At the University we have in place key resources to help you with your mental health if you feel you are struggling. We have Enabling, which is just for students, but we also recommend MIND. This page will have links to both pages and some details about what you can find under each help area.
For our students only we offer support called Enabling services and within this the following is available:
• They offer a student support Drop-in service
• They offer self-help resources
• They offer practical support
• They have a useful download under practical support
• There’s a page for other helplines/pages as well
This is the link to the Enabling Services page.
For those seeking support who are not students. We would recommend looking at the MIND website. MIND offers different bits of information and tips for everyday living such as Food + Mood- Coping +Support – Loneliness – Mindfulness.
Under some categories there are quick tips and under others there are videos quotes and how a specific topic can affect somebody. They also have a shop where you can buy mental health resources and an A-Z Mental Health page.
University of Southampton Students: if you are facing difficulties or dealing with a crisis we ask you to email firstsupport@soton.ac.uk (Enabling), alternatively the Student Life Team are dedicated to supporting wellbeing and enhancing the student experience, they are here for you 7 days a week. You can touch base with the Student Life team via studentlife@soton.ac.uk.
This winter it is just as important to focus on your mental wellbeing. CALM is an app which can help you in a number of different areas. Ranging from reducing stress, helping your sleep and building confidence, CALM Is the no1 'Happiest app'. The app contains useful mediation techniques to help you unwind after a long day; soothing sounds to help you sleep; and masterclasses to create a positive outlook. The app is available for free and has already helped the outlook of thousands of people. Link here
Thanks to the University of Southampton’s Enabling Service, October is focusing on one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing: Connect.
With 2020 being a tough year for all, we can sometimes forget how and why we should connect with everyone. It is important to remember it is normal to sometimes feel out of place or homesick and that support is always available. The article goes into depth with ways in which we can connect such as Joining a Society, Chatting to a PAT and more. The link can be accessed here.
Meditation has been shown to help people stress less, focus more and even sleep better. Headspace is meditation made simple. They will teach you the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in just a few minutes a day.
Download this complimentary app via iOS and Android
And to compliment the app, check out Michelle (one of the S&W team) advice on Sleep Hygiene & Muscle Relaxation Techniques.
Use a pedometer to track your daily steps, due to the current climate we recommend doing this around your home. We have looked into pedometer apps available via Android and iOS and we recommend the following:
Strava
Google Fit
Pedometer App
Samsung Health
Wysa is an AI powered chatbot which you can talk to about: daily spiritual meditation, mood tracking, finding optimism, reframing thoughts (CBT), mental health tests, exercise routines and more.
Download this complimentary app for iOS or Android
Challenge yourself, colleagues, housemates or friends by downloading a running app
Time to take your fitness to the next level with a dedicated running app. Consider one of the following applications:
Strava: Strava is an internet service for tracking exercise which incorporates social network features. It is mostly used for cycling and running using GPS data.
Nike Run Club: NRC is a personalisable running app incorporating GPS run tracking to help improve your fitness. Featuring Audio-guided runs, competitive challenges, support with a wide range of fitness devices and more!
Garmin Connect: If you have a Garmin device; Connect is the essential fitness application for your phone. Take full advantage of your Garmin devices today and download the app.