October 10, 2024
Today, Thursday 10th October, is World Mental Health Day. Whilst our team are out at events across several different university campuses, we wanted to use this space to raise awareness of the year-on-year increase in student mental health concerns.
Over a third of those who applied for university this year (36%) said they'd missed time at school or college because of their mental health, a significant rise from 30% last year. Almost one-in-10 of all applicants were absent for four or more weeks due to their mental health. Among those who had to take time off school, 43% thought they would need to miss teaching time at university due to their mental health, showing the potential impact on an individual’s education and attainment.
On top of this, we know that a lot of mental health issues that weren't previously present can come to the surface around the age a student goes to university. Dealing with poor mental health isn't just difficult, it can also be confusing and overwhelming as students leave home for a new, often high-pressure environment, and experience mental health issues for the first time.
As we call for more focus and resources to be placed on student wellbeing, here at London Nightline we work to ensure students know we're here to listen every night of term. Our service provides students with a space to talk freely and confidentially, and feel empowered to know that when they reach out for help, we're here for them.
