As well as Student Support Services offering Stress Control, Café Connect and Wellbeing Drop Ins on campus, there are a number of other services and organisations out there which support your
In addition to the range of wellbeing services available at the University, we have also partnered with Big White Wall to provide Stirling students with access to 24/7 online support. Big White Wall is a digital mental health support service which is completely anonymous – so you can express yourself freely and openly. Features include:
Find out more and join the Big White Wall community.
Important note: please see Big White Wall's privacy statement for information on how your personal information is kept secure while you are on the site. The University of Stirling is not informed by Big White Wall that you've signed up for the service or told about your activity on the site unless they are seriously concerned about your safety.
Student Support Services in partnership with the Students’ Union and Faculties are now offering free Stress Control sessions.
To find details on the sessions currently running and how to attend virtually please email ask@stir.ac.uk.
Join us for Café Connect catch-ups. Meet, greet, chat and connect. A weekly café space with a focus on wellness and self-care. Learn something new, give back, get active, have a chat and a free
Please note, this event has been postponed until further notice. Check out our online alternatives in the Be Connected calendar.
Wellbeing is concerned with every aspect of your life – home life, social life and your studies. Your physical and mental wellbeing are both important to ensure you get the most out of your life at University and beyond. What you eat and drink, how you sleep, how you feel about your studies, social connection, exercise and relaxation will all influence your overall wellbeing. Even a single small change in just one area can improve your health and wellbeing and Student Support Services can help you to make these small changes.
We offer 30 minute appointments with our Assistant Wellbeing Advisor where you can explore ways to stay well, keeping your mind healthy, stay active and balance this with relaxation. And if you need it, we can help you access other services and support so that you can thrive in every area of your life.
Appointments take place in Cottrell Building, Monday to Friday during the semester starting from March 2nd at the following times:
Monday 2pm – 3.30 pm
Tuesday 10.30 am – 12 pm
Wednesday 10.30 am – 12 pm
Thursday 2 pm – 3.30 pm
Friday 2 pm – 3.30 pm
How do I make an appointment?
Just visit the Student Services Hub, call on 01786 466022 or email ask@stir.ac.uk and one of the team will make an appointment for you.
Boost your mental and physical wellbeing and reconnect with nature in Pathfoot Courtyard Garden
Several research studies over the past ten years have demonstrated the health and wellbeing benefits for those involved in community gardening and horticultural projects. These include improvement in self-esteem and reductions in tension, depression and anxiety as well as boosting mindfulness and nurturing skills!
The Art Collection and The Conservation Volunteers Scotland are offering places on our new gardening initiative. The aim is to increase participant’s contact with plants and the natural environment to improve physical health and mental wellbeing.
This drop in club will be held in the Pathfoot Building and Courtyard Garden on Thursdays between 11am and 2pm (semester time only and excluding week).
If you are interested in learning more about plants, growing something and engaging with the natural world at a pace that provides an antidote to the stresses of modern life then please come along any time during the drop-in
Do you want to take control and improve your well-being? Do you want to make small changes that
Complete the interactive quiz for your body or for your mind and when completed it will give you
Start improving your well-being today.
There are a host of excellent services available if you need to talk to someone about matters of mental health or emotional wellbeing. Each of the helplines listed will connect you directly with professionals who can offer confidential support around the clock, and we recommend them as a first port of call whether you feel like you’ve reached a crisis point or just need someone to talk to.
Phone: 116 123
Samaritans can offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like about whatever’s getting to you – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
If you’re out of the UK you can also contact them via email on jo@samaritans.org although the response may take a little longer.
Phone: 0800 83 85 87
Breathing Space are a free, confidential phone service for anyone in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
Phone: 0300 123 3393
Mind provide advice and support to empower you if you are experiencing a mental health problem. Text 86463.
Text ‘Shout’ to 85258
Free 24/7 text service that provides an anonymous conversation for anyone in crisis. Offers a safe space where you are listened to by a trained Crisis volunteer.
The websites below provide lots of information on issues such as anxiety, drug abuse, self-harm and depression. Each site brings together in-depth expertise in a specific area and lets you connect with professional carers and counsellors.
Information and resources validated by health professionals alongside tips and advice from students who have experienced it themselves.
Lots of information, advice and personal stories around self- harm, particularly focused on young people.
