Health and wellbeing

We know this is a very concerning time for everyone. We are here to help and support you and will continue to provide a confidential service throughout this period.

Please find some resources below which have been collated to specifically support you emotionally as a result of COVID-19:

Online articles

• Mind: The Mental Health Charity Resources
• World Health Organization self-care tips
• CDC guidance on coping with stress from COVID-19
• Student Minds Resources 
• Mental Health Foundation: Looking after your mental health and wellbeing if you are staying home
• Healthcare Students' Guide by the Office for Students
• Scottish Autism: Coronvirus and your wellbeing
• True Student: Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety
• LGBT Foundation guidance for support during Covid-19

Interactive blogs and guides

• A Student Survival Guide to Self-Isolation blog
• Young Minds blog
• A self-help guide for coronavirus anxiety - A PDF guide produced by Dr Jenn Cooper, a chartered counselling psychologist and lecturer on the D.Psych Counselling Psychology course at Glasgow Caledonian University
• Living with worry and anxiety amidst global uncertainty_PDF Guide produced by Dr Matthew Whalley and Dr Hardeep Kaur for Psychology Today. 
• Rethink Mental Illness has published a guide for students on coping with Coronavirus. 
• The Wellness Society have produced a The Wellness Society - Covid19 Guide
• Student Minds Blog: 5 Well-being habits I use to Navigate Self-Isolation 
• True Student: Preparing for transitioning out of Isolation
• The Sir Alex Ferguson Library have also collated resources in how to enhance your wellbeing during lockdown, including digital resources to learn something new, exploring nature, being creative, and more. You can find these resources at their Wellbeing in Lockdown Page.

Gender-based violence support during COVID- 19

• Women’s Aid support during COVID-19
• Men’s advice line
• GCU gender-based violence support resources

Community support groups

• Exacta Print community support list (this list has local groups for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Stirling, Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lothian, Falkirk, Argyll and Bute, the Highlands, Moray, Ayrshire, the Borders, Aberdeenshire and more. The list is continually updated. 

   

Health anxiety 

Additionally, we know that for those members of our University community who already have health anxiety, this may be a particularly challenging time. Please find some resources below for specific support for health anxiety and pandemics:

•  NHS information on health anxiety
•  Healthline – How to deal with health anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak

Assisitive technology

The GCU Disability Team within the Wellbeing Service have created a document outlining how students can use assistive technology to aid studying at home.

Caledonian Court

We have tailoured support for our students who are remaining in Caledonian Court during this unprecidented time. You can find this information at the Caledonian Court Support Pages. 

Healthcare Student Support

Nothingham University have developed a course which focuses on the Psychological Wellbeing for Healthcare workers throughout Covid-19.

The Scottish Government have announced a dedicated support phone line open 24 hours a day seven days a week for all health and social care workers and the number is: 0800 111 4191 (this is in addition to their support hub) 

The GCU Wellbeing Team has worked with the Sir Alex Ferguson Library to create a GCU wellbeing resource list.

The list has books and ebooks which are available online, alongside videos and other resources.

The Sir Alex Ferguson Library have also collated resources in how to enhance your wellbeing during lockdown, including digital resources to learn something new, exploring nature, being creative, and more. You can find these resources at their Wellbeing in Lockdown Page.

We have a range of support and resources staff can access. Click on staff welling support and resources  for further information.

Guide

•  A self-help guide for coronavirus anxiety - A PDF guide produced by Dr Jenn Cooper, a chartered counselling psychologist and lecturer on the D.Psych Counselling Psychology course at Glasgow Caledonian University

Apps

• NHS mental health app library
• Expert self-care student health app
• Self-help anxiety management app
• Headspace - meditation app
• Stress management app
• Hello Mind - Low self-esteem, stress, fear, bad sleep and unhealthy habits
• Centred State - Hypnotic deep breathing to relieve anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks
• Stop Panic - Self-help for panic
• Calm - Meditation to relax, focus and sleep better

Podcasts

• Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic podcast 'Lessons in how to unleash your creativity'
• Wellbeing podcasts
• The Mental Illness Happy Hour
• Everybody Blurts - Professional lowdown on depression and support available
• Moodzone podcasts
• Wellbeing Audio Resources (anxiety, low mood, sleeping, health anxiety, anger, stress, panic attacks, self-esteem)

GCU Common Good Podcast 

• Follow the GCU Common Good Podcast for some informative episodes with experts across the GCU Community 

Wellbeing and Mental Health

• Mind’s A-Z of mental health  
• MIND - For Better Mental Health
• Scottish Association for Mental Health
• SANE - Mental health charity
• The Coalition for Race Equality and Rights (CRER) Scotland have put together a directory of support organisations which offer support to BAME Communities in Glasgow. 

