ANXIETY AND STRESS
We understand that being a student and an expectant parent can be a very stressful time for you. Please make sure that you reach out to us, so that we can offer you support, or signpost you to one of the specialised teams, such as the ACE team for academic support or our Mental Health team.
Some of the stress might be due to your studies and assignments. If you are worried that your pregnancy, antenatal appointment, maternity leave etc., will prevent you from meeting your assessment deadlines, please contact us immediately. Most likely, you will be able to apply for Mitigating/Extenuating Circumstances, which will give you an extension or a deferral for your assignments. If you know you are not going to meet a deadline, contact us.
Pre-natal and Post-natal Depression
Pre-natal depression is the type of depression that happens during pregnancy. Postpartum depression (PPD, sometimes also called post-natal depression or PND) is depression that develops after you’ve given birth. These are different from having hormonal mood swings or “baby blues”, as they do not usually go away without treatment, and last longer than a few weeks
Symptoms of Depression
People may feel the following symptoms from time to time which can be normal. However, you may wish to speak to your GP about it- particularly if you experience more than one of these symptoms for a prolonged period of more than two weeks.
If you think you have pre-natal or postpartum depression, speak to your GP for further guidance.
Sadness, hopelessness, feeling overwhelmed, numb, or empty
• Lack of energy or motivation, fatigue
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Overeating or eating too little
• Problems with concentration, memory
• Feeling restless, fidgety
• Feelings of guilt of worthlessness
• Low self-esteem
• Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Withdrawal from friends and family
Support Teams
We realise that sometimes your mental health and wellbeing issues might be a bit more complicated, and that the support the Welfare Team offers might not be enough for you and that you might need more specialised support instead. In such cases, you can contact our specialised teams:
Mental Health Support Team
qahe.mentalhealthsupport@qa.com
0203 921 0163
Learning / Disability Support Team
QAHE.LearningSupport@qa.com
0207 656 8420
You can also use the Togetherall platform which provides a safe, online community, moderated by clinical professionals known as wall guides. The website has a variety of tools and resources including an online journal, a goal setter, self-help courses, and a safe space, where people provide peer to-peer emotional support, help and guidance. We would encourage you to follow the QR code so that you can access this support.