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• What is are mental health difficulties?                         
• Associated strengths
• General information
  
• Impact on employability skills and attributes
• Areas where ‘reasonable adjustments’ may be required
• General advice
• Resources/references

What are Mental Health Difficulties (MHDs)?

The term mental health describes a sense of well being. It implies the capacity to live in a resourceful and fulfilling manner, having the resilience to deal with the challenges and obstacles that life, work or studying present.

There are a wide range of mental health conditions and their impact on individual students varies greatly. These may include schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and anxiety, and to poorly understood conditions referred to as personality disorders. Sometimes these conditions may be associated with substance misuse or other impairments. 

Mental health conditions may be transitory or of longer standing with symptoms ranging from mild and episodic to severe and ongoing. People with Mental Health difficulties may require accommodations at some times but not at others.

AMOSSHE definition 

   

The impact of these ‘invisible’ disabilities might not be immediately noticeable but can include anxiety, panic attacks, limited attention span, fluctuating motivation, disorganisation and unpleasant physical manifestations – rises in temperature, sweaty palms, palpitations.  Students taking prescription medication may experience drowsiness, persistent thirst, vision difficulties, and problems with coordination.  Students may withdraw from interaction with others, be unusually interactive in class and/or be erratic in their behaviour.


Associated strengths

Those with psychiatric conditions or emotional/psychological difficulties may be prescribed medication which can control the debilitating effects.  Many successful and famous people diagnosed with MHDs have been able to sustain highly successful careers, for example, Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale and Agatha Christie.  Einstein had a complete breakdown at one stage of his life but continued to be highly productive thereafter. 

General information

Depression
Indicators of depression amongst students may include: low mood, lack of motivation, sense of emptiness, withdrawal, change of appetite, self neglect, self loathing, or thoughts of hurting or killing themselves. However, it should be recognised that many people experience some of these less extreme symptoms at some points in their lives, indeed some are typical reactions to certain circumstances.

The degree of severity is reflected by the intensity of symptoms and the impact on the individual's capacity to function. For example one person feeling depressed may mean feeling temporarily low in mood whereas someone else may use this term when they are completely debilitated and unable to take care of even basic personal needs.

Anxiety
Student life is a transitional period and it can cause a lot of anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety can include: agitation, disturbed sleep, change of appetite, headaches, digestive difficulties or panic attacks. These symptoms are easily mistaken by anxious people for evidence of serious physical illness - their worry about this can make the symptoms even worse.
Sudden unexpected surges of anxiety are called panic, and usually lead to the person having to quickly get out of whatever situation they happen to be in. Anxiety and panic are often accompanied by feelings of depression.

Stress
There are many ordinary situations that can make students feel stressed for periods of time. For example, if workload is allowed to build up, during exam preparation or during a work placement.

The effects of stress depend on the severity, its duration, and the individual concerned. How an individual deals with stress depends on their personality, their ability to cope with different situations, and whether there is someone supportive to talk to.

Impact on Employability Skills and Attributes

Students with MHDs may experience difficulties with the following abilities. Sometimes the impact results from the medication prescribed for the condition rather than the MHD itself.

• Empathy
  
• Flexibility
  
• Managing Stress
  
• Self Motivation
  
• Self Organisation
  
• Stamina

Although most people depend on the above abilities in the following employability skills, this does not mean that people who have Mental Health Difficulties cannot possess these skills; rather, they may need reasonable adjustments to practice to enable them to develop or evidence the skills. 

Click below for further information about reasonable adjustments that may be made for each of the employability skills/attributes shown:

• Flexibility and Adaptability
  
• Flexibility and Problem Solving
• Flexibility and Teamwork
  
• Flexibility and Work Under Pressure
  

• Empathy and Oral Communication
  
• Empathy and Teamwork
  
• Empathy and Interpersonal Skills
  

• Managing Stress and Time Management
  
• Managing Stress and Working under Pressure
  

• Self Motivation and Adaptability
  
• Self Motivation and Commercial Sector Awareness
  
• Self Motivation and Problem Solving
  
• Self Motivation and Self Management
  
• Self Motivation and Time Management
  

• Self Organisation and Adaptability
• Self Organisation and Information Literacy
  
• Self Organisation and Self Management
  
• Self Organisation and Problem Solving
  
• Self Organisation and Time Management
  

• Stamina and Practical Skills
  
• Stamina and Working Under Pressure

NB: The experience and characteristics of different impairments/conditions are highly variable between individuals. For this reason it is really important that you never make assumptions about what a person can or cannot do. Though someone may have significant difficulties, they may also have devised sophisticated means of compensating for these, so talk to the person concerned and make judgements only on an individual basis.
 

Areas where ‘reasonable adjustments may be required

Confidence - Students with mental health difficulties may experience greater anxieties about learning that other students. Some may take medication that affects their concentration, memory and their ability to participate. Short-term memory may be especially affected.

Stability - For many students their mental health may be variable, with good and bad days. This may affect attendance, punctuality and behaviour. Some students may be unable to engage in the learning process until relevant emotional issues are resolved. Progress may be variable, and regression can be common. Success can mean that some students may be reluctant to move on and find it difficult to leave university for the world of work.


General Advice:

• Discussion of learning support needs should not involve diagnosis or labelling. It is not necessary to do either of these in order find out from the student what might be helpful to them. The educational experience may be the first opportunity a student with a history of mental health difficulties has had to put labels aside and concentrate on their academic potential.
• People with mental health difficulties can often lack confidence. If tutors/employers can recognise this and promote the student's self esteem, it will have a positive effect on their learning or work.
• Avoid discussing the person’s condition in front of their peers/colleagues - respect their right to confidentiality.
• Some people may need a place of rest during the day.
• Stress from new situations may have an adverse effect on people with mental health difficulties.

Resources/references:

Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mental Health (CEIMH) , This website provides a variety of high quality, freely available, flexible, teaching and learning resources that have been developed through CEIMH sponsored projects.

Clear Thoughts (the Mental Health in Learning Disability Knowledge Centre) : information and resources on topics relating to mental health.

Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion in Higher Education

Leach, J. (2003) The mental health of students in higher education, Royal College of Psychiatrists Report, Council Report CR112

Mental Health and Wellbeing in Higher Education : Linking the Performing Arts and Mental Health.

Mental Health Foundation : a leading UK charity that provides information, carries out research, campaigns and works to improve services for anyone affected by mental health problems.

Rethink : a national mental health membership charity, who work to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover for a better quality of life.

United Response:  a charity which supports people with learning difficulties and mental health problems to have the things they want and need in their lives:.

Treatment for Depression - Treatment Tips & Advice