Alcohol

• Drink Aware
• Alcohol Concern
• The Glasgow Council on Alcohol
• Addiction Alcohol Behaviour Change Service 

Anger

• British Association of Anger Management

Anxiety and panic

• Anxiety UK
• How to deal with panic attacks
• Moodgym - Cognitive behavioural therapy/Interpersonal therapy based modules to help people understand and overcome depression and anxiety (you need to sign up, but it is completely free)
• Moodzone - Stress, anxiety, depression

Assertiveness

• Assertiveness training

Bereavement

• Cruise Bereavement Care
• The Compassionate Friends 

Depression and low mood

• Time Out Scotland
  
• Students Against Depression
• Moodgym - Cognitive behavioural therapy/Interpersonal therapy based modules to help people understand and overcome depression and anxiety (you need to sign up, but it is completely free)
• Moodzone - Stress, anxiety, depression

Disability

• GCU Disability Service

Drugs

• Talk to Frank
• Smoking Cessation
• AddAction
• We are with you

Eating problems

• Beating Eating Disorders
• Beat - online support groups (support with anorexia, bulimia, overeating, family support and more)

Gambling:

• NHS - Gambling addiction advice
• National Debt Line

 Support for people affected by other people’s gambling:

• GamCare
• GamAnon  

Gender Based Violence

• GCU Gender Based Violence Support

Insomnia/sleeping problems

• Personal Sleep Profile
• Mind - Sleeping

Perfectionism

• Perfectionism - BBC

Relationships

• The Spark - Offer relationship counselling and advice across Scotland
• Relationships Scotland, Glasgow

Family Support

• Parentline Scotland
• Home Start Glasgow North
• Family Mediation West

Self-harm

• Life Link - Support for adults
• Harmless - Self-harm support 
• Time and Space Glasgow
• Self-Injury Support 

Sexual Health

• The Sandyford Initiative

Sexuality

• Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Youth Scotland
• LGBT Helpline Scotland
• Sandyford Counselling Services  T: 0141 211 6700)
• Steve Retson Counselling (for gay, bisexual men and men who have sex with men)  T: 0141 211 8628
• Sandyford Gender Identity Services
• LGBT Youth Glasgow
• Scottish Transfender Alliance
• GCU LGBT+ Student Support

Stress

• Steps for Stress
• International Stress Management Association
• Moodzone - Stress, anxiety, depression
• Life Link - Support for adults
• Combat Stress - Veteran Mental Health 

Breathing and Muscle Relaxation Exercises

Relaxation techniques like controlled breathing and muscle relaxation can be useful tools for feeling calmer quickly and reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. The Samartians have online breathing and muscle relaxation exercises on youtube. 

Wise Group CBT

The Wise Group are providing free group CBT Sessions with a rolling programme covering different themes. Find out more and sign up at their website. 

Samaritans Self-Help App

The Samartians have launched a self-help app which offers people practical ways to cope and stay safe if they're going through a difficult time. 

The app centres around a mood tracker, which you can use to record how you're feeling and see patterns in your mood. It also recommends techniques to try, based on how you're feeling at the time.

Mindfulness

• Lifelink guided mindfulness
• Mindfulness Scotland
• Moodjuice Scotland 
• Mind - Mindfulness 
• NHS - Mindfulness 

GCU The Arc online classes

​To help us to stay fit at home, instructors from the Arc are posting daily workouts and streaming free pilates and yoga classes for all GCU staff. The daily workouts will be posted on the Arc's Facebook page and the pilates and yoga classes will be delivered via Zoom. 

They are also setting fun challenges, such as 100 squats a day. 

Their Arc_JuneTimetable outlines all the activities and classes which are planned for this month, and you can also get in touch with the Atc through their Facebook Page or Email. 

Kathleen Campbell, the Arc manager, said: "It's really important at this time to keep active during these difficult times, both for your physical and mental health. The workouts are free and no equipment is required and we hope you find them fun and inspiring." 

To watch the daily workouts and to access the pilates and yoga classes, visit the Arc's Facebook page. 

Glasgow Club online workouts

The Glasgow Club is offering free guided at-home workouts for individuals to follow along at home. There is a wide range of available workshops including Body Balance, Yoga, and more. 

Healthcare Workers Wellbeing Course 

Nothingham University have developed a course which focuses on the Psychological Wellbeing for Healthcare workers throughout Covid-19. 

• Blake H, Bermingham F. Psychological wellbeing for healthcare workers: mitigating the impact of covid-19. The University of Nottingham. Version 1.0, April 2020. https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/toolkits/play_22794

Support Groups

• AnxietyUK Support groups
• OCD support group  
• Time Out Scotland - Support group for people with depression and/or anxiety
• GAMH Carers support group 
• Support in Mind carers group
• Eating Disorders support group 
• Bipolar Disorder support group
• Bereavement support group
• Alcohol and Drugs support
• Mental Health Network - variety of events and groups
• Elefriends - Online support network for when life gets tough

Helplines

• Nightline T: 0141 55 22 555
• Samaritans T: 08457 90 90 90
• Hopeline T: 0800 068 4141
• Saneline T: 07984 967 708
• Young Minds Crisis Messenger: TEXT YM to 85258
• Living Life - Cognitive behavioural therapy telephone service
• LGBT Helpline Scotland
• Good Morning Service

• The Scottish Government have announced a dedicated support phone line open 24 hours a day seven days a week for all health and social care workers and the number is: 0800 111 4191. This in addition to their dedicated support hub.

Self care

Relaxation

Getting active

Mindfulness

Human connection

Autism - 'The world needs all kinds of minds'