January can be a particularly difficult time for students. After the Christmas break most university students up and down the UK are catapulted straight into some of the most important winter exams of their lives. During exam periods, students are often told to get a good amount of sleep, eat well, and take regular breaks for exercise. All very valid, good advice. However, keeping on top of your mental health is just as crucial during periods of time where stress levels have the potential to further exacerbate any existing mental health problems.
Anxiety and depression can be particularly debilitating. The very idea of getting out of bed, travelling to a clinic, and sitting in the waiting room, perhaps hoping nobody they know walks in, is an ordeal too great for many -especially during exam time, where both time and head-space is limited. With our online video consultations, that first leap of faith is made easier. Our “GP at hand” service has the technology to now connect a patient with a reassuring, experienced healthcare professional in minutes, not days; it has never been more accessible. The more accessible the response to the mental health crisis amongst young people is, the more students we can identify, refer, and treat. The fact that, on average, internet users aged 16 and over, spend more than 20 hours online each week, again points to how digital healthcare technology can reach students perhaps in a way more traditional services cannot.
University can provide students with some of the best years of their lives. However, it can also be a time of profound stress that manifests in social, academic, and increasingly, economic pressures. So I would urge you, if things are all getting a bit too much, be proactive in looking after your mental health and speak to a healthcare professional. With “GP at hand” for instance, we are only ever a few clicks away…
You can download the app
https://www.gpathand.nhs.uk/download-app
