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ISSUE 01 JAN 2021 Medics FOR MEDICS BY MEDICS TOGETHER WELCOME TO OUR FIRST ISSUE Hi everyone and welcome to our first issue of medics together a termly newsletter with a focus on our mental health and wellbeing This is a newsletter for medical students by medical students Looking after your mental health has never been more important The COVID 19 pandemic being a student in higher education and in particular being a medical student puts us at a significantly higher risk of experiencing psychological distress And we need to talk about it Because how can we care for our patients if we can t care for ourselves In this issue we catch up with what you ve been up to pages 1 6 9 get some self care tips pages 6 9 13 15 16 hear about medical students with living experience of psychological distress pages 11 14 16 19 20 outline the support available to you as medical students pages 24 27 present some amazing poetry photography book reviews in our creative corner 21 25 recipes 28 30 and more WUBU2 MED STUDENTS SELF CARE TIPS LIVED EXPERIENCE CREATIVE CORNER SUPPORT AVAILABLE PSYCH STAR UPDATES GOOD NEWS COOKING CORNER COVID 19 REFLECTIONS MORE
Getting lost and finding solace frankly it hurts and I ve never been particularly good at it To overcome these barriers I decided to set myself the challenge of running a particular distance over a predetermined length of time i e the most recent challenge saw me attempt to run 100 miles in the run up to WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Christmas from the 1st December and gradually increased the difficulty of these challenges as The announcement of a national lockdown and my fitness and running capabilities improved subsequent suspension of life ranging from With the increasing monthly distances I quickly the closure of coffee shops hairdressers and found myself if you ll pardon the pun running restaurants to having to relocate our entire out of local routes to traverse so I began to working lives online inevitably induced a wide improvise In doing so I stumbled upon a range of emotions for many of us Speaking rather unexpected benefit of long distance from a very privileged position it was the running getting lost to then somehow find my closure of my local gym that impacted me the way back home A particularly memorable run most involved me taking an impromptu detour from the Leeds Liverpool canal my go to running For the past 8 years or so lifting weights in spot to then find myself trudging ankle deep the gym has always provided an outlet for any in mud through the middle of a farm The sense stress I encounter and has formed an integral of accomplishment I felt when I eventually part of my identity because of this Initially I navigated my way out of the farm and back struggled with having to adapt to a routine that home was enormous especially considering my no longer included my daily trip to the gym Over orienteering skills are subpar at best the past two lockdowns however I replaced my I strongly urge you to lace up your walking weightlifting sessions with running outdoors running hiking shoes get out and experience Irrespective of the innumerable benefits that the inherent joy in getting lost cardiovascular exercise has on our mental and physical wellbeing I d like to say here that I JED 2ND YEAR UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL have never been fond of running because quite Running into the new year WUBU2 MED STUDENTS If I m being completely honest I really wanted to write this piece about how my first run of 2021 was refreshing and energising hopefully reflecting a more positive year ahead Then I actually went on it I fell in love with running during the first lockdown It was an escape from the 1 craziness of everything going on in the world as well as a break from uni work Now every few days I put my headphones in trainers on and have some quality time with my thoughts I am by no means a pro sometimes I run a long way and sometimes I don t go very far at all but running is how I maintain my well being I had this idea that my New Year run would represent sprinting away from 2020 and into brighter days As you have probably gathered it didn t quite go to plan It was very cold and even though I had wrapped up I was still absolutely freezing 10 minutes in it started snowing the paths became slippery and I Continued on next page
Avoiding january blues WUBU2 MED STUDENTS As the end of the Christmas break is in sight it can feel overwhelming knowing that we are leaving the comfort of our family homes for another term in another national lockdown As I intercalated last year I was able to return home for the longest time since starting medical school I remember feeling so grateful that I could be at home with my family in the safety of my childhood home with a garden tao relax in and countryside to walk in I really admired the medical students who were stepping forward to help throughout the first lockdown As overwhelming as it can feel it is now time for us to step up and work together to support our senior colleagues and patients I hope that Continued from page 1 couldn t see very far ahead Determined that this still represented 2020 21 I probably should have abandoned the metaphor idea at this point I powered on I had aimed for 10km and felt I had to achieve this Then about half way through I came to realise not suddenly or dramatically that I actually wasn t enjoying this one and this was fine I stopped for about a minute allowing myself a break changed the music and decided to take a shortcut home As I reached the end of my road and Shania Twain s That Don t despite the fact we are in January a word often followed by the word blues and the fact our student house s garden looks like a cell my fellow housemates and I can come together to stay positive in a time away from family and endeavour to help out as much as we can in a difficult time for the NHS We plan to keep on top of our wellbeing by doing home workouts reflecting on our day together getting outside as much as possible and making group meals I often wonder how this second national lockdown will differ to the first I hope that we can reflect in the next newsletter on all the positive things that have come out of lockdown and stories of hope and strength from all healthcare professionals and key workers and the UK public ANON MED STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL Impress Me Much spurred me up the final hill I realised that even if this run wasn t what I was hoping for it had in fact turned out to be one of my worst ones in a while perhaps it did reflect well being in some sort of way At the risk of looking for meaning in everything I think my run actually did represent the New Year There might be more tough times ahead but if we feel things get too much or we need a break that s ok Even when I had beautiful surroundings which I normally love and appreciate I still felt rubbish and like I needed to stop It is not a failure to be kind to yourself noticing that some days are harder than others We should congratulate ourselves for our achievements so far and appreciate everything we have overcome I ll remember this run as it helped me realise that finding space and time for our own well being is so important Things may not always go to plan but acknowledging how this affects us and recognising when we may need to take a step back is essential AGATHA FINAL YEAR UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL 2
