Wellbeing self-help

Below you can find some resources to support you emotionally as a result of COVID-19. Don’t forget that we are here to help and support you, and continue to offer wellbeing support throughout this period.    

• Student Space – access information, tools and dedicated support (via phone, text, email and webchat) to help you through the challenges of coronavirus 
• Information and support on coronavirus and your wellbeing from Mind 
• Advice on looking after your mental health and wellbeing if you are staying home from the Mental Health Foundation  
• A Student Survival Guide to Self-Isolation (True Student) 
• A self-help guide for coronavirus anxiety (Dr Jenn Cooper, Glasgow Caledonian University)

Apps

• SAMapp – developed in collaboration with a research team from UWE Bristol, the app helps you understand and manage anxiety. 
• Headspace – learn meditation and mindfulness in just ten minutes a day to help you stress less, focus more and even sleep better. 
• Happify – science-based activities and games to help you overcome negative thoughts, stress, and life’s challenges. 
• Superbetter – short, easy games designed to build happiness boosting skills like resilience and improve mental health. 
• What’s Up – provides coping strategies to manage your worries. Use the app as a quick check-in tool to get perspective on your thoughts. 
• Calm – leading sleep and meditation app to help you relax, focus and sleep better, with over 25 soothing sounds. 
• Buddhify – Mindfulness app with over 80 guided meditations, including 6 specifically targeted for sleep. 
• Sleep Cycle – analyses your sleep and wakes you up in your lightest sleep phase. 

You can also find a list of free and paid NHS approved apps and online tools to help you manage and improve your mental wellbeing here. 

Podcasts

• Browse podcasts for your wellbeing from the Mental Health Foundation
• The Oxford Mindfulness Centre offer weekly online mindfulness sessions – the sessions are free and are also made available as a podcast shortly after 

• NHS – Alcohol Support 
• Drink Aware – advice and support for yourself or someone else 
• Torbay Drug and Alcohol Service – get advice and self-refer to the service for support

• Getselfhelp.co.uk – information on anger, help to understand your triggers and what to do when you feel angry

• NHS – Anxiety, fear and panic  
• NHS Self Help Leaflet on Anxiety  
• Getselfhelp.co.uk – information on anxiety and advice on how to deal with it in your day to day 
• Mind – information on anxiety and panic attacks 

• Cruse Bereavement Care – a national charity supporting people who are bereaved 
• What’s your grief – resources and discussion about grief 
• NHS – Grief after bereavement or loss 
• Support after suicide – information and support for anyone who has been bereaved or affected by suicide
• Help Is At Hand – an NHS resource for people bereaved by suicide and other traumatic, sudden death

• NHS – Low mood, sadness and depression 
• Talkworks – a free, confidential NHS talking therapy service for people aged 18+ in Devon offering support to help you feel better and improve your mental and physical wellbeing  
• Students Against Depression – information and resources validated by health professionals, alongside tips and advice from students who have experienced it all themselves 
• Mind – information about depression and available support 
• Getselfhelp.co.uk – information and self-help resources on depression

• Torbay Domestic Abuse Support Service – TDAS provides practical, non-judgemental support, advice and protection for all victims of domestic abuse

• Talk to Frank – confidential drugs advice and support for anyone experiencing drug addiction  
• Mind offer advice on drugs and mental health 
• NHS – Drug Addiction

• Beat offers helpline services and online support groups for those who may be suffering from an eating disorder or are experiencing symptoms  
• NHS – Eating disorders 
• Mind offer information on eating problems and available support 
• MaleVoicED – a charity which recognises and provides support for males who experience eating disorders, disordered eating and associated co-morbid conditions 

• Mindfulness for students – courses and simple mindfulness exercises to download 
• NHS – Mindfulness 
• Getselfhelp.co.uk offers information, advice and resources on practicing mindfulness and becoming more mindful 
• Mind have put together a short guide on making sense of Mindfulness

• Mind Tools – advice on how to stop procrastinating 

• NHS – relaxation techniques – audio files of relaxation techniques to help relieve stress 
• Getselfhelp.co.uk – information and resources about stress and how to make positive changes 
• NHS – understanding stress 
• Mind have put together a short guide on managing stress
• A short guide from Mind on how to cope when supporting someone else
• Combat Stress – supporting veteran’s mental health 

• Mind offers information and practical tips on improving your self-esteem 
• Getselfhelp.co.uk shares advice on dealing with low self-esteem  
• NHS – raising low self-esteem 
• Self Compassion.org – information, exercises, and downloadable guided meditations to help you build self-compassion 

• Self-harm UK – a website dedicated to self-harm recovery 
• NHS – where to get help for self-harm

• NHS – Your contraception guide 
• NHS – where can I get emergency contraception 
• NHS – sexual health 

• The Mix – advice and information on all aspects of sexuality and relationships 
• Student Minds – resources and advice on mental health and LGBTQ+ (including coming out as LGBTQ+ at university and gender transitioning)  
• Mind shares information on mental health support for LGBTQ+

• NHS – Sleep and tiredness 
• National Sleep Foundation – advice on sleep solutions, such as setting up a good bedroom environment to promote sleep 
• The Sleep Council – helpful tips and advice about how to get a good night’s sleep 
• Getselfhelp.co.uk provides information on promoting good sleep 
• Mind offer advice on how to cope with sleep problems

• Samaritans – advice and guidance for anyone who is experiencing suicidal feelings 
• NHS – help for suicidal thoughts 
• Students Against Depression – advice, information and guidance to students affected by low mood, depression and suicidal thinking 
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – an organisation dedicated to preventing male suicide 
• Papyrus – a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide
• Mind offer advice on what suicidal feelings are and what you can do if you feel suicidal  
• Andy’s Man Club – peer-to-peer support groups for men to come together in a safe environment to talk about issues and problems they have faced or are currently facing 
• Women’s Wellbeing Club – a peer to peer community support group run for women by volunteers. Go along for a cup of tea and company, or whether you need to talk to likeminded women in a safe environment