Support Services

Mental Health

1 in 4 people in the UK are affected at some point in their life by mental illness. This can range from mild anxiety and low mood all the way to disorders such as bipolar, schizophrenia and eating disorders. Increasingly, students are more at risk of being affected by mental health problems during their studies.

Knowing how you can access help and support if you are worried about your mental health, struggling to cope, or have a diagnosis of a mental health condition is a great start and can help make that journey to support a little smoother. You can find a range of mental health support services below depending on your individual circumstances.

Counselling Services

Disability and Wellbeing Service

Strathclyde’s Disability and Wellbeing Service provides a wide range of support services including individual counselling, mental health needs assessments, and support with returning to study after periods of time away for mental health issues. They also offer loads of online resources for self-directed support, and an online CBT programme called SilverCloud.

Lifelink

Lifelink can offer support to anyone who is struggling to cope with everyday stress or is feeling anxious or depressed. They can provide free one to one counselling to adults living within the Glasgow City Council Boundary.

Centre of Therapy

The Centre of Therapy & Counselling Studies is a registered charity, a not-for-profit social enterprise offering therapy to improve their psychological and emotional well-being.

Tom Allan Centre

The Tom Allan Centre provides a donation-based confidential counselling service in a safe and supportive environment in central Glasgow.

The Counselling Directory

The Counselling Directory provides a range of counselling options depending on your individual needs, with over 22,000 qualified counsellors listed on their site.

A General Practitioner (GP)

Registering with a local doctor’s surgery, especially if you’re not from or living in Glasgow prior to your studies, is a really important step to make sure you can easily access mental health support, such as NHS counselling. Speaking with your GP is also a really valuable option if you are looking for support accessing medication or a mental health diagnosis.

Listening Services

Spectrum.Life

Strathclyde is partnered with Spectrum.Life who offer 24/7 support via an online platform and mobile app, or by phone. Their phone line offers direct one to one support any time of day, and their online and app platforms give you access to lots of eLearning content to help you self-manage your mental and physical health.

Breathing Space

Breathing Space offers a confidential phoneline and webchat for anyone in Scotland age 16 years or over, feeling low, anxious or depressed.

Glasgow Students’ Nightline

Glasgow Students’ Nightline is a confidential and anonymous support service that's run for students by students at Strathclyde University, Glasgow University, and Glasgow Caledonian University.

Hear to Listen

Hear to Listen offers in-person, confidential wellbeing support, and a safe space where students can find someone to talk to, to offload their worries, or be signposted to additional support if needed.

Mental Health Emergencies

Samaritans

If you are looking for someone to talk to urgently, are experiencing distress, despair, or thoughts of suicide, we would encourage you to contact Samaritans who are available 27/4.

Shout

Shout is a confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

If you are at risk of harm, please phone NHS 24 for free on 111.

If you are at immediate risk of harm to yourself or anyone else, please contact emergency services on 999. 

Addiction 

Drugs and Alcohol 

Many people will drink while at university, some will use drugs, and this is entirely their choice. The Advice Hub is more concerned that if you do drink and take drugs that you do so safely and are making educated and informed decisions about doing so. If you think your drinking is getting out of hand or want to find out more about drugs that you are considering taking, there are various  organisations that can help.

Drinkaware

Drinkaware provides a range of useful phone numbers and links for free and confidential advice if you are concerned that you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol. They also provide information to help you learn about the impact of alcohol on you, your family or friends.

NHS

The NHS provides information on the health implications of alcohol misuse and the various services which can help.

Talk to Frank

FRANK provides extensive information on drugs, their effects and the law. If you are concerned about yourself or someone you know, FRANK provides friendly, confidential drugs advice over phone, text or email.  

Know the Score

Know the Score provides a wealth of information on drugs and provides free, confidential advice via phone and webchat. They also provide a directory of local and community support services to help deal with drug problems.

Gambling 

Problems and addictions involving gambling are becoming more and more common among students. If you feel that you are struggling with gambling, there are various organisations who can help you.

GamCare

GamCare is the leading provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms. They operate the National Gambling Helpline, provide structured support for anyone who is harmed by gambling, create awareness about safer gambling and treatment, and encourage an effective approach to safer gambling within the gambling industry.

Gamblers Anonymous Scotland

Gamblers Anonymous Scotland is a free support network for people who are looking to recover from a gambling problem. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling.

NHS

The NHS provides a useful online self-assessment tool to explore whether gambling may be becoming an issue for you. They also provide tips to help you improve your gambling habits, and a list of specialist support services.

Other Specialist Support 

The University of Strathclyde Mediation Clinic

 The University of Strathclyde Mediation Clinic provides a free mediation service in which experienced practitioners work alongside trainee mediators to help people resolve disputes. Mediation is a private conversation that allows people to negotiate and explore all the possible solutions before reaching a decision. The parties are the decision-makers, and the mediators will not impose an outcome. This allows people to make informed decisions and find creative ways to settle disputes. Mediation can take place on Zoom, telephone, or may be accommodated at the University Mediation Clinic. 

External Student Advice 

Student Space from Student Minds

Student Space from Student Minds provides specialist support for students via text message, webchat, phone or email. They help will any challenges that a student is facing, whether it’s mental health, studies, money or relationships. They also provide tailored support for students who might face additional challenges with mental health at university, including Muslim students, Punjabi students, students recovering from addiction, and students with eating disorders. You can contact them via text message, webchat, phone or email.

Bereavement

Cruse

Cruse offers support and advice for people who have been bereaved, however recent or long ago the bereavement occurred. They have a range of free, specialist services, including one-to-one bereavement counselling, support groups, and an advice line which can be accessed via webchat, phone, and email.   

Crime Victim Support 

Victim Support Scotland

Victim Support Scotland is the leading charity dedicated to helping people affected by crime across Scotland. They provide an independent, free, non-judgemental and confidential service to victims of crime, witnesses, and their family members. They can provide specialist support via phone or webchat on crimes including murder, terrorism, rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and hate crime.

Sex Worker Support 

ScotPEP

ScotPEP are a sex worker-led charity that advocates for the safety, rights and health of everyone who sells sex in Scotland. They hold monthly meetings, open to sex workers and allies, in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

NUMbrella Lane

NUMbrella Lane is a safe, collective space located in central Glasgow that seeks to create opportunities to strengthen mental health, wellbeing and community support for sex workers. They promote a friendly environment where all sex workers are welcome.

SWARM

The Sex Worker Advocacy and Resistance Movement (SWARM) is a collective founded and led by sex workers who believe in self-determination, solidarity and co-operation. Their meetings are England based, but their website has lots of helpful resources for sex workers and about sex work.

Gender Based Violence Support 

Gender Based Violence

The Advice Hub is a confidential service, and we will always believe what you tell us. Although we are not experts in GBV support, we are here for anyone who would like a friendly, supportive face to talk to, and can help with contacting anyone about their experience including the University, police, or another support organisation, or who requires advise on the impact on their studies. You can find further information, including a list of specialist support services, on our webpage dedicated to GBV.

Sahara Scotland 

Sahara Scotland

Sahara is a specialist domestic abuse case work service which provides culturally sensitive support to Muslim & BME women in Scotland. They address the intersectional needs of Muslim & BME women, adopting an empathetic response to cultural and religious nuances that can impact how a woman accesses support and what measures should be put in place to ensure BME & Muslim women feel heard, understood and validated.

LGBTQ+ Support

LGBTQ+ Support

There are a wide range of support services for the LGBTQ+ community, both on and off campus. You can find further information on the different resources available on our webpage dedicated to LGBTQ+ support.

Informing the University 

Complete Personal Circumstances

If you are facing challenges in your personal life which are affecting your studies, don't forget to inform the University as soon as possible by following the Personal Circumstances procedure. This ensures that you are supported appropriately, and that academic support can be put in place to make sure your studies aren’t affected too much.