Sexual Abuse Awareness

Hi folks,

In the past week we've been focusing on sexual abuse awareness here at Nightline. This is an incredibly serious topic, and one that should not be taken lightly. (As with last week's post, if you feel that this post will be too triggering for you to read, please put your self care first and stop reading.)

According to the charity Rape Crisis England & Wales, approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men are raped in England and WAles alone every year. These figures include assaults and attempts. 1 in 5 women aged 16-59 has experienced some sort of sexual violence since the age of 16, and yet only around 15% of those who have experienced sexual violence choose to report to the police.

Sexual abuse is not limited to rape, however. It can include things such as sexual coercion, sexual harrassment, stalking, and groping.

Some signs of sexual abuse can include:

• A change in usual behaviour for no apparent or obvious reason
• Withdrawal, choosing to spend most of their time alone
• Self-harm
• Difficulty in walking or sitting
• Overt sexual behaviour/language which is out of character
• STIs
• Frequent infections
• Severe upset or agitation when being bathed/dressed/undressed/medically examined
• Pregnancy, especially in a person unable to consent

As always, Nightline is here for you, every night of term. 

Yours, 

-Wendy 

Self Harm/Self Injury

Hello!

Today we're going to be talking about the very serious issue of self harm. We will not be talking about specifics of how people self harm, but please stop reading if you think that the topic will be a trigger to you. Your mental wellbeing is important.

There are lots of reasons why people self harm - for some people it is linked to very specific events and is a way of dealing with them. For others, there's no clear cause and can be harder to make sense of. Anybody can self harm, but statistically young people are more likely to. It is thought that around 13% of young people may try to self injure between the ages of 11 and 16. However, the real figure could be much higher.

Self harm is often described as 'attention-seeking behaviour'. However, this is far from the truth. Self harm may be a way for someone to communicate that they are distressed or finding life difficult to manage, but there are lots of ways to 'get attention' without self harming. In actuality, self harm is often a very private act, and it can take months or even years for those self harming to seek help.

Here are several alternatives to self-harm:

- Draw on your skin where you want to self-injure - perhaps write positive thoughts
- Write down how you're feeling on a piece of paper and tear it up
- Smell something with a strong odour
- Spend time with an animal
- Wait 5 minutes - if the feeling doesn't pass, keep waiting 5 minutes until it does

Of course, it will be up to each individual to experiment to see what works for them. There are lots of different emotions that can lead to self harm, and different ways to tackle these emotions.

If you are struggling with self harm, please don't hesitate to contact your local Nightline or mental health charity, and talk to your GP.

As ever,

-Wendy

Disabilities

Hello lovelies,

This week we've been focusing on disabilities and how these can interact with mental health. Today I'm going to talk a little bit about how physical disabilities and mental health can exist hand in hand, and what we can do to help.

UK researchers have found that 30% of those with a long term physical condition also have a mental health problem, and 46% of people with a mental health problem have a physical condition. This is because of lots of reasons. A physical disability could lead to the inability to leave the house, which in turn might lead to loneliness and depression. Anxiety and stress could result from constantly worrying about accessibility and pain.

It is important to also highlight that having a mental health disorder can also increase the likelihood of becoming disabled. Lack of self care can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Alcohol and substance abuse, self-harm and eating disorders can also leave lasting damage. Even if your mental health is managed, you can be left physically disabled because of its long-term effects on the body.

I believe that doing very simple things can help - such as ensuring that all areas of your university buildings are accessible to people in wheelchairs, for example. Or simply ensuring that your self care includes going to your GP when things aren't feeling right, both physically and mentally. Eating right and getting a little bit of exercise can do you and your body the world of good.

As ever, Nightline is here to help, every night of term.

-Wendy

SAD and low mood

It's that time of year again when things get a little bit grey - there's no wonder that this Monday is known as Blue Monday! Today we're going to talk a little bit about SAD and low mood, and what you can do at this time of year to combat it.

SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder - this basically means that people tend to get a little bit low at this time of year. The NHS estimates that SAD affects around 1 in 15 people in the UK between September and April. That’s a lot!

It’s a bit different from depression, as depression can happen at any time of the year and is a longer-term condition than SAD. However, some symptoms are quite similar, and include oversleeping, low mood, tiredness, and changes in appetite. Sounds like you? It sounds like me too!

