Useful information

We have collated a list of useful online resources by topic to help you with any issues you might be experiencing. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Need someone to talk to straight away?

• Nightline is a student run, confidential listening, information and eListening service. Nightliners are on duty every night from 7 pm - 8 am during term time to listen to any problem you may have. Call Nightliners on 0115 9514985.

Exam stress

• How to cope with exam stress
• Exam stress
• Exam anxiety helpsheet

Other academic issues

• How to cope with the stress of student life
• Talk to your tutor or contact academic support in your school
• Talk to a Student Mentor
• Attend a Workshop or Study Skills Cafe to help with your study skills, run by the Learning and Development Team and by Stride at the Student Union
• If you feel your performance in an examination or assignment has been affected by factors beyond your control, read Notification of Exceptional Circumstances
• The Student Advice Centre run by the Student Union provides advice on a range of issues
• Perfectionism
• Settling into university and coping with homesickness
• How you spend your time

Alcohol and drugs

• Alcoholics Anonymous provides support for people who wish to stop drinking.
• BAC-IN is a Peer Led service that offers culturally specific support, guidance and education for the African / Caribbean, South Asian and dual heritage communities. The services they provide help address and treat substance misuse as well as other related psychological and cultural issues.
• Narcotics Anonymous provides support for drug users.
• Compass is a non-clinical service that provides information and advice specifically relating to minimising harm to clients, carers and the community resulting from substance misuse, including overdose prevention and reducing drug-related deaths.
• Al-Anon provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking. We believe alcoholism affects the whole family, not just the drinker.
• APAS provides support for people with alcohol problems.
• Last Orders is a specialist alcohol service which provides practical and confidential advice if you are worried about your drinking.
• John Storer Clinic provides help for clients with drug related problems.
• Chill Out Sound provides support for non-injecting drug users.
• Down Your Drink is a self-help site for people concerned about their drinking.
• Drugs and alcohol helpsheet
• NHS Smoking Helpline if you are quitting smoking.

Anger management issues

• See the Controlling Anger website.
• How to Deal with Anger.
• Managing Anger helpsheet

Anxiety and stress

• Exam anxiety helpsheet
• Student stress
• Relaxation tips for stress
• Breathe in calm, breathe out stress
• Relaxation podcasts
• Anxiety UK offers advice and support as well as access to therapies for sufferers of all anxiety disorders and phobias.
• Anxiety Care is a charity that specialises in helping people to recover from anxiety disorders.
• Social Anxiety UK is a support network for those that suffer from Social Anxiety.
• Understanding anxiety and panic
• Coping with Anxiety and Panic Attacks: Some Cognitive-Behavioural Self-Help Strategies helpsheet
• Settling into University and Coping with Homesickness

Assertiveness

• Assertiveness and Assertiveness Training
• Improving assertiveness
• Some Tips on Assertiveness helpsheet

Bereavement

• Cruse provides support and information for those who have been bereaved.
• Bereavement helpsheet

Depression

• Depression Alliance works to relieve and prevent depression by providing information and support services.
• Student depression is a site that has been developed in consultation with students who have been affected by depression, low mood or suicidal thoughts.
• Look ok feel crap contains information about low mood and depression in young adults.
• A Brief Guide To Anti-depressants
• Depression helpsheet
• Food and Mood (Beating Depression)

Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage, Victim of Crime

• Victim Support.
• Women's Aid is the national domestic violence charity that helps up to 250,000 women and children every year. See Women's Aid Integrated Services for Nottingham based service.
• Survivors UK offers support for men who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and or adult assault / rape.
• Rape Crisis (England and Wales).
• Topaz Centre is committed to providing a sensitive and dedicated service that meets the needs of victims of rape and serious sexual assault within Nottinghamshire through the partnership between the health service, police and volunteer sector. You do not have to report to the police to access this service.
• Roshni  is a registered charity that supports Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) women who have experienced any form of gender based violence.
• Karma Nirvana supporting victims and survivors of honour based abuse and forced marriage.
• Respect Not Fear for people who may be in abusive relationships.
• Broken Rainbow UK provides confidential support to all members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, their family and friends supporting them.
• Surviving Childhood Sexual Abuse
• The Effects of Rape and Sexual Assault

Please also consider contacting the Police. If you are in danger, call 999.

