Mental health and wellbeing are closely related but distinct concepts. Mental health refers to our overall psychological and emotional state, encompassing our ability to cope with life's stresses, realise our potential, and contribute to our communities. Mental wellbeing is a more positive state, characterised by feeling good, functioning well, and being able to cope with the everyday demands of life.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Key aspects of mental health include:
This includes our ability to manage our emotions, cope with life’s stresses, and experience positive feelings.
This involves having a sense of purpose, positive self-esteem, and the ability to learn and grow.
This refers to our relationships with others, our sense of belonging within our communities, and our ability to contribute to society.
Resilience
Resilience is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. It's not about avoiding difficult situations or negative emotions, but rather about developing the capacity to bounce back from challenges and maintain psychological well-being. Resilience is a process, not a fixed trait, and can be learned and developed over time.
Resilience involves being flexible and adaptable in the face of change and adversity.
Resilient individuals develop effective coping strategies to manage stress and adversity.
Maintaining a positive outlook, even during difficult times, is a key aspect of resilience.
Strong social connections and support systems play a vital role in building resilience.
Understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, and emotional responses is crucial for developing resilience.
Resilient individuals view setbacks as learning opportunities and opportunities for growth.
Knowing when to seek help and support from others is also a sign of resilience.
Emotional Wellbeing
Emotional wellbeing refers to an individual's capacity to manage their emotions, adapt to life's challenges, and experience a sense of overall life satisfaction. It encompasses not only the absence of negative emotions like sadness or anxiety, but also the presence of positive emotions and a sense of purpose and meaning.
The ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, including both positive and negative feelings.
The capacity to bounce back from adversity, stress, and difficult life events.
The capacity to bounce back from adversity, stress, and difficult life events.
Feeling that one's life has direction and significance.
Feeling that one's life has direction and significance.
Self-Help Resources
This Guide provides evidence-based approached to well-being and mental health.
Mindfulness is a great way of dealing with anxiety and learning to live in the moment. Take some time to listen to these podcasts and look through the reading materials.
This programme will help you to manage stress, worry, anxiety, low mood and relationship difficulties.
This course will help you deal with setbacks and Failures
This course helps you manage social anxiety and shyness by challenging negative thoughts, becoming more assertive, and using exercises to step outside of your comfort zone.
This course teaches you how to manage and reframe negative thoughts using techniques like cognitive restructuring to achieve a more balanced outlook.
Getting Help:
If you need support for your mental wellbeing you can make an appointment with our Counselling and Personal Development Service.
If you are away from campus or need assistance after college hours, visit our Out of Hours Support for resources and support available during these times.
Take a look at the excellent resources developed by the Counselling Service to help with anxiety, depression, stress, resilience and a range of other issues.
The HSE website provides comprehensive information about mental health difficulties, offers self-help tools and activities, and provides advice on how to cope with some difficult life situations.
Disordered Eating
If you have an unhealthy relationship with food that's affecting your eating habits, this is usually a sign of an eating disorder.
- spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape
- avoiding socialising that involves food
- eating very little food
- making yourself sick or taking laxatives after you eat
- exercising too much
- having very strict habits or routines around food
- changes in your mood
You may also notice physical signs, including: (HSE)
- feeling cold, tired or dizzy
- problems with your digestion
- your weight being very high or very low for someone of your age and height
- not getting your period
- dramatic weight loss
- lying about how much and when they've eaten, or how much they weigh
- eating a lot of food very fast
- going to the bathroom a lot after eating, often returning looking flushed
- exercising too much
- avoiding eating with others
- cutting food into small pieces or eating very slowly
- wearing loose or baggy clothes to hide their weight loss
Getting help for an eating disorder
If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can. Your GP will ask you questions about your eating habits and how you're feeling. They'll also do a full health check. If you are finding it difficult to seek help, it may make things easier if you bring a friend or loved one with you to your appointment. (HSE)
If you need to speak with someone our Counselling service and Health Service is always here to help.
For national supports you can find information from BodyWhys - The national eating disorders association of Ireland at Bodywhys.ie
Getting help for someone else
Someone with an eating disorder might be secretive and defensive about eating and their weight. It can be difficult to know what to do if you're concerned for them. Let them know you're worried about them and encourage them to see their GP. You could offer to go along with them.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE.
Financial Wellbeing
Financial wellbeing is when you are feeling secure and in control of your current and future finances. It means having the ability to meet your financial obligations, manage unexpected expenses, and pursue your financial goals without excessive stress or worry. It's not just about wealth, but also about your emotional relationship with money and your confidence in managing it.
DCU has a Student Financial Assistance Service which explains grants and bursaries available and offers advice on how to budget. Visit our Student Financial Assistance section for further information.
If you need Counselling support you can visit our Counselling & Personal Development Service
Nationally, The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free, independent, confidential and non- judgmental money advice and budgeting service for all members of the public.