Student says mental health support in Leeds was vital

Lizzie Mitchell said she knew the amount of support offered would "make or break" her time at university

A student who struggled with mental health issues has said she would not have made it through her first year at university without access to support.

Lizzie Mitchell, 23, said she chose Leeds because it offered a supportive community.

The importance of mental health support was highlighted at an inquest into the suicide of a Liverpool University student last week.

The University of Leeds said it "worked hard" to provide support.

'Struggled as teenager'

Ms Mitchell, who is a psychology student, said going to university was a "big step in anyone's life" and she had looked at 17 institutions before opting for Leeds.

"I had struggled with my mental health throughout my teenage years and I knew it would make or break my time at university.

"If I went to a university that didn't have good support I knew I wouldn't last beyond the first year."

Her comments highlight the importance of mental health support for students and follows the inquest into the death of student Ceara Thacker.

Ceara Thacker was studying philosophy at the University of Liverpool

The 19-year-old was found dead at her University of Liverpool accommodation in May 2018.

Her parents claimed she had fallen "through the cracks" between different services, who failed to communicate with each other.

Ms Mitchell said she first connected with the range of help offered in Leeds during freshers' week, attending one of the drop-in counselling sessions offered to all students.

She then received additional support including regular check-ins with a mental health advisor and help in accessing NHS services.

Support network

A spokesperson for the University of Leeds said: "The mental health and well-being of our students is extremely important to us and, like every university, we know that there is always more to do.

"We work closely with students and with partners across the city to provide a support network."

Ms Mitchell said she had considered dropping out after her first term, but the help she received had enabled her to look forward to her second year.

"I started last year feeling very negative, very hopeless, thinking I just couldn't do uni, but now I am so excited about coming back for my second year."