Eating issues

• EDISS - The NHS Nottingham Eating Disorders in Students Service and useful links.
• Anorexia and Bulimia Care offers a professional, personal and caring service, from a team of staff with experience in eating disorders, providing encouragement, advice and support for all involved (sufferers and family members) to help make full recovery possible.
• beat is a UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families. There are separate confidential helplines - one for adults and one for young people under 25. Under 25's can also text or chat online to a member of the youth team.
• Overeaters Anonymous offers a program of recovery from compulsive eating using an approach with its origins in that taken by Alcoholics Anonymous.
• Eating Disorders - Signs and Symptoms

Gambling

• Gamcare offers support and information for sufferers of a gambling problem.

Other mental health issues

• MIND is the leading mental health charity for England and Wales.
• SANE is a leading UK mental health charity.
• Rethink, the leading national mental health membership charity, works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life.
• Chinese Mental Health Association serving Chinese people who suffer from mental health related issues and problems.

Local NHS Services

• Let's Talk Wellbeing (Nottingham) provides help for people with anxiety, depression and other similar difficulties.  You may use their services if you are registered with a Nottingham City doctor.  They also accept self-referrals.  For further information please contact them on 0115 956 088.
• Let's Talk-Wellbeing (Nottinghamshire) provides help for people with anxiety, depression and other similar difficulties. It is available in many different places in the community across Nottinghamshire County.

Also see the University Health Centre pages.

Self-esteem

• How to increase your self-esteem
• (Worries over) Appearance
• Self-esteem

Self-harm and suicidal feelings

• Samaritans provide confidential non-judgmental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. You can call 08457 90 90 90 to speak to someone.
• National Self-Harm Network supports those who self-harm and provides information, contacts and workshops on matters relating to this issue.
• Harmless provides support for people affected by self harm.
• TheSite.org provides information about self harm, recovery, advice and support.
• MIND for information about how to cope with suicidal feelings.
• PAPYRUS is the UK national charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.
• Understanding Self-harm
• Suicide (warning signs)

Sexuality, women's issues, pregnancy, sexual health and relationships

• Nottingham Women's Centre aims to offer a safe environment for all women to come together to gain confidence, develop skills, take part in training, get support and organise groups, activities and services.
• CareConfidential Online offers Unbiased Pregnancy and Abortion Counselling.
• Family Planning Association
• ARC provides non-directive support and information to parents before, during and after prenatal testing.
• There is a termination of Pregnancy Counselling Service at Victoria Health Centre. You can call them on +44 (0)115 883 9000.
• Sexual Health Services.
• Healthy Gay Nottingham is a gay and bisexual men's health project which offers counselling.
• Relate provides help with relationship issues, includes useful and informative self-help fact sheets.
• Stonewall works for equality and justice for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.
• Terence Higgins Trust is a charity at the forefront of the fight against HIV and AIDs.
• The National AIDS Trust provides useful information regarding AIDS and HIV.
• Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Lesbian and Gay Switchboard provides information and support for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and trans people.
• Women's Aid Women's Aid is the national domestic violence charity that helps up to 250,000 women and children every year. See Women's Aid Integrated Services for the Nottingham based service
• Survivors UK support offer for male childhood sexual abuse and rape.
• Rape Crisis (England and Wales) provides coordination for the national network of Rape Crisis Centres across England and Wales. Rape Crisis Centres provide a range of specialist services for women and girls that have been raped or experienced another form of sexual violence - whether as adults or as children.
• Relationships helpsheet
• Sexuality

Sleep

• How to Improve Your Sleep a BBC Guide.
• National Sleep Foundation is an American organisation with useful information.
• Getting a Good Night's Sleep helpsheet

Other issues

• Muslim Youth Helpline provides support to Muslim youth.
• Banishing Negative Thoughts
• Harassment and/or bullying issues - NTU Harassment Advisers provide a confidential, informal and timely source of information and support
• Bullying - Past and Present
• Finding a counsellor in your home area
• Post-traumatic stress syndrome

External counselling agencies

These organisations usually provide reduced cost counselling for students.

• Counselling Xtra 0115 960 5577 - currently offering free counselling for people under 26
• Nottingham Counselling Service 0115 950 1743
• Healthy Gay Nottingham  0115 9476868 HGN can provide free short-term gay-affirmative counselling for gay and bisexual men, men who have sex with men and people who identify as trans (female to male).