National charity for those affected by anxiety, offering lots of helpful information and support resources.
Circle engages with families who face exclusion due to social injustice, poverty and health inequalities.
Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland (CBCS) exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people in Scotland.
An independent charity, they provide support and information to people affected by crime and campaign for victim and witness
We’ve put together a list of apps designed to help you with a variety of mental health and emotional wellbeing issues. Apps are a great resource for ensuring help is always at hand, such as if you are out of the UK in another time zone, and they can provide useful prompts and reminders that encourage you to take time out or keep track of how you’re doing.
| App name | Platform | Cost | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Be Mindful | £30 |
An online course to help reduce stress and anxiety using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. |
|
|
Beat Panic |
£0.99 |
Overcome panic attacks and anxiety wherever you happen to be. |
|
|
Big White Wall |
Free |
Get round-the-clock support from therapists to help you cope with stress and anxiety. |
|
|
BlueIce |
Free |
This app helps young people manage their emotions and reduce urges to self-harm. |
|
| Breathe 2 Relax | iOS/Android | Free | Learn the stress management skill of diaphragmatic breathing. |
| Buddhify: Mindful Meditation | iOS/Android | Paid | Easy-to-follow guided meditations. |
| Calm | iOS/Android | Free (with in-app purchases) | Mindfulness and guided meditation app. |
| Calm Harm | Free |
Reduce urges to self-harm and manage emotions in a more positive way. |
|
| Calm in the Storm | iOS | Free | Reduce, manage, and learn about stress in your life. |
| Catch It | Free |
Learn to manage negative thoughts and look at problems differently. |
|
|
Chill Panda |
Free |
Use breathing techniques to help you relax more, worry less and feel better. |
|
| Cove | Free |
Create music to reflect emotions like joy, sadness and anger to help express how you feel. |
|
| Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson | iOS/Android | Paid | Relaxing guided meditation. |
|
distrACT |
Free |
Quick and discreet access to information and advice about self-harm and suicidal thoughts. |
|
| Elefriends | iOS/Android | Free | A supportive online community. |
| eQuoo: Emotional Fitness Game |
Free, with in-app purchases |
Use adventure games designed by psychologists to help you increase your emotional fitness. |
|
|
Feeling Good: positive mindset |
Free, with in-app purchases |
Use audio tracks to help relax your body and mind and build your confidence. |
|
| Headspace | iOS/Android | Free (with in-app purchases) | Guided meditation and mindfulness. |
| Insight Timer | iOS/Android | Free (with in-app purchases) | Guided meditations. |
| iSleep Easy: Meditations for Restful Sleep | iOS/Android | Paid | A wide variety of guided meditations. |
| Mindshift | iOS/Android | Free | Designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety. |
| Moodkit | iOS | Paid | Psychology tips and tools for everyday life. |
|
My Possible Self: The Mental Health App |
Free, with in-app purchases |
Learn how to manage fear, anxiety and stress and tackle unhelpful thinking. |
|
| Panic Attack Aid and Panic Attack Aid Lite | Android | Paid (Lite version free) | Designed to bring calming relief to panic attack sufferers. |
| Rise Up + Recover | iOS/Android | Free | An eating disorder monitoring and management tool. |
|
SilverCloud |
Free |
An eight-week course to help you manage stress, anxiety and depression at your own pace. |
|
|
Sleepio |
Free in some areas |
An online sleep improvement programme, clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster. |
|
|
Sleepstation |
Free with GP referral |
Connect with a team of sleep experts to help you fall asleep or stay asleep through the night. |
|
| Stay Alive | iOS/Android | Free | Pocket suicide prevention resource |
|
Stress & Anxiety Companion |
Free (with in-app purchases) |
Breathing exercises, relaxing music and games to help calm your mind and change negative thoughts. |
|
|
Student Health App |
Free | Reduce your worries, feel more confident and get the health information you need as a student. | |
| What's Up? – A Mental Health App | iOS/Android | Free (with in-app purchases) | An aid for coping with depression, anxiety, anger and stress. |
| Relax with Andrew Johnson | iOS/Android | Paid | Unwind and de-stress with relaxation techniques. |
| SAM: Self-help for Anxiety Management | iOS/Android | Free | Established methods of self-help in an accessible format. |
| Thrive | Free |
Use games to track your mood and teach yourself methods to take control of stress and anxiety. |
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