One of the best ways to combat SAD in particular is light therapy - there are certain types of lamps that mimic natural daylight. Not only are they great for taking selfies (an unexpected perk!) but they also help combat SAD! Maybe talk to your GP about getting one, if you think that this would help.

Another way to help low mood at this time of year is to make sure you get outside. Although it isn't quite as lovely as taking a long walk on a summer's day, it has been shown that getting outside helps with SAD, as you're getting out in the fresh air and doing a bit of exercise alongside it.

Remember, Nightline is always here to help!

-Wendy

Exam Stress

Hello everyone! Welcome back to the Nightline blog. We've got a lot of exciting things coming up in the next few weeks, and I for one can't wait to share them with you!

For a lot of us, returning to university after the winter break means one thing - exams. Exams bring out anxiety in nearly all of us, even the most confident of students! But we're here today to help calm any nerves you might be feeling.

First things first, make sure that exams don't take over your life. You have to schedule in time for yourself, whether that be a quick walk around your neighbourhood, a healthy snack or a chat with one of your friends. You'll study better if you take regular breaks, get a good night's sleep, and eat healthily. Having a bit of fun will help relieve stress, and ensure that you don't burn out before the exam.

It's also been shown that studying for short bursts and taking regular breaks helps aid memory - get into a routine of studying for around 25 minutes, and then take a short break of 5 minutes. That way you're not overtaxing your brain with too many facts at once! Another good idea is to ensure that you're studying in the right way for you, whether that be by rewriting notes, teaching your material to somebody, or using flashcards.

If you think that your exam anxiety goes a bit further than normal stress, please don't think that there isn't anyone to help you - one of the first things to do if you know that you suffer from exam anxiety is to go to your tutor and chat to them about it. It's okay to admit that you're having trouble, and ultimately your university is there to help you.

Finally, don't forget that although exams are important, they aren't a measure of you as a person. If you have a bit of trouble in an exam, that doesn't make you any less of an amazing person.

Don't forget, Nightline is here to help, every night of term.

Yours,

-Wendy

Family and Holiday Stress

The holiday season can be a wonderful time - but it can be a stressful one too, especially when you're spending all of your time surrounded by family. It can sometimes get a little bit overwhelming, in particular when you're coming home from university. You're used to setting your own timetable, and returning back to the family house can be a bit like being back at college again!

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the holiday season has to be full of stress. Some of our top tips for this festive season include:

- Take some time for yourself. Curl up under a warm blanket with a hot chocolate, take a long walk in the crisp, cold air, or read a favourite book. Family and friends will hopefully understand that this can be a stressful period for everybody, and let you have your 'me' time.

- Keep in touch with people who understand. Spending time with friends is just as important as spending time with family, especially if they know about your family stress, and can help alleviate it in any way.

- Talk to your family about what's going on. They're probably stressed out just as much as you are, and chatting to them about it will allow everyone to get a little bit of that stress off of their chests.

- Keep things in moderation. Not looking after your diet, but rather overindulging on chocolates and alcohol won't help with your stress levels.

Well, that's it for the Nightline blog for this term - I'm very much looking forward to writing more for you in the coming term. I hope that you all have a very merry holiday season!

As ever yours,

-Wendy

Work-Life Balance

Hello, everyone! This week we've been chatting about work-life balance on our various social media, so here we are on the blog to round the week off.

It is increasingly difficult to find a good work-life balance, especially when you're in uni. There are so many things that need to be done all at once, most especially assignments and studying! This is made doubly stressful due to the fact that we can take our work everywhere with us via our phones and laptops. It is so easy to interrupt self-care time by checking our emails or answering calls.

Having a good work-life balance is extremely important, as it can really have an affect on your mental wellbeing. If you're feeling fatigued, irritable or emotional, these can all be signs that your work-life balance isn't what it needs to be.

How can you get a good work-life balance? We've got a couple of tips for you:

- Set up a schedule. Make sure to take a couple of hours every evening just for your mental wellbeing. Don't let yourself check emails or work-related texts.

- Within this schedule, prioritise what needs to be done. That way, at the end of the day, you will have accomplished the most important tasks, letting you rest easy that night.

- Don't let yourself pull all-nighters! Getting that assignment started just a little bit sooner and doing a little bit every day will let you enjoy your nights leading up to the deadline.

- Do a variety of things that you enjoy - have fun and be social with friends whilst still allowing lots of me time.

We know it is difficult to get a good work-life balance, especially whilst you're at university. That's one of the reasons why Nightline is here to help.

As ever,

-Wendy