Cherishing Community these plans I m trying and take each day as it comes I m putting less pressure on myself to study and giving myself more time to focus on what I am grateful for WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Though this pandemic has isolated us in so many ways in 2020 it has also highlighted just how inter connected we all are On the individual level we have had to think not just of ourselves but of our bubbles and households on a collective level the BLM movement that erupted across the western world a beautiful youthful response to system racism One thing we can take from 2020 is how vital community is a lesson I will cherish for the rest of my life I ve just moved home to South London for Christmas This is my favourite time of year as my older siblings all move home for a few days so we get to spend some uninterrupted quality time This year has been surreal and I ve found that my stress management techniques were not as robust as I thought so I was really looking forward to regaining some sense of normality and tradition Although tier 4 has yet again disrupted Maintaining Motivation EMILY HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL cinnamon you ll never go back Learning how to cook properly has been an adventure to say the least we have had meals that we have raved about to WUBU2 MED STUDENTS family and friends and meals that have made their way Usually during placement I silently to our cat s food bowl wouldn t have made time for to never be heard of again My cooking and baking super noodles all the way but all of a favourite part of this adventure sudden the COVID 19 lockdown was when we decided to have dates around the left me with 16 hours of my world to spice up the ol day to fill with bugger all to dating life lockdown style do The question was what We each picked a country for could possibly give me the every night and we had motivation to drag myself out of bed before midday every day The answer Instagram I followed the banana bread trend like the rest of Instagram and this was the beginning of learning how to cook like a real adult Side note this is totally defeating the healthy purpose of banana bread but add in white chocolate chips and 3 to cook a meal decorate the living room and find some cool facts watch a movie based on the country we had chosen This led to some questionable Bollywood dancing Luke raiding his every growing and strangely on themed wardrobe and it is also probably the reason why people have been commenting on Prince s the cat fuller figure For a bit of a laugh I put up our lockdown dates shenanigans on Instagram including the video Continued on next page
Being a Students Union Welfare Officer during a global pandemic WUBU2 MED STUDENTS When I ran for the role of Vice President Welfare of Queen s Students Union the world was an entirely different place than it is now The word social distancing wasn t even in our vocabulary as we ran around our beautiful Belfast campus handing out leaflets to thousands of students COVID 19 had not yet hit in Northern Ireland There s a clear distinction in my mind of life before and the new normal as shortly after the Students Union elections the world we used to know quickly dissolved into chaos and quarantine As a final year social work student at the time my degree was cut short and I qualified four months early to go and work and help in the effort against COVID 19 Those months passed in a blur of loneliness stress fear and uncertainty and by July I was ready to move on With restrictions easing little by little as the COVID 19 cases declined I took up post as Vice President Welfare of QUBSU I was excited for a change a new start and to make a difference for students A typical sabbatical year can consist of protests lobbying events the occasional pubcrawl and best of all meeting people who have come to your university from all over the world As you can imagine this year it has been crisis upon crisis as seen all across the UK localised lockdowns or COVID 19 outbreaks in university accommodation has caused turmoil and confusion for everyone affected and as VP Welfare this was no different here at Queen s There have been many responsive efforts and late nights working to make sure our students were getting everything they need and supported throughout this difficult global period Sometimes I feel like I ve missed out on something by getting landed with the COVID year as we are now fond of calling it but the reality is that I have learned some crucial lessons from the past 6 months I ve learned how our governments have failed us and how education structures are not conducive to positive mental wellbeing I have seen first hand how the marketized commercialised system of higher education within our universities results in chaos and catastrophe for students and their mental health I have witnessed scenarios where profit was prioritised over student wellbeing and this is simply unacceptable Our students deserve better and I m heading into 2021 with some anger and a burning desire to fight tooth and nail for structural change within universities so that student mental health and wellbeing becomes a priority once and for all KATIE QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST 4
Guys I m positive WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Guys I m positive Somehow my housemate s proclamation felt a tad anticlimactic like I had a feeling it was bound to happen eventually Thus my housemates and I began our self isolation journey for real We were off to a pretty good start having recently bought our weekly groceries just before it happened Arrangements to use shared areas like the bathroom and kitchen were discussed The rest of us would prepare meals and bring other supplies as New Normals necessary for our housemate who were tested positive for COVID 19 let s call her N Friends who lived nearby were also informed and they graciously offered to run errands if needed N said her initial symptoms were sore throat myalgia and fever When the rest of us started to hear her cough from the attic where she confined herself to two of my housemates decided to order home test kits as they were having sore throat as well I was still feeling fine in myself As for how to fill the time I do enjoy going for a run once or twice a week and I want to keep hitting my daily active time target of 60 minutes So I started to learn a K pop dance choreography It was so much fun trying out those cool moves to the head bopping beats When I could finally dance to the entire song it only took 2 rounds for me to work up a good sweat and have a big smile on my face If WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Online university has definitely been an experience to say the least Having the full first year experience in halls last year to living in a flat this year with the on and off restrictions has been a change but not necessarily a bad one It s hard not to miss seeing more than a few people at a time nights out opportunities to meet new people extracurriculars and the list goes on But it s also 5 anyone is curious the song is HIP by MAMAMOO I also arranged a tea and games session on Zoom for a society that I am a part of We did have other online events before but there was not much time to just mingle around among ourselves during those events Eight of us who turned up played skribbl io and codenames game My game hosting skills needs some work but hey someone has got to do it for the team s sake All in all the past few days have been fairly ordinary which is probably something to be thankful for As they say with test results no news is good news At the time of writing my housemates and I are on day 5 of the self isolation period and there has been no concerning development so far If things go well I would be starting on my next hospital placement just after we finish self isolating Even during a pandemic life goes on I guess AYUNNI 4TH YEAR UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD the small things like walking to lectures with friends the breaks in between and the ability to stand closer than 2m away from someone I think what makes this year tougher is the comparison and the memories of what we had last year which really puts into perspective how much we may take for granted semester I went in with no expectations and an acceptance that there would be new normal and honestly I had some of the best times From day trips to wholesome and not so wholesome nights in cycling gymming and trying new hobbies like climbing cooking flat meals and potlucks I feel like I made Taking that into consideration for this Continued on next page
