![\"\"](\"http:\/\/wordpress.satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/437\/2018\/10\/dsc_1284-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nManchester is to be the first place in the country to establish a dedicated centre using virtual clinics to support students with mental health needs.<\/p>\n
The new service says it will also offer innovative and accessible treatment, looking at how digital technology can help university students experiencing mental illness.<\/p>\n
Students will also find it easier to get referred to mental health services, it is promised.<\/p>\n
The initiative is a partnership between the region\u2019s four universities and Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.<\/p>\n
NQ spoke with students on campus about their experience as students suffering mental health issues. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Adam Bailey, 23, a former student at Salford University, said: \u201cI struggled for a long time throughout my four years at university. It knocks your confidence on a daily basis and it\u2019s difficult to get out of bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see people getting ahead of you and you judge yourself on that because it looks like they\u2019re doing really well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf tutors don\u2019t see you asking for help when it\u2019s difficult, they just assume that you\u2019re being lazy and not going in – and that\u2019s not the point at all. There\u2019s still a big stigma attached to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re scared about tackling it, find a friend who helps you out because friends are important, especially if you need someone to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jess Clowes, 19, who studies counselling and psychotherapy at Salford University, added: \u201cYou\u2019ve got to go into the building, you\u2019ve got to wait to book an appointment – all of that takes lots of confidence and a lot of effort that people just don\u2019t have. At the moment, it\u2019s just a long booking process to get someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
One in five 16-24 year olds experience depression or anxiety yet students are poorly served when it comes to mental health provision. The transition to university can be a tough time, with many young people living away from home, family and friends for the first time.<\/p>\n
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: \u201cMost self-help books and mental health charities say that your mental health doesn\u2019t define you. What about if it does define us?<\/p>\n
“I don\u2019t mind having depression and I don\u2019t mind it defining me – because that\u2019s part of who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Sandeep Ranote, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and children\u2019s mental health lead for Greater Manchester said it was time to treat mental health with the same importance as physical health.<\/p>\n
“Good emotional health is the foundation for future well-being. Developing a dedicated mental health service that provides support from ‘prevention to prescription’ enables us to create the campuses of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new centre will open in the next academic year. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manchester is to be the first place in the country to establish a dedicated centre using virtual clinics to support students with mental health needs….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1268,"featured_media":2513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4972,1],"tags":[7,70,9,1918,1970,1969],"class_list":["post-2515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-uncategorised","tag-manchester","tag-mental-health","tag-students","tag-universities","tag-wellbeing","tag-world-mental-health-day"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n