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The following links below mark the 21 most recent pages you have visited in Sunderland.ac.uk.

Meningitis Awareness

Many people believe that meningitis only affects babies and children, but this is far from the truth. Adults are actually at an increased risk of meningitis as immune systems weaken as we get older. There is an estimated 3,300 cases of Meningitis and Septicaemia every year, meaning every day 9 people become ill with the diseases.

But what is meningitis and what are the signs and symptoms?

Meningitis is a bacterial and viral infection of the membranes surrounding the spinal chord and the brain. It can happen to anyone at any age, so it is important to know the symptoms to look out for:

  • Fever, cold hands and feet
  • Vomiting
  • Drowsy, difficult to wake
  • Confusion and irritability
  • Severe muscle pain
  • Pale, blotchy skin, spots / rash
  • Severe headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Dislike bright lights
  • Convulsions / seizures

Symptoms can appear in any order - some may not appear at all. Someone with meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly. Keep checking on them.

Trust your instincts! If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, get urgent medical help.

For more information, visit the Meningitis Now website or call the Meningitis Helpline, a 24 hour nurse-led helpline:

Meningitis Helpline: 0808 80 10 388

MeningitisNow.org

World Suicide Prevention

Suicide is always everyone’s business all of the time, World Suicide Prevention Day is on September the 10th every year and it is particularly at the forefront of our minds here at Student Support / Wellbeing.

Prevention of something like suicide is essential because with suicide there is obviously no cure. Even one successful suicide attempt at our university is one too many. There are, however, many ways at Sunderland University that you, and others, can either help yourself or be helped to get yourself through some of life’s particularly rough patches and this piece is going to tell you about some of them.

So…. if your mental health is good: great. Keep it up!

If it’s slipping and you’re starting to struggle for whatever reason remember that we have lots of really useful workshops on offer to you. We have an online CBT resource called ‘Silvercloud’ which is completely free to all students, available 24 hours a day and completely confidential. Modules available include ‘Space from depression’ ‘Space from Anxiety’ ‘OCD’ ‘Stress’ ‘Social Anxiety’ and ‘Positive Body Image ’to name but a few.

For financial worries or issues either book an appointment to see one of brilliant financial advisors, Nick or Kevin, or call the team (Adrian, Nick..) or call 0191 515 2933 (Student Support) for drop-in times. For anything disability or health related you need to speak to Ben or …for advice and support. Don’t forget that academic and accommodation staff are there to help too, so if you need to, speak to or e-mail someone you trust to confide in. There’s also the brilliant Progression Team for all First years to access with any academic concerns.

Be brave and just let someone, anyone, know that you’re struggling.

If things don’t improve or get worse, either fill in a self-referral form for Student Support. You can also call the team at 0191 515 2933. 

If you get really bad and you start to have strong suicidal thoughts and feelings that you’re struggling to contain and manage: tell someone; anyone who you think might be able to help and together either speak to a member of staff or do one or two of the following:

1) Call your G.P. to book an emergency appointment or 111 for out-of-hours.

2) Go to A and E.

3) Call 999.

4) Call the Crisis Team on

5) Come along to Student Support 1st Floor Edinburgh Building between 9 and 5 Monday to Friday.

6) Call The Samaritans on 111 123.

Try not to drink any alcohol or take drugs if you’re feeling really bad as these chemicals can increase your chances of making a really bad decision which could cost you your life.

Whatever you do, whether you’re feeling suicidal yourself or concerned about someone else, PLEASE DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE. Suicide is everyone’s business all the time. Let someone help.

If you or someone you know has been affected by a suicide check out https://www.ifucareshare.co.uk/, a great local organisation dedicated to suicide care.

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is observed every year on the 10th of October. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of mental health issues and advocate against the social stigma that is still attached to the subject. The theme for 2020 is 'Mental Health for All'.

World Mental Health Day - 10 October

 

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Stoptober

According to the statistics, the average age of a student at the University of Sunderland is 26 years old. You are no longer the spring chickens you once were and the older you get, the more important it becomes that you look after your physical health through developing and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.