ASMR Youtube is full of ASMR content creators dubbed ASMR artists There is honestly something for everyone Fancy a spa day Show and tell Shopping for dragon eggs For anything you can think of there is probably an ASMR video for it SELF CARE TIPS ASMR is not just those videos of people chewing really loudly into your headphones ASMR can be an excellent way to relax especially for those of us who find it tricky to put Some of my favourites a pause on our busy minds ASMR Darling ASMR 20 Triggers to Help You ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Sleep Response The easiest way to describe it is a https www youtube com watch v eLjSyI8bNfk tingling sensation which starts at your scalp and moves down the back accompanied with Goodnight Moon Dragon Egg Shopping at relaxation Sounds strange Studies at the Maybell s Menagerie University of Sheffield have shown that those https www youtube com who experience these tingles had a reduced watch v kocWXDJCNLo heart rate when watching ASMR videos and showed significant increases in positive Gibi ASMR Sketching and Colouring Your emotions including relaxation and feelings of Portrait social connection https www youtube com watch v 1wcMcqkPwfo I first came across ASMR videos a couple years back when I was first struggling to sleep I ve always found it difficult to switch off especially when going to sleep ASMR can provide an alternative focus point for your mind This has particularly helped to reduce the time I spend overthinking and ruminating on negative thoughts Since the day I discovered these videos I have listened to them every night I have also found that ASMR videos have helped me to focus whilst studying Well more than watching The Crown Continued from previous page I feel like I made the best of a bad situation As for Uni work itself it has been interesting moving online with lectures and tutorials with the occasional face toface anatomy demo or PBL Stripping the social side of lectures has been a big downer but not having to ERIN HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL drag myself out of bed for 9ams has not been too bad I also quite like that you re able to pause and rewind the recordings when you want so you can focus on the trickier parts plan something fun for later in the day so you can stay motivated and do the work the day it s due This year has really put the self directed into self directed learning with only you as the driving force If you miss one day of online lectures it s so easy to stick For the minimal face to face teaching we d have I d make sure I was a bit early for the 4 or so in person anatomy demos we had just to get that social interaction in It s not always been easy but it s knowing that everyone s in the same boat and that one day we will go back to having more that s keeping me grounded It will be so much more exciting and fulfilling after the wait to that habit and fall further behind so it s often nice to CHISHA 2ND YEAR UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH 6
Sleep as Self Care SELF CARE TIPS Medical students are not always the best sleepers In fact sometimes the ability to stay up late whether studying or partying after or before a long day on placement is worn as a badge of pride However in order to get the most out of your studies revision and even your mood and wellbeing it is important to get a good night s sleep Just as stress anxiety or 7 depression can hurt our sleep time and quality the relationship is not a one way street and cutting short our precious pillow time may impact mental health a poor night s sleep raises heart rate and blood pressure decreases our ability to regulate emotions and can even impact our ability to make healthy choices such as choosing healthy over unhealthy snacks or going on that run you promised yourself you would Especially as a student in the times of COVID 19 when you may be working more from home or have less structure to your day it is both important and within your control to keep a healthy bedtime routine Here are some easy things that you can do to help improve both the quality and length of your sleep Limit night time light exposure Our circadian rhythm body clock is sensitive to light exposure and too much light close to bed can offset the release of melatonin a sleep signalling hormone leading to a longer interim before you nod off and a lighter sleep Try dimming the lights around your home after dark Be mindful of digital screens Of all the artificial Continued on next page
Continued from previous page light exposures blue light in particular is the worst for your sleep Screens whether on your phone laptop or television are known bluelight culprits Try limiting your screen time in the 90 minutes before bed If you are studying downloading a night time blue light blocking software such as f lux free from https justgetflux com or purchasing a pair of bluelight glasses can be great and will additionally reduce eye strain If you are on your phone turn on night mode Routine Routine Routine SELF CARE TIPS Hi all I m Julie Anderson I m a consultant psychiatrist with a community mental health team just outside Belfast I also look after the 4th year undergrad psychiatry module at QUB have a role in postgrad psychiatry training and spend lots of time lobbying and talking about perinatal mental health Outside of work I am a mum to 2 teenagers have 2 large dogs and do some youth work in my local church Those who know me know that I talk a lot about sleep and routine When a new baby Get up and go to bed at the same time Our body clock can only adjust by about an hour each side of what it s used to each night and going beyond this can impact sleep Try mindfulness meditation or deep breathing before bed Slowing your heart rate increasing parasympathetic tone and calming the mind can help see you off to sleep nicely Exercise Tiring yourself out in a good way can lead to a deeper sleep particularly if performed first thing that morning arrives into a home the focus of all conversations is around the baby s sleep and feeding routine These are vital to the baby s development physically and emotionally and also vital to the mum s physical and emotional wellbeing As a mum and youth leader in church I talk a lot about the importance for teenagers of good sleep routine and daytime structure including daily fresh air and a bit less screen time As a psychiatrist I spend a lot of time talking about sleep hygiene and daytime activities to patients who are struggling with low mood anxiety and sleep difficulties My point is as humans we all need to get the basics that our bodies and minds need if we can hope to maintain physical and emotional wellbeing along with a productive and fulfilled life Avoid eating a large meal right before bed Unstable blood sugars too close to bed has been shown to reduce sleep quality overnight Finally although there are a plethora of things you can do to improve your sleep don t lose too much sleep over it Being stressed about getting to sleep can paradoxically stop you from sleeping Try to incorporate a few of these things into your routine be mindful and self aware of when you are exhausted and need sleep and stay consistent MICHAEL QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST We all know that we need to do to keep our bodies healthy eat a good diet and get exercise There are also things we all need to do to keep our minds healthy Eat a good diet Get some exercise Have a good routine to our sleep Have a reasonable structure to our day Connect with other humans Avoid too much caffeine avoid too much alcohol avoid illicit drugs Avoid too much screen time especially too much news and social media online exposure We all need to try get these things right most if not every day and never more so when trying to get through an intense undergrad degree in the middle of a work pandemic JULIE CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST 8
