Mental Health Concerns: Nurturing Your Emotional Well-being at Buckinghamshire New University
The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week. These statistics are suggestive of the fact that mental health concerns are increasing significantly. With the growing numbers and with more people experiencing these difficulties it is important to recognize them and take appropriate action. At Buckinghamshire New University, we understand the profound impact that mental health concerns can have on individuals and their lives. It is crucial to acknowledge and understand different conditions to provide the necessary support and resources for those experiencing them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week. These statistics are suggestive of the fact that mental health concerns are increasing significantly. With the growing numbers and with more people experiencing these difficulties it is important to recognize them and take appropriate action. At Buckinghamshire New University, we understand the profound impact that mental health concerns can have on individuals and their lives. It is crucial to acknowledge and understand different conditions to provide the necessary support and resources for those experiencing them.
There are a variety of mental health concerns that one could experience. Some of the common mental health concerns one could experience are as follows:
- Stress - stemming from academics, life in general, past experiences
- Low energy and lack of concentration and focus
- Anxiety - persistent and excessive worry, fear, and apprehension
- Panic attacks – a brief episode of anxiety, which could cause physical symptoms like shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, dizziness, ringing sound in ear, trembling or muscle tension
- Poor sleep hygiene – sleeping too little or too much
- Disordered eating – variable eating patterns where one could be consuming too little or too much. Could also be linked to body image concerns.
- Relational difficulties – finding it difficult to make or maintain stable relationships with others
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Dissociation – Feeling disconnected with yourself and the world around you. One may feel detached from their own body and might feel the world around them is unreal.
- Derealization – Feeling as if the world around you is unreal and everything seems foggy and lifeless.
- Delusions - false beliefs that the person thinks are real.
- Hallucinations - where you hear, see, smell, taste or feel things that appear to be real but only exist in your mind
- Self-harm – hurting oneself physically or emotionally, also includes self-neglect behaviours.
- Thoughts and feelings of suicide, often accompanied with hopeless, helplessness and feelings of worthlessness.
If a person experiences a mental health concern for an extended period, and it significantly impacts their work and life, it could be of clinical concern and may be a diagnosable disorder as well. A mental health disorder is a condition in which an individual has a clinically significant disturbance in their cognition, emotional regulation and behaviour.