So why am I highlighting that you are slightly older than the stereotypical 18-year-old school leaver that many envisage when they think of university students? Because of smoking.

If you are a University of Sunderland student who smokes, it is more likely you have been smoking for longer (due the majority of smokers developing their habits before the age of 18), making the task of quitting far more arduous. The habit is more likely to be ingrained into your daily routines, eating practices, social interactions and self-identification. Yet do not despair, research demonstrates that if you are able to go 28 days without a cigarette you are five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good.

This is the foundation to Stoptober, which is biggest mass quit attempt in the country and has driven over 1 million quit attempts to date. By signing up to Stoptober, you can receive a range of free support from daily Facebook messages and emails, a progression app and support from a community of quitters engaging with the campaign. In addition, you can get expert face-to-face advice from local stop smoking services. This last form of support is important as those who use stop smoking aids and who get face-to-face support from their local stop smoking service are up to four times more likely to quit successfully. If you are from Sunderland there is a brilliant new Stop Smoking Service for you to take advantage, contact them here. If you live elsewhere in the North East, find your nearest Stop Smoking Service here.

Your University can also be a source of support for those committing to the Stoptober challenge. The Wellbeing department can offer you support and sign post you to relevant agencies. Your personal tutors can be a good source of encouragement and will be able to provide you with advice on managing stress related to academic performance, in turn making Stoptober that bit easier for you. But maybe the biggest form of support you will be able to find at university are your fellow students. Why don’t you try and persuade that group of friends you go smoke with between lecturers to all take part in Stoptober? Having this kind of support to stave of the pressures of the ritualised cigarette brake maybe the thing that gets you through Stoptober and one-step closer to a smoke-free life.

Dealing with Stress

Life is demanding for many people, and can sometimes be experienced as stressful. Decisions need to be made, problems solved, assignments completed, exams revised for, money managed and relationships worked out. It can be difficult to find the time, physical energy, emotional enthusiasm and money to address all opportunities that present themeselves.

What is stress?
Stimulation is the human body's response to anything remotely demanding. It is a natural and healthy response, which helps tackle challenging situations. Adrenaline is produced as a response to the demand, accessing extra energy and alertness. This is the basis of what is referred to as the 'fight or flight' response. It is typical at this stage of explanation to refer to stone age humankind and sabre-toothed tigers. Regardless of whether this is relevant, when faced with a situation which we interpret as making a demand on us, the following physiological reactions occur:

Helping yourself

Talk to someone about how you feel. Sharing your worries is one of the best ways to ease things. Talking about the amount of work you have to do can help to put things in perspective, and make you feel less isolated and more normal. If you are unable to talk to a friend about your feelings, see Getting Help section below.

Prioritise tasks and plan your time ahead to avoid last minute panics over deadlines. Read about, or take a course on time management and study skills.

If time you spend on paid work is putting pressure on academic work and relaxation then try to limit it: Student's Unions recommend spending no more than 15 hours a week on paid work. You may want to discuss this with your tutor. The University has hardship funds for students who are in financial difficulty.

Do something to help you relax. For example, you could try a relaxation tape; listen to music; enroll for a yoga or meditation course.
Do something enjoyable. Think of things that you have enjoyed or do enjoy now. Do one of these each day.

Do some exercise. Regularly spending time doing exercise you enjoy will help you unwind and use up the pent up energy created by stressful situations.

Try to eat healthily and sleep well. If sleeping is a problem, then see the Other sources of help page.

Some things that you might think of doing to try to relieve stress can actually make it worse. Drinking too much alcohol will probably make you feel worse in the long run as alcohol is a depressant. The cause of the stress will still be there when you sober up. 

Dealing with Anxiety

Anxiety is something that every person will feel or has felt before in their lives. New situations such as starting university, being assigned a mammoth essay to write or entering into a seminar full of new people are situations that may cause anxiety. Remember that the process of becoming comfortable with something, whether this be a new set of people, a new task or responsibility, neccesitates being uncomfortable at some point as this is what you are progressing away from as you become comfortable. But for some, this is process is more difficult and anxiety can grow into a big problem, to the point where it effects their daily activties and thoughts. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is more common than you might think. In the UK around 1 in every 25 people suffer with anxiety.

