Having an idea about what anxiety is and the different ways that it manifests will help you to empathise with how your friend is feeling, and recognise when they may be struggling. Putting pressure on your friend to face the things that trigger their anxiety may seem like a good idea, but it can actually make things a lot worse. It's important to be patient and allow them to go at their own pace. Asking your friend about their anxiety and how it makes them feel will give you a better idea of how to help them. Listen about their experience and how their anxiety affects their day to day life. Getting your friends input on what help they would like from you is really important. Knowing that there is someone that knows how to support them may help them feel more in control. You can encourage your friend to seek treatment by accessing help from a GP, therapist, or other mental health charities. Don't force your friend into doing something that they aren't comfortable with. Ways that you can support your friend in seeking help can be offering to arrange any appointments for them, offer to support them in attending appointments, and help them research different options for therapy and resources for support. Looking after yourself is just as important as supporting your friend. You can do this by setting boundaries, making sure that you don't take on too much, sharing your role of support with others, talking to someone about how you're feeling, and finding support for yourself. By Aisia Lea

Anxiety UK https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/ You can access appointments with a therapist at £50 per session. Student Minds https://www.studentminds.org.uk/ Offers resources and support via their student space for people suffering from a variety of mental health problems. They offer free and confidential phone, text, webchat, and email support. Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/ MIND has emergency advice for those at risk of hurting themselves and crisis coping tools. Their InfoLine (0300 123 3393) is an information and signposting service. Their legal line (0300 466 6463) provides legal information and general advice on mental health related law. NHS Psychological Therapies https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/ A self referral system to access CBT and talking therapies for issues such as anxiety and depression. Hub of Hope https://hubofhope.co.uk/ A mental health support database. You can search for mental health support near you by typing in your postcode. No More Panic https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/ Offers support for people with panic disorders, anxiety, phobias, and obsessive compulsive disorder. You can access games, forums and a chat room. TOP UK https://www.topuk.org/ Triumph Over Phobia (TOP) UK is a charity for people who are struggling with OCD and phobias. You can find information here, as well as support groups which you can join. No Panic https://nopanic.org.uk/ They have a no panic helpline you can call (0300 772 9844) if you're having a panic attack. Insight https://www.insightiapt.org/ A self and GP referral service for a variety of mental health problems. By Aisia Lea.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders: Most people will experience feelings of anxiety at some point in their lives, particularly during stressful events, such as before an exam or a job interview. In people with anxiety disorders, these feelings are present a lot of the time and may affect their day to day life. Examples of anxiety disorders are: generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and health anxiety. If you feel like your anxiety is impacting your day to day life, it's a really good idea to make an appointment with your GP. Generalised Anxiety Disorder: regular worrying about everyday life. This is a broad diagnosis and symptoms can vary from person to person. Social Anxiety Disorder: fear or anxiety triggered by social situations. Panic Disorder: frequent panic attacks without an obvious cause or trigger. Phobias: fear or anxiety triggered by certain situations or objects. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: can include flashbacks or nightmares after you have experienced a traumatic event. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: when your anxiety problems involve having repetitive thoughts, behaviours or urges. Health Anxiety: usually related to OCD, where you have anxiety and obsession related to different illnesses, causing repetitive thoughts or behaviours. People with an anxiety disorder may only experience one or two symptoms of anxiety. Everyone experiences anxiety differently. Symptoms of anxiety include light-headedness or feeling dizzy, feeling restless, headaches, fast breathing, a fast, thumping heart rate, nausea, sleep problems, hot flushes and sweating, needing the toilet more often, having panic attacks, feeling tense or nervous, having a sense of dread, feeling like you can't stop worrying, fearing that bad things will happen if you stop worrying, wanting lots of reassurance, low mood or depression, worrying that people are angry or upset with you, derealisation, and depersonalisation. Causes of Anxiety Disorders: There are usually a number of reasons that cause your anxiety to develop, or sometimes there isn't a reason at all. Some common causes are past or childhood experiences, your current life situation, physical and mental health problems, or drugs and medication. More specific reasons are: physical or emotional abuse, neglect, losing a parent, bullying, exhaustion or stress, pressure from university or work, money or housing problems, bereavement, feeling lonely or isolated, side effects of medications or drugs, and long working hours. Treatment for Anxiety Disorders: You can access talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and applied relaxation therapy. Your doctor may prescribe you medications such as antidepressants, pregabalin, or beta-blockers. You can access treatment by self-referral (for CBT and other talking therapies) or by visiting your GP. Treatments on the NHS have long waiting lists, so you may find seeking help through a charity or an organisation is faster. Private therapy is also an option if you can afford it. Anxiety is a condition that can be managed, and is not a reason to be embarrassed or ashamed. You are not alone, and there are plenty of people waiting to help you. By Aisia Lea.

