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Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What if I become unwell? 

If you become unwell, there are lots of options you can consider. 

See our pages on support for students and seeking help for your mental health, for more information about getting help for your mental health. 

Who can I talk to about my options? 

It may be helpful to have a chat with someone impartial about your options, even if just to help get it clear in your own mind about what you think would help. 

  • Your academic supervisor or tutor should be able to help you to understand your university or college’s policy for taking time out and to consider how you could take a more flexible approach to your studies. 
  • Your Students’ Union advice service or welfare office can provide impartial advice. 
  • Your university or college’s disability service can support you to think about taking time out or taking a more flexible approach to your studies. 

Support if you are in a crisis 

A crisis is any situation in which you feel you need urgent help. For example, you might feel in crisis if: 

  • you are having suicidal thoughts and feelings 
  • you are having thoughts about harming yourself or someone else 
  • you have seriously hurt yourself. 

Everyone experiences a crisis in their own way. You might feel that your mental health has been steadily deteriorating for some time, or perhaps something’s happened in your life that’s shaken your stability. 

You might have a good idea what’s likely to trigger a crisis for you, or you might not know what’s causing your feelings. But whatever your situation, if you start to feel unable to cope, or to keep yourself safe, it’s important to ask for help. 

Take a look at our page on finding help now on how to get help in a crisis. 

Suicidal feelings 

Suicidal feelings can range from being preoccupied by abstract thoughts about ending your life or feeling that people would be better off without you, to thinking about methods of suicide, or making clear plans to take your own life. 

If you are feeling suicidal, you might be scared or confused by these feelings. But you are not alone. Many people think about suicide at some point in their lifetime. 

There are steps you can take right now to stop yourself from acting on your suicidal thoughts. Everyone is different, so it’s about finding what works best for you. 

Take a look at our pages on suicidal feelings for practical tips that others have found helpful in managing suicidal feelings. 

If you are worried about someone else, you may find it useful to take a look at our pages on supporting someone who feels suicidal. 

Support on your course 

If you do become unwell, it’s important for you (or someone you trust) to explain the situation to your academic supervisor, tutor, or a welfare staff member, as soon as possible. Even if you have previously explained that you have a mental health problem, they may not be aware that you’re feeling worse. The sooner you let them know, the easier it is for them to help you get support with your academic work. 

You may be able to: 

  • receive special dispensation when your work is marked 
  • extend deadlines 
  • re-sit exams. 

There are also informal adjustments that can be made to support you in staying well. For example requesting that meetings are at a particular time of day that suits when your energy levels are at their highest, or in a particular location where you feel most able to concentrate. 

For more ideas about the kinds of adjustments other students have found useful, take a look at the Coolminds blog. 

Take time out from your course 

Each course is different in the way it approaches taking time off from studying. It may be possible to: 

  • defer the course for a time 
  • repeat a term or year. 

Your university or college may need a letter from your doctor to explain how your mental health is affecting your studies. The process can sometimes be daunting so having support from a friend of family member can really help during this time. 

“A few weeks after starting uni, I realised that my course wasn’t right for me. I hated the city, felt like a failure and struggled with my mental health. I decided to drop out and transfer to a different one. When I started at the right uni and course everything changed. My mental health improved, I made friends, and now I’m in a career linked to the degree I loved.” 

Taking a flexible approach to studying 

Your university might be able to make adjustments to how you study. For example, you may be able to: 

  • complete your degree part-time 
  • have longer deadlines for coursework 
  • get more time in exams. 

It may help to start by thinking about what you would need to make it easier to continue your studies. 

Thinking about alternatives 

You might feel that continuing your courses isn’t right for you, and that’s okay. It could be useful to think about some alternatives: 

  • trying a different course or location 
  • studying a vocational course or apprenticeship 
  • taking a gap year 
  • starting work or re-starting work. 

“If you find yourself in a situation where you have to choose between university and your mental health treatment, my advice would be to choose mental health treatment. It’s more important. You can always pick up where you left off with studying, but you can’t really do that with your health because the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to treat.”