Anxiety can be managed in a variety of ways. There are some things you can do yourself at home which may help improve symptoms.

For example;

  • A self-help course
  • Regular exercise
  • Quitting smoking
  • Cutting down on coffee
  • Cutting down on alcohol

For some people home remedies may just not be enough and so you can seek help from your GP. Your GP may refer you to a counselling service to have some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This is a type of counselling aimed at changing the way your brain processes thoughts. This can help change your feelings and behaviours, lowering symptoms of anxiety.

As well as counselling, your GP may feel it is appropriate to prescribe some medication to help you with your symptoms. The medication will help to boost serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is the chemical which regulates your mood and helps you to feel happy.

Treatments are not always fast acting and can take some time to work. Some treatments may even heighten symptoms for a while, but this is normal and can be a part of the process to getting better.

Alcohol Awareness

Alcohol Awareness Week is a chance for the UK to think about how much we drink. Running from 16th to the 22nd November 2020, the theme this year is 'Alcohol and Mental Health'. It's a week of awareness-raising, campaigning for change and more. It is a time that we can reflect on how much is too much, and an opportunity to test how much we know about drinking guidelines and the health impacts associated with excessive drinking. Alcohol Change UK are challenging us to think about the wider impact alcohol can have, not just on the one who drinks but on their family and friends. It can have an impact on our family life, social life, and working life.

Alcohol causes too much harm across the UK. In 2017, there were over 7,500 alcohol-specific deaths in the UK, the highest amount since 2008. In 2017/18, 75,787 people were in treatmnet at specialist alcohol misuse services. It is not just health that alcohol impacts, but also crime. In 2015/16 in England, victims believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol in 39% of all violent incident.

These are just a few statistics that represent the way in which alcohol can impact all aspects of our lives, from our health and those around us to crime and violent incidents.

If you think you may need help with alcohol, visit Alcohol Change UK's website here, and take their drinking quiz if you are not sure about how much alcohol you are consuming.

Dealing with Bereavement

When someone has lost a loved one, trying to cope with the pain and loss alone can be difficult. People can be left feeling sad, lonely, helpless, confused, and even angry. Please get in touch with the wellbeing team if you need support after a bereavement, contact us at wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or call at 0191 515 2933. 

We cannot see grief, nor can we smell it or touch it, it is like an invisible power that has to let us know where we are, its job is to catch us off guard and wake us up to what has happened, it needs to remind us of the pain we have found ourselves in, grief does not have feelings of its own, so it lends a hand to the ones we cannot control. We may not like Grief, we may hate it, and at times think it is out to get us. But grief is not the bad guy, grief ultimately will guide us to that place of peace, so make friends with grief, and it will ease you through what seems like an impossible journey.

When you lose someone close it can feel like everything in life has stopped, and often like you cannot go on.

There is life after grief, and working through this difficult process is key to ultimately finding peace.

When working with grief I often describe the process gently like a journey, a journey that may at times seem impossible, and a journey that the bereaved quite often simply do not have the energy for. If we can begin this painful process and acknowledge the journey has begun, and the pain this brings, visualizing the process as a bit like being on a bus, on this bus there will be stops along the way, and the ride may be bumpy in parts, the bumps in the road may catch us off guard one day, then be smooth the next. There may be five or six stops.

The distance between these stops can vary, each one representing a part of our own personal process. On this bus we can explore, accept, and manage our emotional connection with the person who has died. Working this way at a pace that suits helps people to see that their journey is moving forward

The importance of acknowledging the journey has begun is pivotal.

The last stop being that of acceptance with their loss, I always imagine acceptance as being a real place, an actual place that really exists, what does this place look like? What does it feel like? Is it warm?