My self care rituals SELF CARE TIPS 2020 as a year has highlighted the importance of taking a break from your daily life The lockdown gave us all permission to take things slow and reflect The national lockdown back in March showed me to appreciate slowness Before I was going at such a fast pace that I didn t have time to stop and think about the small things in life like seeing people I love and keeping our mental health in check Self care routines during the lockdown helped me keep sane and I have carried these with me throughout the year Self care rituals are so personal so please apply things from my list as you wish Beauty to be found WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Very little unfortunately my parents have been shielding so I have been extra careful during the festivities We enjoy 9 1 Music 4 Talk to someone Music for me always helps my mood Whether I m feeling sad happy or in between my spotify playlists are always playing in the background 2 Clean space If you are having a bad day it is so easy to not clean your room space around you Try and gather some energy to sort your space out I m not talking about a deep spring clean but even organising your desk or making your bed can help one s mood After all a clean space a clean mind 3 Baths face masks and manicures Ranting to someone can help get things off your chest and mind My friends can vouch for me whenever something is on my mind I have to talk to someone about it Whether that is a parent friend or teacher it is so useful to get advice and opinion from a third party 4 Walks Get some fresh air 5 Taking a break from social media Cut negativity out of your life HARMEEN HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL As cheesy and typical as it sounds baths and wearing a face mask can help one ground themselves and feel relaxed If you want to go full out even light a few candles baking cooking new recipes and going for long walks in the countryside The perk of living in the middle of nowhere is the ease of finding solitude the beauty to be found all around you I ve enjoyed cooking up some chocolate chip cookies and eating them in front of the fire with my family Seeing my cats has been lovely as well with them attempting to curl up on my laptop or help me type ALICE HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL
ARE YOU A MEDICAL STUDENT OR DOCTOR WE NEED YOU WE ARE LOOKING FOR SUBMISSIONS ABOUT ANYTHING MENTAL HEALTH WELLBEING RELATED DO YOU HAVE A STORY SELF CARE TIP CREATIVE WORK RECIPE OR WANT TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU VE BEEN UP TO HOW YOU ARE FEELING We d love to hear from you Certificates for your e portfolios provided EMAIL US medicstogethersubmissions gmail co uk The impact of COVID 19 and lockdown on people with eating disorders anxiety around food Stockpiling for people who struggle with binging stockpiling or living with someone who stockpiles food can be extremely difficult and can make urges to binge stronger and more difficult to deal with Support many face to face services and support groups have been stopped during lockdown Additionally people have been able to see family and friends a lot less leaving people feeling alone distressed and isolated Those with eating disorders may rely on damaging eating disorder COVID 19 MENTAL HEALTH behaviours to deal with and dial down these difficult The COVID 19 pandemic emotions and lockdown has been difficult for us all to adjust Isolation eating disorders to However for many people thrive in isolation and with eating disorders secrecy Being isolated and lockdown is particularly stuck at home with less distressing to deal with distractions and perhaps and has created many new having less accountability challenges especially for those who live alone can cause eating Food shortages some foods disorder behaviours to have been harder to get hold worsen of during lockdown Many people with eating disorders Control those with eating have a narrow range of disorders often crave a safe foods that they feel sense of control and the comfortable eating and food upheaval of all of our shortages may increase their routines and the uncertainty about the future can be very distressing for those with eating disorders Exercise there has been a lot of attention on exercise during the pandemic especially on social media Gyms closing the prospect of being stuck at home and generally being more sedentary can also be very anxiety provoking for those with eating disorders If you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder please reach out to Beat or EDA NI who provide a range of free support services and advice for eating disorder sufferers carers and professionals NATASHA QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST 10
Selfharm and recovery LIVED EXPERIENCE Trigger warning this article talks about self harm If you are struggling please seek support pages 23 26 Today I am a year self harm free It feels really good to say that and I m really proud of myself Around January 2019 I started self harming in the form of cutting It was really scary when it first happened and it almost felt as if I were two people at once one doing the selfharm and the other watching myself and thinking what is going on I had an abusive parent growing up and didn t really deal with this until coming to uni I had loads of great coping mechanisms like family and friends who loved me and my studies to focus on Then after getting really drunk one night when I was back at uni in January I was crying lots and felt really distressed which at this point was normal for me whenever alcohol was involved and I came back to my student house and just started cutting my wrist This went on for a few months whilst I did not tell anyone At one point when I was feeling a bit stronger I thought right this is not me and I know that it has to stop I need to get help so I booked an appointment at UHS and the GP told me that I could self refer to University Counselling Services I did all of this completely on my own My counsellor at UCS was incredible she pulled me out of a hole I thought I would never get out of She gave me some really excellent coping mechanisms and helped me reconnect with and start to love the little girl within me who was hurting so much and who was crying out for help This all happened really close to my exams I did really well in them and in THINGS THAT HELPED ME IN MY RECOVERY that might help you too 1 Mind Understanding self harm booklet good for family and friends it helped my mum https drive google com file d 1jCimp9CcG3xNBE 11 my most recent exams I came in the top 2 I have a lot more learning about myself and growing left to do I still go to therapy I still have days where I feel a bit more sad than usual and I take anti depressants I am a resilient intelligent engaging extroverted introverted happy articulate interested and interesting person and I am also someone who also has experienced self harm which does not make me any less of all those other things and it does not define me and I am not ashamed of it It was really good to tell my mum and sister and my friends about what I had been through and they try to be really supportive It was also really hard the first time getting my scars out on placement because of the whole bare below the elbows policy but I did it Whatever you may be going through I promise it will get better I am living proof ANON MED STUDENT 4th YEAR UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD 2 Self compassion resources https self compassion org category exercises guided meditations 3 Positive instagram pages highly recommend SelfLoveLiv MakeDaisyChains RecipesForSelfLove
