What is mental health? 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. Whether the stress and isolation caused by long hours of study or the impact of living away from home for the first time, students can be vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Studying is likely to bring a number of changes to your life. It can be enjoyable and interesting, but it can also be challenging at times.

 You might face challenges such as:

• meeting and working with new people
• exams, deadlines for written work or presentations
• managing your own finances
• coping with homesickness
• balancing the demands of studying with other commitments, such as caring responsibilities or work
• maintaining relationships with family and old friends
• leaving home, finding new housing and living with new people.

 These challenges can cause you to become stressed which can feel overwhelming.