Support and wellbeing

• Each of our federation members provides a comprehensive student support service. You can find out how to contact the student support service at your university/college here: Support Services at your college.  

• We have a dedicated team of trained Wardens and Resident Advisors in our halls that are available to be a listening ear, offer friendly guidance, and help you navigate support at university and beyond. They’re available to support you with any personal, social, or wellbeing concerns and to help you access additional help as needed.
• For urgent help, any time of day or night, call the reception for your hall and ask to speak with the member of staff on duty.
• Or contact your Hall Warden to schedule time for a chat.

You have access to the TalkCampus peer support network, available day and night, seven days a week, all year round. This is your space, free of judgement and full of support and guidance from trained volunteers and clinicians, so if you need someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to join the community. Follow these three simple steps to access the free app: 

• Download the TalkCampus app for iOS or Android and register with your UoL email address.
• Verify that you are a student from the email sent to your UoL email address.
• Agree to the Community Guidelines and other policies and start using.

In addition to their online service, TalkCampus offers a crisis support line if you need urgent help.

Go to your Student Portal to find out more TalkCampus and discover a range of resources to help you manage your Wellbeing.

• Your Course Tutors, supervisors and Institute managers are responsible for guiding you through your degree and helping you with any personal or administrative problems. 
• Our Disability & Student Wellbeing Adviser provides a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space in which you can discuss any issues that may be affecting your ability to study. This encompasses: any personal or emotional challenges you may be experiencing; mental health such as anxiety, depression, or disability such as dyslexia or a long-term health condition. To arrange an appointment or for advice please contact the Disability & Student Wellbeing Adviser at: student.wellbeing@sas.ac.uk.
• The Disability & Student Wellbeing Adviser can also arrange an initial 6 hours of counselling for you, funded by the School.

• Your Personal Advisor’s role is to provide advice and support and to maintain an overview of your academic progress. Any matter may be brought to your Personal Adviser’s attention, who can provide general advice about managing your life in Paris or refer you to another source of support for specialist advice. 
• The Institute in Paris Student Services Team operate an open-door policy to offer advice and guidance if you are facing a practical difficulty in relation to housing, healthcare, immigration, or finances. 
• There are two Students’ Union Welfare Officers who run campaigns and workshops during the year. 
• Additional sources of support include the International SOS helpline (+33 155 633 1511) for 24/7 support if you need an English-speaking doctor, emotional support or emergency assistance, the Paris-based International Counselling Service that you can contact for a free initial assessment and up to 6 follow-up sessions funded by the university, free psychological support from Nightline Paris every Thursday to Monday, from 09:00 to 14:30, over the phone or online chat, and anonymous community support 24/7 via Together All (register using your QMUL email) 

• Sometimes feeling down, stressed, or anxious is triggered by difficult experiences (e.g., loneliness, bereavement, family problems, relationship breakup, exam stress, moving abroad, adjusting to university). 
• At other times, we may just feel low, anxious, or panicky, with no obvious reason. 
• We often want to get rid of difficult feelings. However, these feelings are often a sign that we need to address something in our lives and that we may need support. 

• Remember that these feelings come and go. 
• Tell a trusted friend or family member about how you’re feeling.  
• Reach out to one or more of the support services listed above, depending on where you are and where you study.  
• You can also access support from your GP or primary care doctor, who can discuss options like medication and talking therapy. 
• Students Against Depression have some excellent self-help resources – but remember you don’t have to deal with things on your own. There is always someone who can help.  

• Suicidal thoughts are more common than you might think, but people often do not share them. 
• Suicidal feelings can be frightening and may feel overwhelming. It can be a lonely experience if you think you cannot turn to anyone. 
• Below, we’ve listed some support services and helplines where you can tell someone how you’re feeling.  

• Call for an ambulance (999, 112, or 911 depending on where you are) 
• Or go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department 

Call a helpline if you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide:

• If you’re based in the UK, you can contact: 
• Samaritans – Tel. 116 123; Email jo@samaritans.org (24 hours) 
• HOPEline – Tel. 0800 068 4141; Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org (Mon–Fri: 10:00–22:00, weekends: 14:00–22:00) 
• CAM Crisis Messenger – Text CAM to 85258 (24 hours) 
• If you’re outside the UK, check Suicide.org for their list of international suicide hotlines. 

• Make a deal with yourself not to act immediately 

Suicidal feelings make us want to act soon but it is worth waiting to see if they pass. 

• Keep yourself safe from acting impulsively 

Remove sharp objects, avoid stockpiling medication, avoid alcohol or drugs if you feel at risk. 

• Contact a friend, family member, or neighbour – or see your GP 

It can be helpful to share difficult feelings to get perspective and support. If you’re based in London, you can self-refer to The Listening Place, where you can get face-to-face support for suicidal thoughts, by appointment; or to Maytree, where they offer remote support. 

• Try to distract yourself by doing something 

Watch TV, listen to music, have a shower, go for a walk, write a diary, do a puzzle – anything safe that occupies your attention. 

• Consider drafting a crisis plan 
• Keep it somewhere where you can access it when needed: you could print it and put it somewhere safe, or keep it pinned in the notes app of your phone, for example. You may also like to share it with a friend or caregiver who can remind you of the plan. These resources will help you create your own plan:  
• StayAlive app (available for iOS and Android) or Stanley-Brown Safety Plan app (available for iOS and MacOS); or  
• Safety plan template by Samaritans; or  
• How to create a suicide safety plan by VeryWell Mind. 
• Install the R;pple browser extension (available for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari). R;pple’s vision is to “ensure users searching for harmful content online are presented with an opportunity of hope that things can and will get better.” You can get it here. 

• All the professionals, services, and helplines listed above will be happy to talk with you if you’re worried about someone else.  
• In most cases, they will be able to advise you about next steps you can take; and in some cases, they may even be able to reach out directly to the person you’re worried about.

• The only way to know if someone is thinking about suicide is to ask.  
• If someone is suicidal, they are likely to be feeling cut off from people around them; frightened and ashamed about wanting to die; and desperate for help but afraid to ask. They may need someone to start the conversation for them. This shows them that they have permission to talk about it and that they don’t have to cope with their thoughts alone.  
• Saying the word “suicide” won’t make it happen. 

We highly recommend these resources:

• Zero Suicide Alliance – free online training courses to teach you the skills and confidence to have a potentially life-saving conversation with someone you’re worried about, including a special university student edition. 
• Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts – an online reference resource by Samaritans. 
• Are you helping someone? – from Students Against Depression 
• Spot the Signs – five short videos from Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide. 
• It’s Safe to Talk About Suicide – a clear, helpful leaflet developed at the University of Exeter Medical School, in collaboration with The Alliance of Suicide Prevention Charities, and produced by Devon County Council. 
• The Language of Self-harm and Suicide (and why it matters) – an article from the Institute of Mental Health that helps us to choose our words around suicide and self-harm sensitively.