Thrust in the deep end ARE YOU A MEDICAL STUDENT OR DOCTOR DO YOU HAVE A STORY OF LIVED EXPERIENCE SELF CARE TIPS OR WANT TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU VE BEEN UP TO WE D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Certificates for your e portfolios provided EMAIL US medicstogethersubmissions gmail co uk REFLECTION Earlier this semester I had the chance to shadow a fantastic surgeon here in Edinburgh I was really excited this was to be my first time in theatre And naturally knowing neither the surgeon nor theatre etiquette was slightly anxious and unsure about what to expect Most of the day s events were a delightful surprise from the doctor s lounge with an entire corner of medical books being encouraged and taught to scrub in and standing much closer than anticipated under the bright glow of the surgical lights Everything felt new and huge and thrilling Definitely one of my life s highlights However a particular event from that day is still uncomfortably lodged in my memory One of the operations I shadowed was run by a trainee this time rather than the surgeon I had come to observe It was close to the end of the operation the surgeon had left by this point leaving just me and the trainee to close up the patient Without warning the trainee pushed the needle onto my hand demonstrated pinching the two sides of the wound and said you ve seen me do it it s easy while moving on to the other side of the patient to close the incisions on that end I am a second year medical student This was my first time in theatre I have never handled a needle outside the optional surgical skills sessions where we practice on foam pads And now I was asked to stitch up a patient without supervision at that moment saw how uneasy I was and confirmed with me that I hadn t done this before and thus wasn t ready Relief washed over me as I handed back the needle and observed the trainee close up But until recently I remained scared to talk about this event in case I was to be blamed and punished for nearly committing a grievous mistake leading to potentially serious complications for the patient I panicked This was a living breathing patient in front of me and as a medic my duty is always to the patient I was terrified my lack of experience and qualifications could cause the patient harm if I followed through But a small part of my mind still chimed in Don t you want the experience Don t you want to appear eager to learn This is evidently what they re expecting you to do go ahead And to this day I still regret not having immediately told the trainee how uncomfortable I felt handling stitching this early on Instead I froze Luckily the surgeon passed by What I m getting at is that I was completely thrown into the deep end with no idea what to expect from that day besides a location and a date and since talking it over with friends from medical school I am most definitely not the only one But I ve also learned to accept that the course of events wasn t purely my fault and that I have no reason to feel ashamed Instead I m taking it as a learning moment to not be afraid to question those of authority and to speak up when I don t feel entirely comfortable in a situation I ve been thrown in ANON MED STUDENT 2nd YEAR UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH 12
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How I stay happy when studying SELF CARE TIP This is quite a big ask learning can and should at times be challenging However there are certainly ways to make studying less of a chore It s important that studying doesn t take over your whole life so that you look after your mental health and wellbeing Efficiency is so important so that we can make the most of the free time that we do have So how can we do this Using technology wisely is a good start my 2 favorite apps are Notion and Anki Notion is a note taking app with inbuilt links and databases that allows you to hyperlink your own pages within the application to make a system not too 13 dissimilar to your own website You can export pages search pages and sync across all devices The best thing is that York University provides this free and you just require a university email to sign up It can be useful for managing study timetables I create an interactive table that allows me to create deadlines and link to pages with notes on what I need to learn so that my learning is a lot more streamlined From time to time I ll write on paper but being able to carry your notes in your pocket makes life a lot easier I personally love a set plan and love the functionality of being able to link notes sort by most overdue review and being able to tag certain topics Anki is my other favourite app this is a flashcard software with inbuilt spaced repetition that will show you the cards when the programme predicts you will forget them this increases the chance that you will remember something in an exam or in a patient encounter but also saves time as you are only reviewing cards that you need work on This is a free app on Windows and on Android but needs payment on the apple store This also syncs across devices Think of it as a better Quizlet it s not as pretty and this can take some adjusting to There are shared decks of cards that the massive US medical student community have created for their licensing exam which provides tonnes of free resources without having to create your own cards My method is to add cards for concepts in placement that I can t remember I would avoid using it to learn new content as then you miss understanding the material first it s much better for memorising the details that you struggle to retain in the long term Both these apps save me lots of time and mean I have more time for that episode of Friends or meeting up with friends ALICE HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL
Giving life one last shot LIVING EXPERIENCE Trigger warning this article talks about suicide If you are struggling please seek support pages 23 26 I believe that in order to achieve a place at medical school you must have a strong determination to become a doctor This was exactly how I felt a couple of years ago being able to study medicine was my driving force I got here but suddenly I wasn t too sure Throughout my childhood I struggled with my emotions I was taught that being sad was wrong Being upset was shameful tears were not met with hugs and reassurance I sought this reassurance through achievement particularly academically Winning and succeeding was how I built my self worth and self esteem This manufactures itself in perfectionism Perfectionist is a term that to me means that this search for perfection is overwhelming and nothing will suffice this being the difference from being a high achiever This worked for me for a number of years however as I started at medical school things began to deteriorate It s hard to identify a start point in depression Things were going so perfectly I was on my dream course in my dream school But the light in life became dimmed so quickly The dream of becoming a doctor was so far away the 5 years felt unachievable It wasn t that I didn t think I would pass the course it was that I didn t think I would be alive in 5 years I felt guilty for feeling like this that I shouldn t be on the course I didn t see a way out other than in taking my own life I began to make preparations to do this Part of my preparation involved seeing my GP giving life one last shot My GP listened to me and acknowledged how I felt She told me that I was ill meaning that I could get better I didn t fully believe her but she was kind and I trusted her I started on anti depressants and was referred for CBT this last shot was going to be a good one Despite having the great support of my GP I struggled accessing wider support A common root of this struggle was the fact I am a medical student and should therefore know better This was hard to hear I know the pathology of depression but when I am feeling low it is hard to remember what can raise my mood It has been difficult Thankfully my GP has been there to help me express how I felt I was able to open up to my university which has allowed me to access further help Sometimes you have to shout to be heard and a lot of the time you need a few people shouting Finding someone who acknowledges how you feel is so important If the first person does not listen try and try again There is someone out there who will listen Right now I m not sure how I feel and that s okay My mood has been up and down however I now have a stronger support network The dark days are still frequent and intense but talking about them in a safe place makes them a little less distressing The dream of becoming a doctor is flickering rather than being completely dark If you are struggling please reach out GPs are a great place to start along with University support It is difficult but having a support network can make all the difference ANON HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL ARE YOU A MEDICAL STUDENT OR DOCTOR DO YOU HAVE A REFLECTION PERSONAL STORY SELF CARE TIP OR WANT TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU VE BEEN UP TO WE D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Certificates for your e portfolios provided EMAIL US medicstogethersubmissions gmail co uk 14
