Making time to talk to a person you trust is a very important factor in maintaining good mental health. This person could be a close friend, family member, parent, neighbour, work colleague or a health professional (GP, psychologist, counsellor, social worker, etc). Who you choose to talk to may depend on the situation as well as your connection to the person. Many helplines are also available 24/7
At University, there are lots of ways to talk to someone you may trust. You might talk to someone from your course, or a peer program. You could also talk to a friend from a university society or club. Alternatively, there are services such as counselling and welfare which are always available for you to have a chat with.
Talking to others about mental health can be a difficult and scary thing to do. You may worry about becoming a “burden” on the other person, or you may be concerned about what they’ll think of you. You’re not alone – almost two thirds of people experiencing mental distress or ill-health will not seek help because of reasons such as stigma or fear of discrimination. However, it’s important to consider this from the other perspective – how would you feel if a close friend came to you regarding troubles with their mental health? Chances are, your opinion of the person wouldn’t change and you would feel glad that you could help them in some way. Your close friends will feel the same way about you.
It’s up to you how much you want to share, but a good starting point can be describing how you’ve been feeling recently. You can also try writing down how you’ve been feeling – as this may help to clarify some information.
Talking to someone can help you to find solutions to a problem, view a situation with a new perspective, or simply vent your emotions in a healthy way. It can also help you feel less isolated by hearing others’ experiences and discovering you are not alone.
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