, was absolutely determined to leave while there. My depression and anxiety really took their toll on me, to the point where the only thing I thought was going to help would be dropping out. How glad I am that I didn�t.

Why did I want to leave?

I felt depressed. I felt low. I felt vulnerable and lonely. I struggled with social situations. I thought it wasn�t for me.

Why didn�t I leave? What stopped me from going?

Myself.

I found a letter that I wrote to myself when I was starting therapy back home in Birmingham. I remembered how much worse off I was emotionally. I remembered how I decided to use my anxiety and depression to motivate me, rather than cause me to hide away. In that letter, I told myself that I would get through the pain I was in at the time, I would get into a university of my choosing to study film production, and that I would be great at it.

I sat back and realised �Wait, I�m here right now. I�ve achieved everything I wanted to at the time of writing that letter. Now let�s create new achievements. New goals. New aspirations. Write myself a new letter, a new promise to myself�.

They were:

• Try and enjoy the course I worked so hard to get onto. Enjoy it first, worry about it second.
• Don�t fear people, but understand that your lifelong friends are out there somewhere and you need to go find them.
• Have love for yourself. Go and find yourself and enjoy how different every day can be. Enjoy your growth, change and evolution as a person. 
• Do not fear happiness, for it is your birthright.

And so I didn�t drop out. I took the wisdom I wrote to myself when I was in a lot more pain, and I powered through. I got a First in my degree. I met some incredible people who have impacted my life wonderfully. I did it!

It is so important to not listen to the bad things your mental illness may tell you, and to listen to your heart. Nothing should ever stop you from being what you want to be. In my case, all I wanted to be at university was happy.

Perhaps if you have just started university, sit down and write a letter to yourself. Set a date to open it, or put it away and wait for it to come back and find you. You can be your biggest inspiration. See how much you grow.

Remember � happiness is our birthright.

Hey guys, it�s Tazmin. My journey suffering with severe depression and anxiety has been a difficult one; but I would not be who I am today had I not accepted my illness and worked to get better. I have just graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a First in Film and Media Production, something which I thought I'd never do.  I�ve had my blog Awareness for two years and it has been so rewarding for me; I want my writing to help, inspire and touch people. I now wish to support and encourage anyone who is suffering through university with this blog. Happy reading! 

awarenessbytazmin.wordpress.com

�I�m so OCD�

People like to use the term 'OCD' as a character trait, but what does it really mean?

- Krishna

As someone who suffers from OCD, I don�t think that the phrase 'I'm so OCD' will ever stop making me feel like I�ve been slapped across the face. It doesn�t even make sense, I mean think about it.

But that phrase, along with so many others, even along with products that showcase OCD as a form of organization, have made my life so much more difficult.

I first understood that I had contamination OCD when I was at university. For a long time before I knew that I had OCD, my behaviours' were just a quirk. I remember being called �infection control� and always being relied on for having hand sanitizer in my bag. With time, what started as a quirk grew into something much more consuming. By the second year of university this simple overuse of soap was an illness that had the ability to trap me in my own home.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is cycle. It starts with an obsession (an intrusive, recurrent thought) which causes anxiety and severe discomfort. This is followed by an action which stops the anxiety. The issue is that the relief is short lived and the cycle starts all over again. For me this would focus on washing and cleanliness. I remember once having three showers straight after each other because of being near �contaminated things� in my own home. It was exhausting.

At my worst it was a struggle to leave my home, I was unable to cook food and use a public bathroom? Forget about it! But there were also other things. Things that were more subtle. I would lie a lot to avoid certain social situations; I used food and alcohol as coping mechanisms (which when you are at university doesn�t always ring alarm bells) and my self esteem was basically non-existent. All of these things were interlinked. It wasn�t that I had OCD and I washed my hands a lot. It was that I had a debilitating illness that affected basically every aspect of my life.

But I think I was lucky. I had heard of OCD at some point in my life, which meant that I started to seek support when I realised that I couldn�t fix what was happening by myself. I also started campaigning and decided to use my experiences to try and raise awareness. I wanted to put the difficulty that I was going through to some good use. If I could help one person to understand what OCD really felt like or give someone the confidence to seek support themselves, then it felt like maybe all the pain was worthwhile. That it had a purpose.

Recovery was a long process. When something is so integrated into your life it takes a lot of work and time to change it. I often say �recovery� because I view mental health on a spectrum. There isn�t �well� and �unwell� in my opinion. My recovery was about understanding and recognizing the harmful thoughts and behaviours� that I had developed and challenging them. Forcing myself to face them until they no longer caused me pain or anxiety.

Imagine that - think of the one thing that you are the most terrified of in this world, then imagine having to face it every single day for prolonged periods of time until you are no longer scared of it. No it wasn�t easy, but it was perhaps the most beneficial and life-changing thing that I have ever done.

We should all be looking after our own mental health just as we would our physical health, because it isn�t an abnormality to experience a mental health difficulty and recovery isn't about never feeling down or unwell. I have experienced recovery but I still go through periods of difficulty. Times where I can feel the intrusive thoughts creeping back, manifesting themselves in different ways. When I notice that I am going through bottles of soap much quicker and using avoidance techniques again. The difference now is that I can notice it. I can see the signs and I know what I need to do to ensure that it doesn�t get worse.

I will forever feel frustrated when I hear phrases like �I�m so OCD� because it trivialises something that impacted my life in such a consuming, challenging way. It isn�t a joke; it's very real for a lot of people. This OCD Awareness Week I want to continue to share that understanding.

The next time you hear someone joke about OCD, question it, ask them what it means. Then tell them what OCD actually is.

You could be helping someone like me who just needed to know that she had an illness, that it wasn�t her fault and that it could get better. And it did.

Want tips on understanding OCD or want to seek support? Visit OCD Action or Mind.

Hi I�m Krishna, the Design and Office Manager at Student Minds. I setup my first OCD awareness campaign back in 2013 which led me to the Student Minds group at Sheffield Hallam University. I then joined the Student Minds staff team in early 2016. As a graphic designer I am passionate about using design to raise understanding of mental health difficulties, inspire conversations around mental health and help to show people that they are not alone.