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Staying present SELF CARE TIP Think think think That s all we do As soon as we wake up in the morning our mind becomes a theatre The acts are familiar in fact they tend to be almost identical to the day before and the day before that We give it our full attention out of habit but what do these thoughts consist of thoughts Particularly in this past year the days weeks and months all blur into one It s a year that has left many of us feeling unfulfilled and we re anxious about what may or may not come Good news there is a way to escape these fears and woes Just be present It s an abstract idea to many of us How can we stop thinking standing up RIGHT NOW and throwing them in the bin Whatever you re at the only time we have is now It s the only moment we can control accept it and enjoy it Thoughts appear themselves They are not within your control and therefore they are impersonal We may try to control them but trying to control this river is pointless and exhausting We belong here Take a deep breath and realise you are alive Fortunately we don t have to actively try to stop thinking Are you thinking about what By guiding your attention to you did last night What you the present moment the need to achieve at work this thinking stops automatically week Thinking about the Just as we re removed from time you were talking to your the present moment as soon crush and snot bubbled right as we start thinking again in front of them The most important thing you can realise the past and future have no life of their own It s true What happened yesterday or what may happen tomorrow exists only as ideas in your head This present moment however is alive and fresh Acts we watch at the mind theatre are old and stale When we imagine future or past scenarios your life that is happening right in this moment flashes by unnoticed We lose precious living moments to fictional 15 It can be difficult to hold your focus there but don t get annoyed at yourself for wandering off in thought Just acknowledge it and come back to the moment Focus on the task you re doing Even if you re just sitting in your garden eating a packet of crisps What do the crisps taste like How do they feel in your mouth Are your fingers covered in crisp dust What can you hear What is around you What flavour are your crisps if it s something like Worcester sauce you should consider ANON MED STUDENT LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY
Living with stigma LIVING EXPERIENCE Oh no she s back What s bad about that EUPD We ll treat her with NAC then she ll go right out and take another paracetamol overdose it s all for attention This exchange between one of the doctors and myself happened towards the beginning of a night shift on the acute medical unit which includes the toxicology ward where I used to be a regular visitor I often feel torn between the world of being a patient and of being a medical student I find myself feeling the need to defend the opinions and actions of those two groups to the other side Many people who have been diagnosed with EUPD emotionally unstable personality disorder dislike the label and have found it actively harmful due to experiences with healthcare professionals who have dismissed their needs as a result I want to tell them that the diagnosis will allow them to access the right treatments and will not stop them from being able to get help for other health problems but how can I be sure of this when I hear a doctor openly express such stigmatising beliefs I know how frustrating and scary it can be to feel dismissed all while you feel like you can t control your own thoughts emotions and actions when you re overwhelmed by the pain perhaps even being treated against your will under the Mental Health Act How to move more get you moving but you also get some sunlight and fresh air which will make you feel better mentally SELF CARE TIP A great way to exercise more is to aim for 10 000 steps every day There are apps on your phone or a simple 10 15 pedometer can help you aim for those targets If 10 000 steps seems too intimidating then maybe start with 5 000 steps and slowly increase it every week by 500 or 1 000 One of the most important ways to care for ourselves is our daily movement We don t have to see exercise as something we do at the gym but instead find ways to integrate more into our daily life like walking more or even dancing A simple walk around your area is better than staying home the entire day not only will it Similarly when I hear someone say that people with EUPD are attention seeking or frustrating to look after how can I argue against that when I know how difficult I have been to help when I ve been unwell On my psychiatry placement I even found myself dreading seeing patients with EUPD because I knew going in that I wouldn t be able to take away their acute emotional pain and exhaustion But that is my problem I hope that I can use my experiences to stop myself from becoming a doctor who responds to transference by shifting the blame back onto the patient and instead be that person who reaches in and fights in their corner while they re spending every last ounce of strength just to keep on existing JENNY UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH dance for 10 minutes every day along with a YouTube video It s important that you find an activity that you can stick to too as I recently got into yoga and I started doing 5 minutes every day but have now increased to 20 minutes over time I really enjoyed it so I found it easier to increase my activity time compared to doing HIIT workouts which weren t as fun If you are into dancing then BOBBY UNIVERSITY OF maybe you could find time to SHEFFIELD 16
Forensic Psych Series PSYCH STAR UPDATE Hi I m Beth and I m the Psych Star for Sheffield So what is a Psych Star I work as an ambassador for the Royal College of Psychiatrists to inspire others as to why I think it s a great career choice I ve started Sheffield PsychSoc s Forensic Psychiatry Lecture Series I m really excited to get stuck into some of the most interesting topics in Forensics which will be explored by leading forensic psychiatrists in the country Our first event The Psychology of the Joker was really well received and we have an event this week on Children Who Kill link to facebook event https t co gymQS0LhQp amp 1 BETH FINAL YEAR UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD Royal College of Psychiatrists Psych Star Scheme Click here for more info http bit ly psychstarscheme Exciting opportunities PSYCH STAR UPDATE My role as one of the Psych Stars has opened so many doors to exciting opportunities in the areas of psychiatry I am interested in My highlights so far have been taking part in the POMH audit with my mentor and speaking about the Psych Stars scheme at the RCPsych NI Autumn Psychiatry School On the 18th of January I will be interviewing Dr Robin CarhartHarris who is head of the centre for psychedelic medicine for the Royal 17 Society of Medicine The future use of psychedelics in psychiatry is something I am really interested in and even spoke about during my Psych Star interview so to be able to interview Dr Carhart Harris about his career and in turn highlight this exciting field to other students is really exciting If you are interested in the therapeutic use of psychedelics I wrote a blog post on the topic which can give you a brief overview of the area See my blog post here http bit ly 3saxzSn ISABELLA CONTI QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST
