The president of ESN Twente, Meike Belter, explains why the organisation believes that the Mental Health Conference was needed. ‘We have identified that there is a need to raise awareness about mental problems on campus since this topic received a lot of media attention and research, however many people who suffer from these problems do not know where to go and who to turn to. They don’t dare to talk about it, so we, at ESN, try to make a link between what they feel and how they can receive support. We work towards a community in which mental health is not a stigma, but instead something people can openly talk about. It is time to break the stigma.’
How big is the problem?
The UT has begun to work on finding different solutions to this challenging issue, yet so far no clear data on the positive, absent or negative results is present, says Anne-Marie Hoogland from the Student Affairs Coaching & Counselling office. ‘Recently, we have released a survey regarding the wellbeing of students in order to assess if this is really a severe problem or if it does not encompass a big number of students. Nonetheless, 600 students filled in the survey on the first day, which definitely signals that there is interest in this topic.’
Is this the right way to deal with mental health issues?
‘I believe it is very important to be diagnosed by professionals before we get talked into thinking we are mentally impaired, because the big online and media attention to these issues can often mislead us,’ answers Belter. ‘However, there are different degrees of anxiety – from severe social discomfort with long-term consequences to tension and uncertainty triggered by daily events. While I agree that just because we are stressed sometimes does not mean we are all suffering from mental problems, it is important to get the chance to openly talk about it to a community or to student psychologists on campus without thinking that there is something messed up with us.’
Students' critique
Whilst everyone can register online for an appointment with a student psychologist, there has been some doubt during the conference, whether these sessions are truly helpful. Some students complained that the amount of time from the day you make an appointment to the actual date could be up to three months, in their experience. In addition, the psychologist office has to assess the degree of seriousness to a student's problem.
‘When I called for an appointment, I did not wish to disclose my intimate struggle with the office secretary – I wanted to speak to a professional,' said an international student during the event.
'After I disclosed my personal story, I left the room of the psychologist feeling guilt'
Other students have suggested that the UT should invest more care when hiring psychologists on campus. ‘After I disclosed my personal story, I left the room of the psychologist feeling guilt and contradictory emotions, which were not present when I entered the room. I understand that therapy could be a subjective method, but I am uncertain if anyone should leave after a therapy felling worst, then upon arrival,’ confided a student who asked to remain anonymous.
Closing the gap
After the series of mini lectures and discussions was over, ESN provided the opportunity for attendees to write down their ideas on how the UT should deal with the numerous students experiencing mental problems. The concepts written on three whiteboards will be later sent to the policy makers and student support staff.
‘When the conference was over, student advisors reached out to ESN, explaining that they are often unable to connect with students in order to ask for solutions on how to tackle the issue,’ says the president of ESN Twente. ‘This is why brainstorm sessions like this are crucial, because they bring closer the gap between the solutions that the university employees provide and the real problems, which students experience.’
