Students who have recently moved to Sheffield are being encouraged to ask for help if they are struggling with their mental health.

The Sheffield Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service offers free NHS support to anyone in the city is struggling with stress, anxiety, worry or low mood.

The service has organised a series of online taster sessions specifically for students to introduce IAPT, the support they offer and demonstrate some practical techniques to help cope with stress, anxiety or worry.

Students in Sheffield are invited to book a place on one of the following dates:

• Wednesday 13 October – 3pm to 4.30pm – Sheffield Hallam students
• Wednesday 20 October – 3pm to 4.30pm – University of Sheffield students
• Wednesday 10 November – 3pm to 4.30pm – Sheffield Hallam students
• Wednesday 17 November – 3pm to 4.30pm – University of Sheffield students

Sian Wray is a Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in the IAPT team and will be hosting the online taster sessions, she said: “Moving to a new city and living on your own for the first time is really tough and it’s absolutely normal to feel overwhelmed by it all.

“There’s so much change to take in and things going through your mind. Have I chosen the right course? Will I make new friends? How am I going to afford everything? We support hundreds of students every year who have experienced the exact same feelings you are, so you’re not on your own and there’s nothing wrong with you.

“We’ve organised these taster sessions to give you a better idea of the support that we can offer you and the sorts of things you might do at these sessions. That may be something simple like Mindfulness or breathing exercises, or looking at how staying active can massively impact on our mental health.

“The hardest step can be acknowledging that something doesn’t feel right and that you need some help, but once you’ve done it you’re one step closer to fixing things. Don’t suffer in silence and shut yourself off, we are here to help.”

To find out more about the free NHS mental health support on offer in Sheffield visit iaptsheffield.shsc.nhs.uk or call 0114 226 4380.

ENDS

For more information please contact Ben Solly, Communications Manager, by emailing ben.solly@shsc.nhs.uk