Divergent Psych PSYCH STAR UPDATE My name s Emily and I m a Psych Star from Exeter Medical School based down in Truro in Cornwall One of my highlights of being a Psych Star so far has been writing a blog piece for InSPIre The Mind on what I think the future of CAMHS will look like which was a real privilege My funding has allowed me to attend lots of online conferences on different areas of CAMHS which have been really interesting and I am looking forward to watching the RCPsych Autism Spectrum Disorders CPD Update in February My role on Exeter PsychSoc has involved helping to organise our Divergent Psychiatry lecture series which aims to explore wider aspects of psychiatry such as neuroscience ethics philosophy and technology I ve also been working with local psychiatrists around the Choose Psychiatry campaign and how we can improve recruitment and medical student experience of psychiatry across the Peninsula network EMILY 3rd YEAR EXETER MEDICAL SCHOOL Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person ARTICLE REVIEW A short review of Jenny Harrington s Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person Although I don t have a book review to contribute to this newsletter I did happen to read a wonderful medium article recently in a quiet moment at work I ve always been interested what comes across as the science of finding the right words to say in clinical situations As medical students it s fascinating to learn about the very rigid frameworks doctors are taught for breaking bad news such as the SPIKES mnemonic It sometimes seems at odds with the idea of pure human empathy to have this many cogs turning beneath the surface of a difficult conversation But then again if you don t have something like a mnemonic to cling to it s possible to lose yourself totally in a patient s experience and then lose your ability to provide them with the care that they deserve without some form of decision making bias In this article Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person Jenny Harrington writes about the difficulties of breaking bad news as a family member to a patient In her words We all need to know how to sit and talk through a time for which there are no words A time when not even an I love you will suffice Her prose is moving and well worth reflecting on in a pandemic that s taken over a million lives globally At some point we may all need to cling to our own three magic phrases and her experiences provide a valuable insight into how to manage life or death situations as a person and not just a doctor MADELEINE HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL 18
Living with ADHD as a med student LIVING EXPERIENCE I m a final year medical student with attention deficit disorder For me I was diagnosed as an adult as my ADHD symptoms became more obvious during medical school and I know this is common for others too I excelled in school and I didn t feel particularly academically challenged In hindsight I realise my teachers and parents support were a huge part of why I did not struggle so much as a child I had other people to help me manage my time guide me during school give me constant homework reminders and schedules When I came to university these support systems I had as a child weren t there anymore Med school was very fast paced needed a lot more self teaching self organisation self prompting as well as worrying about new friendships living independently learning to pay bills manage your own meals and a whole new level of academic challenge It was overwhelming I ve listed what I struggled with that lead to my diagnosis I hope this can help others who may be struggling with similar issues 19 Problems reading lack of attention to detail making errors I struggle with this when reading copying information Before I was medicated I completely avoided textbooks and I read a lot slower I could not read one line at a time I d jump from line to line I d lose focus on what I was reading maybe 5 words in and not really absorb it It took a lot of effort to copy down information correctly because I would lose focus as I was writing the sentence Eg writing bring lunchbox to MR C in canteen at 2pm Wednesday instead of Tuesday I need to put conscious effort into focusing on each detail otherwise I would become distracted Difficulties during conversations I need patients and clinicians to repeat themselves many times I struggle to maintain focus while taking patient s histories or following instructions from seniors especially when I m not medicated I will miss key details in presentations or questions and I misunderstand what they ve said I usually ask them to repeat themselves multiple times to make sure I don t make errors During ward rounds group sessions I can seem quiet or hesitant or not contributing because I m worried about hearing a question incorrectly and saying the wrong answer or not responding fast enough due to me processing information slower This can be a reason why people with undiagnosed ADHD think they have hearing difficulties What they mistake for hearing difficulties loud distracting sounds can actually be the inability to maintain focus during conversations Struggle to finish tasks This happens in a lot of ways sometimes I will forget to follow up a task and be unable to complete consequent things e g I can t log in case studies on my e portfolio because my histories are incomplete not chasing up information about a patient in time before they are discharged I can start pieces of work become distracted in the middle of doing it and forget to come back to it E g not finishing the last 2 questions of an ILA what Sheffield calls small group teaching or losing the work for half an ILA lecture and having to start it again In the middle of one task I can become distracted and start working on another task then suddenly remember I have not finished the earlier one This can lead to me going back and forth on topics I m revising E g during pre clinical years this was a huge problem during exam season when I realised I had completely forgotten to learn make notes on certain things or had not learnt things to a sufficient detail This can lead to the impression that ADHD students are lazy or negligent because while we try to do every task set we can t predict when we will abandon it or come back to it because it s so difficult to focus on one thing at a time and complete it Continued on next page
Continued from previous Chronic fatigue insomnia page Constantly late to things I could be ready for a 6pm appointment at 11am and still somehow manage to be late People with ADHD have a different perception of time and it is hard to focus on one premade plan unless you re thinking about it constantly through the day until it s completed Again this is because it s difficult to focus on one thing at a time and preplan for things Lack of attention to detail errors I will forget tasks as I am stating to do them E g a consultant will tell me to look up what a patient s recent ultrasound scan result on my way to the notes trolley I would have forgotten which patient or what I was supposed to check If I d managed to get the right file and right information I could become distracted looking through the notes I would also forget it by the time I returned to the consultant Many people with ADHD are constantly fatigued due to the mental effort required to cope with every day demands Before I was medicated I really struggled to get to sleep and wake up on time for early placements I was often too tired to focus during morning placements and did not feel safe to perform various clinical skills because of this There was only so much a healthy lifestyle could do Some people with undiagnosed ADHD develop coping mechanisms to mask their symptoms E g they will learn to write everything down learn to be over organised to combat these issues without recognising the amount of effort needed to accomplish sometimes simple tasks is just not normal Some people will mask their symptoms by pretending to listen in a conversation and replying appropriately enough but in reality not really focusing on the conversation I definitely did this in social situations Again a lot of anxiety can manifest from having to compensate for our persistent lack of focus While university can be difficult for everyone it s especially challenging for students with ADHD as we can t really explain why we are struggling so much It s hard to describe the amount of effort needed to keep up with daily demands and it s hard to explain why we can t just focus Signs of inattentive ADHD are so subtle but severely damaging when they aren t recognised LIKHITA FINAL YEAR UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD All these little errors and lack of attention to detail will lead to me working slower less efficiently becoming frustrated more easily increase my anxiety about making mistakes and compromising patient safety I worry particularly about prescription errors It s something that I ve taught myself to recognise and plan around for 20