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What if I become unwell?

What if I become unwell? 

If you become unwell, there are lots of options you can consider. 

See our pages on support for students and seeking help for your mental health, for more information about getting help for your mental health. 

Who can I talk to about my options? 

It may be helpful to have a chat with someone impartial about your options, even if just to help get it clear in your own mind about what you think would help. 

  • Your academic supervisor or tutor should be able to help you to understand your university or college's policy for taking time out and to consider how you could take a more flexible approach to your studies. 
  • Your Students' Union advice service or welfare office can provide impartial advice. 
  • Your university or college's disability service can support you to think about taking time out or taking a more flexible approach to your studies. 

Support if you are in a crisis 

A crisis is any situation in which you feel you need urgent help. For example, you might feel in crisis if: 

  • you are having suicidal thoughts and feelings 
  • you are having thoughts about harming yourself or someone else 
  • you have seriously hurt yourself. 

Everyone experiences a crisis in their own way. You might feel that your mental health has been steadily deteriorating for some time, or perhaps something's happened in your life that's shaken your stability. 

You might have a good idea what's likely to trigger a crisis for you, or you might not know what's causing your feelings. But whatever your situation, if you start to feel unable to cope, or to keep yourself safe, it's important to ask for help. 

Take a look at our page on finding help now on how to get help in a crisis. 

Suicidal feelings 

Suicidal feelings can range from being preoccupied by abstract thoughts about ending your life or feeling that people would be better off without you, to thinking about methods of suicide, or making clear plans to take your own life. 

If you are feeling suicidal, you might be scared or confused by these feelings. But you are not alone. Many people think about suicide at some point in their lifetime. 

There are steps you can take right now to stop yourself from acting on your suicidal thoughts. Everyone is different, so it's about finding what works best for you. 

Take a look at our pages on suicidal feelings for practical tips that others have found helpful in managing suicidal feelings. 

If you are worried about someone else, you may find it useful to take a look at our pages on supporting someone who feels suicidal. 

Support on your course 

If you do become unwell, it's important for you (or someone you trust) to explain the situation to your academic supervisor, tutor, or a welfare staff member, as soon as possible. Even if you have previously explained that you have a mental health problem, they may not be aware that you're feeling worse. The sooner you let them know, the easier it is for them to help you get support with your academic work. 

You may be able to: 

  • receive special dispensation when your work is marked 
  • extend deadlines 
  • re-sit exams. 

There are also informal adjustments that can be made to support you in staying well. For example requesting that meetings are at a particular time of day that suits when your energy levels are at their highest, or in a particular location where you feel most able to concentrate. 

For more ideas about the kinds of adjustments other students have found useful, take a look at the Coolminds blog. 

Take time out from your course 

Each course is different in the way it approaches taking time off from studying. It may be possible to: 

  • defer the course for a time 
  • repeat a term or year. 

Your university or college may need a letter from your doctor to explain how your mental health is affecting your studies. The process can sometimes be daunting so having support from a friend of family member can really help during this time. 

“A few weeks after starting uni, I realised that my course wasn’t right for me. I hated the city, felt like a failure and struggled with my mental health. I decided to drop out and transfer to a different one. When I started at the right uni and course everything changed. My mental health improved, I made friends, and now I’m in a career linked to the degree I loved.” 

Taking a flexible approach to studying 

Your university might be able to make adjustments to how you study. For example, you may be able to: 

  • complete your degree part-time 
  • have longer deadlines for coursework 
  • get more time in exams. 

It may help to start by thinking about what you would need to make it easier to continue your studies. 

Thinking about alternatives 

You might feel that continuing your courses isn't right for you, and that's okay. It could be useful to think about some alternatives: 

  • trying a different course or location 
  • studying a vocational course or apprenticeship 
  • taking a gap year 
  • starting work or re-starting work. 

“If you find yourself in a situation where you have to choose between university and your mental health treatment, my advice would be to choose mental health treatment. It's more important. You can always pick up where you left off with studying, but you can't really do that with your health because the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to treat.”