The aim of destigmatizing mental health is to encourage people to speak more openly about mental illness and to empower those struggling in seeking help. At the Welfare Hub, we aim to be a key part of destigmatizing mental at the university and in the medical school. We want to do this through education and sharing testomonies of people who have also struggled with their mental health to let medical and university students to know that they’re not alone. Some ways that you can help destigmatize talking about depression and suicide are: Educating Yourself Being educated about depression can help erase some of your own stigma and help you to teach other people about mental health. Stop Using Mental Health Issues as Adjectives When You Don’t Mean It It can help perpetuate stigma and trivialise mental health issues when we use them as flippant descriptors. Speak Openly Just talking about mental health helps to normalize the topic. Sharing resources can be really helpful. Support Your Friends If your friends come to you with mental health issues, listen to them without judgment and encourage them to seek help. We can all play a part in destigmatizing talking about mental illness, either openly by sharing resources and speaking about how you feel, or inwardly by educating yourself. Everything makes a difference. By Aisia Lea.

Following a systematic review and meta-analysis, around 27 percent of medical students around the world report depression or depressive symptoms. This is much higher than the 19 percent of adults in the UK who also suffer from depression. The reason for this could be intense pressures, high work loads and long hours of teaching. One thing is certain: medical students must be supported in these feelings. No one needs to or should struggle alone. Having depression or depressive feelings in medical school can make an already challenging subject that much harder, and may make you lose your interest or passion for the subject. It can compromise your patient’s and your own safety. This is why it’s really important to talk to someone about how you’re feeling. There may be a notion that medical professionals don’t struggle or shouldn’t struggle with their mental health, but this isn’t true. Medical professionals are ordinary people in an extraordinary position of responsibility and struggle just like anybody else. There is a host of support available to you if you’re feeling down, and a number of these resources can be found under our Mental Health Spotlight post ‘Resources for Depression and Suicide’. These resources are there to help you without judgment. Having depression and seeking help will not affect your fitness to practice unless you are putting yourself or your patients at risk. Depression can make you feel extremely isolated, but you are not alone. You are not alone in your struggle and you are never alone in seeking help. For more information on depression and suicide, visit our website to see our Mental Health Spotlight on the topic and to find resources if you are in need of support. By Aisia Lea.

Seeing someone that you love struggle with depression can be really difficult, and you may feel helpless. This doesn't have to be the case. There are plenty of ways to support someone struggling. The first thing to do if you suspect that someone close to you is experiencing depression is to educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of depression so that you can better recognise how they’re feeling. Once you have done this, it’s a really good idea to open up a dialogue with your friend. Encouraging them to talk about how they feel may help them to feel less alone and will give you a better understanding of the situation. However, be careful to not push or force them into speaking about something if they are not ready to. If they aren’t quite ready to talk, reassure them that you are there for them, that you care and you want to listen. It’s really important to not judge your friend and to support them, even if they seem reluctant to get help. You can encourage them to make little changes, such as doing something they enjoy, staying active and eating healthily. Gathering information on resources available to them and talking to them about this may encourage them to seek professional help. You could offer to join them for support on an appointment to their GP. Be cautious to not rush them. Make sure to keep in touch with them and regularly check up on them. This will help them to feel less isolated. It’s a good idea to invite them to go for a tea or coffee, or offer to meet up, even if they say no. It's important to be patient and not to be critical. Another way you can support is by helping to destigmatize talking about mental health issues. This can help other people speak out about how they feel if more people are educated and they feel as though they won't be judged or looked at differently for expressing their feelings. Although having someone close to you struggling with their mental health is difficult, it's so important to take care of yourself as well. If you feel as though you are taking on too much responsibility, or that your friend is relying on you too much, it's perfectly fine if you feel as though you need to pull back a bit, or to talk to someone about how you’re feeling. You should not put your own mental health at a detriment by helping others. If you are worried that your friend is at risk of hurting themselves or somebody around them, or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you or them need to contact a GP or phone NHS 111. By Aisia Lea.

