Student wellbeing guide

University can place students under a unique set of circumstances that affect wellbeing. Living away from home for the first time, coping with exams and deadlines, the pressure to succeed, uncertainty about work and financial hardship can all build up. It is normal to feel down, anxious or stressed from time to time, but if these feelings affect your daily activities, including your studies, or do not go away after a couple of weeks, it is important to ask for help.

Why mental wellbeing matters

Mental wellbeing is important at every stage of life. It affects how we feel, how we think, how we behave, how we make decisions, and how we build relationships with others.

It gives you strength and support to achieve your potential, and it is essential in learning, growing and discovering who you are.

What can affect your wellbeing

Stress, addiction, exams, self esteem, loneliness, being away from home, trauma, debt, feeling spiritually disconnected, abuse, anxiety and relationships can all play a part.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Even the most confident people will have experienced anxiety on some level. Anxiety disorders are very common, and are a lot more than feeling worried. Seek help if you think this could be you.

Symptoms can include overwhelming panic, a feeling of loss of control, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, hot flushes or chills, trembling or shaking, nausea or stomach cramps, feeling restless and feeling faint.

To identify your triggers, keep a journal. Notice the times you tend to get anxious. Is it before class, while studying, or before sleeping? Then think of ways to change your response that work for you.

To cope, find ways to calm your anxiety, whether that is squeezing a stress ball, taking deep breaths, being outside or talking to a friend. Make sure you are sleeping enough. Exercise regularly, as this releases built up tension. Try to mimic test taking conditions so exams feel more familiar. And seek help.

Stress

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure. When this feeling is overwhelming, it can feel like you cannot cope.

Signs include irritability or a short temper, poor quality of work, oversleeping or fatigue, lack of focus and constant worry, and loss of appetite or eating too much. We all react to stress in different ways.

To tackle it, talk to a lecturer and get help if you are overwhelmed with your workload. Work on projects with a friend. Aim to get eight hours of sleep. Break projects up into small steps and create a timetable to tick these off, including regular breaks. Turn fears into faith and try to calm your mind with spirituality. Meditate or practise mindfulness for ten minutes a day.

Self esteem

Self esteem is how much you respect and value yourself, including having confidence in your own abilities and faith in your potential.

Signs of low self esteem include hating or disliking yourself, feeling worthless or not good enough, being unable to assert yourself, feeling like no one likes you, blaming yourself for things that are not your fault, and thinking you do not deserve happiness.

Empower yourself by setting boundaries so people cannot take advantage of you. Saying no is important and healthy. Spend less time with people who put you down. Be aware of how you talk to yourself, and try saying things you would say to a friend. Set goals and take small steps every day. Recognise that you are good at things, and focus on what you enjoy doing.

Addiction

Addiction is a strong, uncontrollable need to carry out a particular activity, such as alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography. There is no single reason why addictions develop. It can happen to anyone at any point in their life.

Regularly drinking or spending time on the internet may seem like a relaxing activity, but over time this can turn into a detrimental addiction without you realising it.

With a habit, you can start and stop at any time and you do something by choice. With an addiction, you cannot stop, and stopping would make you uncomfortable.

Whether you are taking drugs or watching porn, the addiction process is the same. The frontal lobe is the area most affected by addiction. This is the area of your brain responsible for decision making and logical thinking.

The addiction cycle works like this. You engage in actions that increase pleasure chemicals such as dopamine. You feel pleasure, so you re-engage in the dopamine producing behaviour, even if it is bad for you. When the dopamine wears off, you feel withdrawal, sadness, flatness or depression.

Addiction thrives in guilt and shame. You do not have to fight this battle alone. Speak to someone you trust and get professional support.

Seven self care steps

Sleep. Good quality sleep helps your brain function properly. Keep your phone on silent and set a good night time routine that helps you wind down.

Time for yourself. Put on a face mask, watch something, listen to a podcast or reflect on the Quran. A detox from your phone and social media is crucial.

Hygiene. Being clean boosts your mood and promotes a healthy self image. Even if you have no lectures or anywhere to be, take a shower and feel refreshed.

Exercise. Being regularly active boosts your mood, wards off anxiety and depression, and releases endorphins.

Hydrate. Drinking water brings better mood, fewer headaches, more energy, healthy skin, better digestion and a healthy heart.

Socialise. Socialising improves emotional and physical health. Find opportunities to do it, and remember it can be with just one friend.

Mindfulness. This helps you stay present each day, prevents negative thoughts or worries about the future, relieves stress and improves the quality of your sleep.

Wellbeing tips

Spend time with people you feel comfortable and safe with. Pick up a new hobby such as painting or baking. If you want happiness, give happiness, whether that is volunteering locally, giving food to someone homeless or caring for an animal. Get some sunlight. Exercise in small amounts, since a ten minute walk can boost your mood for two hours. Surround yourself with positive, inspiring words.

Feeling spiritually disconnected

Get to know Him. It is hard to build a strong relationship with someone we barely know. Try getting to know Allah through the virtue of His names.

Remind yourself of His love. We are human and so is our heart. It is perfectly normal to experience highs and lows in our imaan. Remind yourself that no matter how much you feel you have disconnected from Him, He is all loving, all merciful and all forgiving.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel positive and uplifted, and who remind you of Allah and His presence.

Be mindful in your prayers. Our five daily prayers can be a constant refresher of our faith if we choose to see it that way. When you pray, try to pay attention to the words you are saying to Him, much like you would if you were talking to your best friend.

Be patient with yourself. If you feel disconnected, give yourself the time and space you need. Try not to feel anxious or pressured to always feel spiritually high.

Leaning on spirituality

Tawakkul means turning to God for protection and peace, and putting your worries and trust in Him. Forgiveness can remove negative feelings or heaviness from your heart.

Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. Quran 13:28.

After every difficulty comes ease. Surely, after every difficulty comes ease. Quran 94:5 to 6.

Allah is sufficient for me; there is no God but He. In Him I have put my trust. Quran 9:129.

Dhikr can bring us peace, performing wudu has calming effects, and kindness and charity are great mood boosters. Practising gratitude can train our minds to think positively.

Where else to find support

Contact the support service at your university, as there is often help available there.

Samaritans, on 116 123. NSPCC, on 0800 1111. Inspirited Minds. YoungMinds.

If any of this sounds like you, you do not have to work it out alone. The Muslim Youth Helpline is free and confidential, open every day from 4pm to 10pm on 0808 808 2008. You can also chat with us online or email us.