Guiding imagery to create this place the bereaved is heading for is important, it is important that they believe that the journey they are embarking on is real, and for them a place they can reach, a place that is free from the dark place of grief. It is important for the bereaved to see and plan a life without the person who has died, and to focus our energy on something new

 

International Men's Day

November 19th is International Men's Day across the world! You may be wondering what International Men's Day involves, and you may even think it sounds a bit odd. But the purpose is to raise awareness about a number of important issues that affect men.

Did you know that in the UK, men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women? In 2018, it was revealed that male suicides had dropped to their lowest rate for more than 30 years - and we would like to see the figure continue to plummet. One of the ways you can raise awareness about male suicide prevention is by participating in Movember.

Movember involves men growing their facial hair, bears and moustaches alike, in an effort to promote conversations about mental health, and more specifically suicide prevention. If you would like to get involved with this, visit the Movember website.

International Men's Day also is an opportunity for men to talk about other issues such as prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death amongst men in the UK, and it is preventable if caught early with a simple, painless test. It is the most common cancer in males in the UK, with around 47,600 new cases in 2016 alone. So why chance it? Why risk being part of the statistic? Get checked now.

In short, International Men's Day is about celebrating being a man and realising that we cannot be too proud, too stubborn or too scared to talk about our mental health. There is no shame in struggling with your mental health, and the stigma attached to this has lingered around for far too long. Help detach this stigma by talking to one another about any problems you may be having - you'll be surprised how many people have the same thoughts.

If you'd like to get involved in International Men's Day, visit the University of Sunderland Facebook page on the 19th of November.

Every Monday, the Samaritans will be hosting drop-in sessions located within Student Support Services giving you the opportunity to chat about loneliness and isolation and any other feelings you may be having. To book an appointment, please email wellbeing@sunderland.ac.uk or phone 0191 515 2933

Testicular Cancer - It's all nuts

 

 It's All Nuts - Taboo around Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young men in the UK.

Men with undescended testes at birth, or who have a family history, like a father or brother who has had testicular cancer, are at an increased risk. And if you’ve had testicular cancer before, there’s also a heightened risk it could return.

Guest blogger Dave Taylor, Wellbeing Practitioner has been talking to a British Record Powerlifter holder and a Gym owner about the stigma around testicular cancer. Dave also caught up with a local GP about regular self checks and going to a GP if you have any concerns.  Please find the link to his blog It's all nuts

The Student Experience

 

 We wanted to share with you a blog from Grant about his experience with the Wellbeing team which you can see below:

“i’ve always known that i was different, what was important to me seemed to be irrelevant to others and what they did was rather baffling to me. connecting with others is not a priority to me, if anything i could say that attempting to do so is deeply stressful. coming to university was an easy choice to make but attempting to go forward as i always had in the past became increasingly difficult. eventually, i began missing lectures to avoid other students, the anxiety and stress of wondering how i am going to face another person making it harder to get out of bed each morning. it was during a meeting with the disability support team that i was told about the wellbeing team. i initially agreed, expecting that i would get become overly anxious and drop contact eventually, as i always had in the past.

i was surprised during my first face to face meeting with wellbeing. i think that perhaps the best word i could use to describe meeting my advisor, norman, was “accommodating”. i have a terrible memory for details, but i do recall that first conversation to be rather engaging. we talked about what i was struggling with, what i was currently doing to try to cope with my situation and the sort of things we could do in the future to help me deal with anxiety in the future. each session seemed to bring something new, but it was never delivered in a one-sided way. if i disagreed with certain premises, i felt comfortable enough with norman to be able to bring that up and we would discuss our differences of opinion amicably. at no point did i feel that i was being dismissed or belittled, as i have been with both family and healthcare professional in the past.

perhaps the best way that i can sum up my entire experience with the wellbeing team and norman, is that it was my experience. it was a very personalised approach to help me deal with what i considered important in my life. i didn’t feel like one of many and i know that anything i tell norman is remembered, not simply jotted down in a file. for the first time in my life i feel that i have someone to talk to on a personal level, someone that i am comfortable taking advice from.”

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