NHS Depression and Anxiety Self-Assessment Quiz https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/depression-anxiety-self-assessment-quiz/ A quiz that may help you to better understand how you've been feeling over the past few weeks. Nottinghamshire Healthcare - Let's Talk https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/letstalkwellbeing Offers talking therapies for those registered with a GP in Nottingham. You can self refer online. NHS Psychological Therapies https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/ A self-referral system to access CBT and talking therapies for issues such as anxiety and depression. Students Against Depression https://www.studentsagainstdepression.org/ A website by students, for students that offers advice, information, guidance and resources to those affected by low mood, depression and suicidal thinking. Campaign Against Living Miserably https://www.thecalmzone.net/ Offers a free and confidential helpline and webchat 24/7. CALM also gives support to those who have suffered from bereavement. Papyrus https://www.papyrus-uk.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAieWOBhCYARIsANcOw0y89376VstD38nR9fS6GNt7lhbX8UP8uFGpYe-8AcqzkSQkP6cQTJkaAnQtEALw_wcB Gives confidential support to young people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. There is a number to call (0800 068 4141) and a webchat, open 9am to 12am every day. Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/ A 24 hour helpline that offers emotional support. Call on 116 123. The University Counselling Service https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling/ You can get an appointment by filling out a registration form and emailingcounselling.appointments@nottingham.ac.uk with your contact number. The University Mental Health Advisory Service https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/services/mental-health.aspx For referral to this service, please speak to your GP, Personal Tutor or Support and Wellbeing Officer. The team works with the University and external mental health services to support students. Medsoc Support https://www.facebook.com/NottsMedSocSupport/ You can contact MedSoc Support and their supporters at medsocsupport@nottingham.ac.uk. You can also reach out to a specific supporter directly. The Welfare Team https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/services/support-and-wellbeing-team.aspx You can contact the medical school welfare team at support-medhealthsci@nottingham.ac.uk. Nobody needs to struggle alone. Having depression or experiencing suicidal thoughts can be very isolating, and it may feel like you have no one to turn to. This is not the case. there are plenty of people who want to help and listen to. Many people struggle with mental health problems, and its time for the stigma around talking about it to end. By Aisia Lea.

Depression is where you feel persistently sad or down for a period of weeks or months. This is known as clinical depression. It affects people in different ways, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms of Depression Symptoms of depression can be feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, losing interest in things that you used to enjoy, constantly feeling tired, poor sleep, loss or lack of appetite, decreased sex drive, aches and pains, suicidal thoughts and feelings, symptoms of anxiety, and feelings of stress. Causes of Depression Depression can occur for a number of reasons, and can be triggered by a number of different things. A lot of the time, depression is caused by a variety of factors, such as a stressful life event, money worries, bereavement, or the end of a relationship. Stressful Life Events A stressful life event can increase your risk of depression, especially if you try to deal with the problem on your own. This may lead to isolation if you decide to stop seeing your friends and family. Loneliness can increase your risk of developing depression. Personality Your personality can put you at greater risk for depression if you have low self esteem or are overly self-critical. These traits in your personality may stem from a familial history of depression, inherited genes, or early experiences in childhood. A familial history of depression means that you are more likely to develop depression. Alcohol and Drugs Drinking or taking drugs can cause a spiral of depression. Using cannabis during your teenage years may increase your risk of developing depression. Treatment for Depression Treatment for depression is multi-faceted. It can involve lifestyle changes, talking therapies and medication. Cognitive behavioural therapy can be used for mild or moderate depression. Antidepressants may be used for more severe depression. Lifestyle changes that may help are exercise, decreasing alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and eating healthily. Depression is not something that you have to suffer in silence with. There are plenty of resources available to help you. If you are experiencing feelings of depression, it’s extremely worthwhile to contact your GP to discuss your treatment options. By Aisia Lea.