Personal issues - useful websites
If you are looking for advice or assistance for any personal difficulties which may or may not be affecting your studies, Student Services is here for you. You can call in to Student Services at the ASC (Advice & Support Centre), 79 North Street anytime between 9:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday – no appointment necessary. Alternatively you can phone (01334 46) 2020 or email theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk
There are also various external websites that offer information, advice and self-help programmes. Whilst Student Services has obtained permission to provide these links, we cannot accept responsibility for their content. These links are listed in alphabetical order with reference to their content.
Quick links:
Abuse
Alcohol
Anxiety
Bereavement
Bipolar disorder
Bullying
Depression / low mood
Drugs
Eating disorders
Insomnia
Links from other University services
Mental Health
Mindfulness
Mindset
Motivation
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Other mental health issues
Other personal issues
Panic attacks
Resilience
Self-harm
Sexual health
Sexuality
Social anxiety
Suicide
Abuse
KASP
Counselling and support, healing the effects of childhood sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, physical, domestic and emotional abuse.
Alcohol
Fife Alcohol Support
Fife Alcohol Support Service is for anyone who is concerned about their drinking, or is concerned about a friend or family member.
OASIS Online
A website for anyone who drinks or uses coke. Allows you to quickly and easily check out the level of your use of alcohol or cocaine, giving you clear and non-judgemental feedback. The site also offers tools to help make changes to your drinking or cocaine use.
Anxiety
Anxiety UK
Anxiety UK is a user-led organisation, run by sufferers and ex-sufferers of anxiety disorders.
ecouch
e-hub’s newest self help interactive program includes modules for social anxiety and generalised anxiety as well as depression. It provides self-help interventions drawn from cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal therapies as well as relaxation and physical activity.
Bereavement
Cruse Scotland
Cruse exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar Scotland
Bipolar Scotland gives information, support and advice for anyone who has a diagnosis of Bipolar disorder, or their family and friends.
Bullying
Breathing space
Breathing Space Scotland is a web service and phoneline available 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday – 6am Monday) and 6pm – 2am on Weekdays (Monday – Thursday) on 0800 83 85 87.
The University's policy on Harrasment and Bullying can be found at Harassment and Bullying at Work and Study Policy (PDF, 161 KB)
Depression/Low mood
Action on Depression
Action on Depression offers a range of information and advice, for example:
Recognising depression: self test - Look OK... Feel Crap?
Mood Matters - Action on Depression
Living life to the full - Action on Depression
Action on Depression are offering a free computerised CBT self-help course to people in Scotland with mild to moderate depression. You will get access to resources to guide you through the course and individual telephone support to encourage you as you go and help you achieve your planned goals. To register, just email Susanne Dick at susanned@dascot.org
MoodGYM
A popular interactive program which incorporates cognitive-behaviour therapy for depression. It was first launched in 2001 and is now in its third revision. MoodGYM has been extensively researched and its effectiveness has been demonstrated in randomised controlled trials.
Students Against Depression
Students Against Depression might interest you as it is written specifically for students experiencing depression.
Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression
Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression gives a host of self-help information from a research unit.
Breathing Space
Breathing Space Scotland is a web service and phoneline available 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday – 6am Monday) and 6pm – 2am on Weekdays (Monday – Thursday) on 0800 83 85 87.
Drugs
Know the Score
Learn about different types of drugs, the risks, what to do in an emergency and where to get help
OASIS Online
A website for anyone who drinks or uses coke. Allows you to quickly and easily check out the level of your use of alcohol or cocaine, giving you clear and non-judgemental feedback. The site also offers tools to help make changes to your drinking or cocaine use.
Eating disorders
beat
Eating disorders are a serious mental illness affecting 1.6 million people in the UK. beat provides helplines for adults and young people, online support and a UK-wide network of self-help groups to help people beat their eating disorder.
Insomnia
Moodcafe
Tips for better sleep.
Links from other university services
Student links
A site with links compiled by other university services.
Mental Health
Mental Health Foundation podcasts
The website of the Mental Health Foundation outlines the charity’s work in research, policy, service development and service user involvement. The site offers information and publications to download on research, good practice in services and on mental health problems and key issues.
It provides a daily mental health news service and directories of organisations, websites and events. Website visitors can use forums and bulletin boards, join a mailing list and find out how to support the organisation.
Key Facts
A series of short leaflets about common mental health problems from the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Scottish Recovery Network
Mental health recovery awareness
Mindfulness
http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/mindfulness.htm
http://www.tcme.org/
Jon Kabat-Zinn describes Mindfulness as 'non judgemental awareness of the present moment'. Mindfulness allows us to recognise what is going through our mind without getting trapped in our usual, automatic reactions. It is helpful for a variey of personal difficulties including stress, eating issues and OCD.
Mindset
Fail your way to success by changing your mindset
Published by The Centre for Confidence and Well-being, based in Scotland
Motivation
Motivation Tips & Techniques
Positive psychology resources, published by The Centre for Confidence and Well-being, based in Scotland
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD-UK
OCD-UK is a leading national charity, independently working with and for people struggling with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Other mental health issues
Rethink
Rethink hopes to help anyone (or their friends and family) to recover a better quality of life.
Royal College of Psychiatrists
The Royal College of Psychiatrists hopes to improve the lives of anyone affected by mental health issues. This link covers a range of personal problems.
Scottish Recovery Network
The Scottish Recovery Network is aimed at raising awareness of recovery from mental health problems.
Other websites that cover a wide range of personal issues
TheSite.org
The Site gives information, abvice and support on a range of issues including sexual health, drugs, drink, relationships and much more.
Moodcafe
A range of information and resources relevant to common psychological problems.
The Centre for Clinical Interventions
The Centre for Clinical Interventions has provided an interactive CBT self-help site addressing a wide variety of problem areas: depression, social anxiety, panic, worry, self-esteem, procratination, assertiveness, and eating problems.
GET Self Help
This website offers CBT self-help information, resources and tools.
Panic attacks
Panic Stations
Information on coping with panic attacks
Generalised anxiety and panic attacks - the facts
Information on anxiety and panic attacks from Fife Department of Clinical Psychology
Resilience
Resilience Tips & Techniques
Positive psychology resources, published by The Centre for Confidence and Well-being, based in Scotland
Self Harm
Firstsigns
A user led organisation for people who rely on self injury.
National Self Harm Network
Supports people who self harm to reduce emotional distress and improve the quality of life.
Sexual health
Sexual Health Scotland
Comprehensive information on sexual health.
Sexuality
LGBT Youth Scotland
LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s largest youth and community-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisation.
Social anxiety
Social Anxiety UK
A volunteer led organisation providing information and support for problems of self-consciousness and shyness.
Suicide
Samaritans
Samaritans provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people experiencing distress or dispair including those which could lead to suicide.
Breathing space
Breathing Space Scotland is a phoneline and web service for people experiencing low mood or depression. Available 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday – 6am Monday) and 6pm – 2am on Weekdays (Monday – Thursday) on 0800 83 85 87.
At the end of the day, however, why not try the people on your doorstep – Student Services? Our professional staff is there to offer friendly, helpful advice and support on any issue.
Contact them at:
The ASC (Advice & Support Centre)
79 North Street
Phone: (01334 46) 2020
Email: theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk