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Looking after your mental health

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services are here to support you and your mental health. All UCL students can access our free support services and a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space to talk.

Support from UCL

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS) can direct you to appropriate support both within and outside of UCL. The support we provide is free and available to any student enrolled at UCL


Crisis support

Student Support and Wellbeing Services do not offer emergency support. If you're in immediate danger of hurting yourself or others:

  • Go directly to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital.
  • Call 999 to request an ambulance if you are unable to reach the hospital yourself.

If you're feeling distressed and need urgent support:

  • Contact your GP surgery to request an emergency appointment. If your GP surgery isn't open, call 111 for free out-of-hours NHS medical support.
  • You can call the Samaritans on 116 123 to talk to someone at any time, day or night.
  • Nightline are a listening service for students, by students. They're available overnight for online chat and calls from 6pm-8am

Read Our Here to Support You Guide

Our Here to Support You Guide provides comprehensive information on all support services available to you at UCL. Produced by Student Support and Wellbeing Services and designed for UCL students of all levels, the guide is categorised by the following sections:

  • Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS). We explain who we are and provide information about our wide range of in-person and online support services.
  • Support elsewhere at UCL. In addition to Student Support and Wellbeing Services, there is plenty of extra support available to you at UCL.
  • Support outside of UCL. This section includes details of external organisations and services that can support your wellbeing whilst you are a student at UCL.

PDF iconRead the Here to Support You Guide. The guide is provided as a PDF e-booklet and is available to download. You can print out the booklet using the Print @ UCL services

FileDownload the Here to Support You Guide (Word version)


If you're concerned about a student's wellbeing or safety

If you are concerned about a student's wellbeing or safety, please complete the Student of Concern Form to inform Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS), providing as much information as you can.

If you are submitting a Student of Concern because you haven’t been able to reach a student:

  • Have you tried calling the student?
  • Have you used their second email address?
  • Have you given the student at least 24 hours to respond?

Complete the Student of Concern form

Bereavement

Learn the definitions of bereavement and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Depression

Learn the definitions of depression and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Anxiety

Learn the definitions of anxiety and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Sleep problems

Learn the definitions of sleep problems and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Eating disorders

Learn the definitions of eating disorders and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Support for alcohol, drugs, unwanted or addictive behaviours

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services offer support for students who are experiencing problems with alcohol, substances, unwanted or addictive behaviours.

Support for sexual harassment, misconduct and violence

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services offer support for students who are survivors of, or have been affected by incidents of sexual harassment, misconduct and violence.

 

Suicide prevention and support

Find out about the support available both within and outside of UCL.

Support for self harm

Learn the definitions of self harm and the range of external support and resources available to you.

Managing stress

Learn the definitions of stress and the range of external support and resources available to you.

UCL Careers

Learn about how UCL Careers can support you if you have a mental health condition.

Counselling outside of UCL

Find out about counselling services external to UCL.

Students' Union UCL support for mental health

Learn about the support and resources available to you from the Students' Union UCL. 

External support for looking after your mental health

There are a variety of organisations that offer support for looking after your mental health.

NHS

You can talk to your doctor (GP) about your mental health, just make sure you're registered. See here about registering with a Dr (GP) 

The NHS has comprehensive guidance and signposting on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing subjects.  Visit the NHS page on student mental health.  

Good Thinking

Good Thinking is an NHS approved mental wellbeing service that can link you up to over 100 different free mental health resources and services based across London. 

Visit Good Thinking. 

Every Mind Matters

Every Mind Matters is an NHS campaign to help people with their mental health and wellbeing. Their website provides expert advice and practical tips on supporting your mental health. You can get a free mind plan by just answering their quick 5 questions and they have links to urgent support and tips on how to help others in need as well. 

Visit Every Mind Matters. 

Mind

The UK's mental health charity, Mind, provides a wide range of resources and guidance for those experiencing mental health difficulties of all kinds. 

Visit the Mind website. 

Student Minds

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity, empowering students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change. 

Visit the Student Minds website.  

The Hive

The Hive delivers a free drop-in health and wellbeing service to support young people aged 16-24 who are connected to Camden.

Visit The Hive website. 

Side-by-side

Side-by-Side is a supportive online community where you can feel at home talking about your mental health and connect with others who understand what you are going through. 

We all know what it's like to struggle sometimes, but now there's a safe place to listen, share and be heard. Whether you're feeling good right now or having a hard time, it's a safe place to share experiences and listen to others. The community is available to all, 24/7. 

Side by Side is moderated daily from 8.30am to midnight. 

Visit the Side-by-Side website.  

Newham Together Café 

The mental health charity Mind host a regular Together Café for Newham residents aged 18+ facing mental health challenges. The café is open 5pm-9pm from Monday to Thursday and 3pm-9pm on Fridays, weekends and bank holidays.

The Together Café warmly welcomes all, with no referral process required. The team offers short-term support to equip attendees with recovery strategies, provided in partnership with ELFT. The café offers: group support, one-to-one support, and art therapy.

You can call the Newham Together Café on 07511075701 and email the team at togethercafe@mindthnr.org.uk.

Find out more on the Newham Together Café webpage.