Student Mental Health
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behaviour could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
Mental health and wellbeing is just as important as our physical health and wellbeing. If you have a low mood for a period of time, then it might be useful to talk to someone who will listen, take your concerns seriously, help you to manage your feelings and explore coping strategies.
CAMHS for Doncaster offer a variety of support clinics that can be found on their website:
The Me Project
Factors affecting mental health and wellbeing:
ANGER Management
We all know what anger is, and we've all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage.
Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems at school, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you're at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion
It might be useful to talk to someone or try a relaxation technique, or visit one of the websites below.
Anxiety, Stress, and Panic Attacks
Anxiety
Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. The first day of school, going to a job interview, or giving a speech may cause most people to feel fearful and nervous. However, some people feel nervous or panicky for long periods of time and this can affect day-to-day life. They might then have trouble sleeping, feel tired and irritable, have difficulty concentrating, feel faint, and experience stomach cramps.
Stress
People feel stressed when they feel under pressure. For many people, a small amount of pressure can be good as it motivates them to complete tasks, undertake new ventures, revise for exams etc. However, when people feel under too much pressure they may then feel they are unable to cope. Everyone reacts to stress differently and has different levels of being able to cope. When someone isn’t coping they might display a range of emotions and behaviours for example: be angry, tearful, sad, withdrawn
Panic Attacks
A panic attack is a feeling of sudden and intense anxiety. Panic attacks can also have physical symptoms, including shaking, feeling disorientated, nausea, rapid, irregular heartbeats, dry mouth, breathlessness, sweating and dizziness.
The symptoms of a panic attack are not dangerous, but can be very frightening
Teenage Sleep Hub
The one stop shop for all you need to know about sleep.
If you’re looking for advice on how to sleep better, would like tips on tweaking your routine or help to understand the science behind your sleep patterns, you’ll find it all here.
Community Eating Disorder Service
01302 566980
Support for people with eating disorders – RDaSH NHS Foundation Trust
Bereavement
Everyone feels differently when someone close to them dies. How someone feels may depend on the relationship they had with that person when they were still alive and whether it was expected or sudden. There are a range of emotions which someone may have.
The following websites may be useful for additional support:
Winston's Wish - Offers practical support and guidance for bereaved children
Hope Again - A safe place where young people who are struggling with grief can share their stories with others
Child Bereavement UK - Support for children when someone close to them has died, or is about to die
Disordered eating, Eating disorders and body image
An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations. Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.
Anyone can get an eating disorder, but teenagers between 13 and 17 are mostly affected.
Specific websites which might be helpful are:
'MIND' aims to support you during your time as a student and provides useful tips and guidance, whether you are experiencing mental health problems or have done in the past, or whether you would just like more information on how to keep yourself healthy and well in your new student life
BEAT (Beating Eating Disorders)
South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association: Eating Disorder Support for South & East Yorkshire
Self Harm
Self-harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. Sometimes it feels like no one understands why you self-harm, but lots more people today know about what the condition really means.
There is a lot of support available. Specific websites include:
Harmless 
Mental Health Foundation 
Sleep
Poor sleep quality may reduce your performance levels at school. It can affect mood, concentration and affect relationships with friends and family. It can be good to get help with these problems as this may have the added benefit of improving sleep.
More information on sleep can be found at:
Mental Health Foundation
Suicidal Feelings
When someone has struggled with their mental health for a long period of time they may start to feel there is no point carrying on. Sometimes people say this to express how unhappy they are feeling; other people think seriously about suicide. If someone feels this way they should always get help and support, or let someone know how they are feeling so they can get support on their behalf.
Specific website support can be found at:
HopeLineUK - FreePhone 0800 068 4141
Support at Hungerhill School
At Hungerhill School you can talk to the Head of Year, one of our safeguarding team or we can arrange for more specialised support. Please click here to contact a member of the Safeguarding team.
Miss M Harwood
Deputy Head Teacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead
Impact on your mental health through Covid:
During Covid it is not unusual to have felt differently and been worried. You may be concerned that you could pass the virus onto a vulnerable family member. There are also concerns around your future, and the implications of being in isolation. There are many places where you can get support for this, please see the link below:
Coronavirus, bereavement and grief
As a population you may know of someone who has experienced loss through the coronavirus pandemic, you may have lost someone yourself. Managing grief at this time is very difficult with the imposing restrictions we have been placed in. There are many topics covered and support provided below:
