Changing MENtality

In this episode Kevin and Sam talk body image - their own experiences and the wider societal discourse around body image. They delve into physical attraction, your relationships with your own body, and how the media marginalises certain body types.

Listen to 'What's Next? A Conversation on Graduation' here https://changingmentality.buzzsprout.com/1468954/6459964  

Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram here. Please share so others can find us! https://linktr.ee/changingmentalitypodcast%20  

If you or a friend are looking for some extra support, here’s some places you can go:

• For support with eating disorders, visit Beat https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/i-need-support-now/helplines/  Or call their helpline: 0808 801 0811
• Student Minds: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/findsupport.html
• Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/
• Nightline: https://www.nightline.ac.uk/want-to-talk/  
• Samaritans-phone 116 123, or email [email protected]
• HOPELine UK-phone 0800 068 41 41: confidential service specifically for young people (under 35). They can offer crisis support for someone who is experiencing thoughts or feelings of suicide, as well as providing information and advice for those concerned about someone else.
• Papyrus: email [email protected]
• Students Against Depression- The Students Against Depression website has lots of information about tackling depression and low mood, including self -help resources and workbooks for students to work through to start taking steps towards tackling low mood. http://ww.studentsagainstdepression.org/ 

In this episode, Caleb, Aidan and George discuss their experiences engaging with challenging and distressing content in and around their university courses and placement. 

Content Warning: This episode contains mention (but no detailed discussion) of suicide, child sexual abuse, vicarious trauma, depression, and the Covid 19 pandemic.

If you are looking for support with suicide, including suicidal ideation, you can call the samaritans on:

116 123

Or visit their website:

https://www.samaritans.org

If you would like support with vicarious trauma, you can visit:

https://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/vicarious-trauma 

If you would like support with child sexual abuse, visit:

https://www.barnardos.org.uk/what-we-do/protecting-children/sexual-abuse

If you would like support with depression, anxiety or other mental health problems, visit Student Minds:

https://www.studentminds.org.uk/jobswithus.html 

On this episode George D is joined by Adeleke to talk all things Master’s Degrees. Whether you’re thinking of doing a postgraduate degree or are part-way through one, this episode may have something for you. With Adeleke coming to the end of is postgraduate degree and George about to embark on his, they discuss the balance of study-social-work life, tips for supporting your mental health, and much more. 

In this episode, George and Brendan talk about their experiences as undergraduates at university, the challenges of first going to uni, what they feel they gained from the experience, and what it was like to leave it behind. In particular, they discuss the sense of loss, lack of direction and grief that can follow from graduating and not really knowing the next step. 

Content warning: this contains some discussion of depression


If you would like support with depression or anxiety, you can visit the NHS website:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

If you're a student looking for support with this, check out Student Minds:

https://www.studentminds.org.uk/jobswithus.html#scc

You can also call Nightline:
https://www.nightline.ac.uk/want-to-talk/

And visit Students Against Depression:
https://www.studentsagainstdepression.org/

If you like the podcast, please share it widely!

In this episode, George S talks to Adam about his experience as an asian man in the UK. They discuss what it was like for Adam to grow up in London, his process of leaving Islam as a teenager, and how the norms of masculinity manifest in British Asian culture. Importantly, Adam aims to describe only his own experience, without claiming that it is universal to all British-Asian men or all ex-muslims. 

If you are looking for support for your mental health, check out these resources:

Student Minds: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/findsupport.html

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/

Nightline: https://www.nightline.ac.uk/want-to-talk/

If you are a muslim student and would like support specific to this, visit:

https://studentspace.org.uk/support-services/support-for-muslim-students

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/student-life/for-bame-students/

*A listener pointed out that the original file uploaded was silent after the intro. Unfortunately, that file was corrupted. Happily, I've re-uploaded a non-corrupted version of the file that includes the epsiode in full. Sorry for any confusion!

In this episode, Danny interviews Isabella de George on her nationwide campaign/movement to get universities to better improve their policies and well-being services for students, in particular placement students in memory of her brother Harrison. 

Links: 
Positive Changes ;n Placements - https://linktr.ee/isabella.degeorge and @positivechangesinplacement
Mad Millennials - https://ideali.st/aQJjeT 
Student Minds - https://www.studentminds.org.uk/
Student Space - https://www.studentminds.org.uk/coronavirus.html
National Suicide Prevention Alliance - https://nspa.org.uk/
Papyrus - https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
Samaritans - https://www.samaritans.org/
Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helping-someone-else/supporting-someone-who-feels-suicidal/useful-contacts/

In this episode George S talks to Dan Rothko about the relationship between self-esteem and masculinity. Dan left university prior to graduation due to poor mental health and struggles with self-esteem. Now in his thirties, he is happily married, has a child, and works in a complex needs school (a job he loves!) He talks openly about the issues he has had to deal with and what has helped him along the way. 

Content warning: this episode contains mention of sexual assualt and suicidal ideation. If you would like support with sexual assualt, you can visit:

https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org 

If you would like support specifically aimed at men and boys (including trans men and boys) you can visit:

https://www.survivorsuk.org/ 

If you are looking for support with suicidal ideation, you can contact the Samaritans by visiting their website at:

https://www.samaritans.org

And you can call them anytime, 24 hours a day, on: 

116 123

If you would like support with depression or anxiety, you can visit the NHS website:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

If you're a student looking for support with this, check out Student Minds:

https://www.studentminds.org.uk/jobswithus.html#scc

If you like the podcast, please share it widely!

In this episode, Aidan, Louis and Euan have a conversation about emotions they regularly come across and feel as men, the significance of these and how they can be addressed!
Relevant resources to these subjects can be found below: 

• Student Space - Online, one-stop shop’ for students in England and Wales who want to find help for their mental health or well-being.
• Students Against Depression - The Students Against Depression website has lots of information about tackling depression and low mood, including self -help resources and workbooks for students to work through to start taking steps towards tackling low mood.
• Student Minds website - Information about different support services available, including how to find them and what to expect when using them for the first time.
• Samaritans - phone 116 123, email [email protected] - confidential listening service.

You can find other episodes of Changing MENtality here.
You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter here.

Further resources can be found below.

• Your GP Service - can refer to specialist support and services.
• University Student Support Services e.g. counseling, mental health advisers, student advice centre, students’ union. It's also worth looking out for university societies for international students. 
• Papyrus - email [email protected]. 
• HOPELine UK - phone 0800 068 41 41: confidential service specifically for young people (under 35). They can offer crisis support for someone who is experiencing thoughts or feelings of suicide, as well as providing information and advice for those concerned about someone else.
• NHS 111 - Non-emergency line run by the NHS.
• 999 - for an emergency situation.

In this episode, George S speaks to Krai about his experiences as an international student from Thailand. They talk about UK and Thai culture, student life in the UK, and the challenges international students face to their mental health. 

Relevant resources to these subjects can be found below: 

• Student Space - Online, one-stop shop’ for students in England and Wales who want to find help for their mental health or well-being.
• Students Against Depression - The Students Against Depression website has lots of information about tackling depression and low mood, including self -help resources and workbooks for students to work through to start taking steps towards tackling low mood.
• Student Minds website - Information about different support services available, including how to find them and what to expect when using them for the first time.
• Samaritans - phone 116 123, email [email protected] - confidential listening service.

You can find other episodes of Changing MENtality here.
You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter here.

Further resources can be found below.

• Your GP Service - can refer to specialist support and services.
• University Student Support Services e.g. counseling, mental health advisers, student advice centre, students’ union. It's also worth looking out for university societies for international students. 
• Papyrus - email [email protected]. 
• HOPELine UK - phone 0800 068 41 41: confidential service specifically for young people (under 35). They can offer crisis support for someone who is experiencing thoughts or feelings of suicide, as well as providing information and advice for those concerned about someone else.
• NHS 111 - Non-emergency line run by the NHS.
• 999 - for an emergency situation.

In this episode George S talks to Robert Brown about Robert's experience of coming from a working class, low income background and how it has affected his time at university.  Though the number of students attending university has increased in recent years, the disparity in representation between students from low income and high income remains the same. We talk about what effects that can have on students from those under-represented backgrounds.

A few  books on relevant to this topic in the episode:

Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class - by journalist Owen Jones

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/chavs-the-demonization-of-the-working-class/9781839760921

This book explores the way the working class in the UK has been systematically marginalised and the negative attitudes that have been fostered about them by politicians and the media.

Limbo: Blue Collar Roots, White Collar Dreams - by journalist Alfred Lubrano

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/limbo-blue-collar-roots-white-collar-dreams/9780471714392

This is a book about the emotional challenges and internal conflicts  people from working class backgrounds (in this case, in the US) face when attempting to get into middle class professions

Normal People - by novelist Sally Rooney

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/normal-people/9780571334650

A novel about the troubled relationship between two school friends, one from a working class background and the other from a much wealthier background (also turned into a hit TV drama!)

Though not mentioned here, George would highly recommend the novels of David Nicholls - a novelist from a working class background and writer of One Day, Us and (most notebe from a class perspective) Starter For Ten and Sweet Sorrow:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books?keywords=David+nicholls

As well as Christopher Eccalston's autobiography I Love the Bones of You: My Father and the Making of Me:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/i-love-the-bones-of-you-my-father-and-the-making-of-me/9781471176340

And Social Class in the 21st Century - by sociologist Mike Savage:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/social-class-in-the-21st-century/9780241004227

Though not mentioned in the episode, this explains the recent division of the UK into seven classes, the concepts of social, economic and cultural capital discussed here, and how there is an increasingly large disparity between the elite at the top and the procariat at the bottom of the social hierarchy. 

If you would like support with your mental health, you can visit Students Against Depression:

https://www.studentsagainstdepression.org/