Student stress highlighted by local boy tragedy

University can be an incredibly stressful time for students. Not just from the workload but also the mental effects it can have. Loneliness and stress, along with anxiety and depression are commonplace among young people at university.

Recently it was reported that a Hampshire student committed suicide in his home near Romsey. At the inquest into his death, it was heard that he was struggling with his workload at university and was disappointed with the progress of an experiment he was carrying out. He’d signed up to university counselling, seen his GP and his family felt that he’d gotten a lot better since the previous year.

According to the Universities UK’s mental well-being working group, there’s been a record breaking rise in students seeking help for stress. There’s been an annual rise of 10% for university counselling services – an area which until recently had been almost ignored.

It’s not just an issue that affects Southampton Solent University students, or even those just in the local area. Rebecca Smith, who studies Geography and Business at the University of Nottingham student said, “When I first went to Uni I felt really lonely because I didn’t have any close friends there and I was just in my room, alone, all day.”

University of Bath student, Hannah Avery said, “the cost of Uni puts me under pressure because I feel like I have to do really well to make it worth it.” The pharmaceutical student also said, “I just don’t want to let my parents down because they sacrificed so much to get me here.”

Mental health of young people is becoming more of a priority for many establishments from the government to schools and universities. Southampton Solent has its own counsellors where students can have someone to talk to, which can be found through Solent Portal.