Falling Asleep at the Desk CREATIVE CORNER Square eyes on a screen In a little box room Typing away listening To lectures that play on 2x speed Sticky notes and posters Stuck up on the walls Seen from all corners Of your little box room The door the bed even the loo Numerous attempts At making the facts stick In your overflowing brain After dinner and small talk You retreat to your space And out of habit perhaps You land in your chair and arrive back at your desk You re not working you re taking a wellearned break But the tabs remain open Both on screen and in mind Of the topics you covered earlier in the day And when the time comes For your brain to switch off You shut your eyes to relax But all around are alarms And reminders of the work That lies ahead You see Self care is not Moving from the desk to your bed To be comfy while you work 21 It is not slapping on a facemask To try and hide stress spots It is taking the time To ask yourself Why they appeared In the first place It is not enough to remove yourself From those four walls You must too remove your mind From the worries and stresses Of the work that has taken over All aspects of your life Love what you do Without letting it consume The other things that you love The things that keep you Calm happy able to breathe The things that allow you a good night s sleep SIONED 1st YEAR UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
Becoming by Michelle Obama BOOK RECOMMENDATION The book explores a variety of key themes including racism work relationships motherhood and personal growth She not only discloses the best experiences in her life but also some of the worst explaining how she overcame them As the world was told to stay at home earlier this year I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get back into reading something teenage me used to love What a better way to get back into reading than to delve into the chunky hardback that had been gathering dust on my bedside table for over a year It is truly inspiring reading about how the events in her life pushed her to become the woman she is today Furthermore it was bittersweet to see how some of the struggles she faced growing up influenced the work she carried out as First Lady Becoming by Michelle Obama is the telling of her own life from growing up in her small home in Chicago all the way to finishing her 8 year stay in The White House My favourite element of the book was the overarching message of personal growth including the quote Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there s more growing to be done It has changed my outlook on life I used to value my life Seeing the world through a different lense Photography allows me to see the world through a different lens haha pun intended and find the beauty in everyday life based on reaching certain goals but now I understand that the only thing that is important is that I m moving in the right direction If you are looking for a book that will make you cry make you laugh and even make you re evaluate everything you ever knew I would highly recommend reading this powerful and important memoir STEPHEN HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL ANON MED STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH See more of their photos on pages 23 25 CREATIVE CORNER 22
Student Support GENERAL Are you struggling with suicidal thoughts Please make contact with your GP and talk someone as soon as possible Reach out to a friend get online phone support tell someone how you are feeling you are not alone There is help out there Online Phone Support Open 24 7 contact the Samaritans for free confidential support Phone 116 123 Email jo samaritans org HOPELineUK has phone text and email support and is open 10am 10pm weekdays 2pm10pm weekends 2pm 5pm bank holidays Call 0800 068 4141 Text 07860039967 Support apps websites Headspace Free guided mindfulness and meditation sessions They are offering a 10 day free trial for new customers and is free with Spotify student www headspace com Email pat papyrus uk org Shout Crisis Messenger 24 7 confidential support Text 85258 https www giveusashout org Saneline 0300 304 7000 4 30pm to 10 30pm Campaign Against Living Miserably 0800 585858 https www thecalmzone net Togetherall Formerly Big White Wall Togetherall is an anonymous platform that provides a safe space online to get things off your chest explore your feelings get creative and learn how to self manage your mental health and wellbeing It provides 24 7 peer and professional support from trained counsellors It is free for University students https togetherall com en gb CREATIVE CORNER PHOTOGRAPHY Continued from previous page 23
UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD Sheffield Flourish Sheffield Flourish is a charity that works closely with the university to support student mental health Their website has lots of useful resources and stories from Sheffield residents that have experienced mental health difficulties or distress www sheffieldflourish co uk Are you struggling with university work Need extra support Sheffield University Central Support HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL The University have a welfare team to support students experiencing any personal difficulties that are significantly impacting on their ability to study They can also provide support for family friends who may be worried about a student s wellbeing The university also provides specialist support for other issues too such as housing finance and immigration issues If you are struggling at University there is support available from both HYMS itself and the partner universities Access central support here Email the student affairs team https www sheffield ac uk medical_student_affairs sss ssg sheffield ac uk They are currently providing email phone and video support to students HYMS Email studentsupport hyms ac uk Hull Contact Student Service via MyHull Portal Alternatively call 01482 46222 York Opendoor Available to both Hull and York based students Email opendoor york ac uk Complete the online referral https www york ac uk students health help opendoor CREATIVE CORNER PHOTOGRAPHY Continued from page 22 24
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH your situation Online Phone Support In Person Support The Chaplaincy https www ed ac uk chaplaincy A really welcoming place for people of all faiths and none located besides Portter at the University of Edinburgh Bristo Square The Chaplaincy Centre is open for walk in appointments Tuesdays Thursdays from 10 30 16 00 They also offer a listening service on weekdays from 9 00 17 00 which can be done either in person or by phone email or video call for anyone that feels they need confidential non judgemental listening The Advice Place https www eusa ed ac uk support_and_advice the_ advice_place 0131 374 4581 A really welcoming service located inside the Potterow building at the University of Edinburgh Bristo Square However for the time being they are only available via telephone or email If you have any queries be it wellbeing related or otherwise the advice place is a great port of call They will ensure you are listened to and will do their best to help you solve your problems and point you towards resources specific to Health in Mind Wellbeing Line https www health in mind org uk about_us news_and_blogs i2314 new_wellbeing_line_for_ young_people aspx 0808 801 0614 A new free phone line specifically designed to provide 16 25 year olds with a chance to talk to someone about how Covid 19 has affected their lives It is available from 14 0018 00 Mondays Thursdays and Fridays and 11 00 15 00 during the weekend Breathing Space https breathingspace scot 0800 83 85 87 Continued on next page CREATIVE CORNER PHOTOGRAPHY Continued from page 22 25
Continued from previous UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL page A free confidential phone service for anyone over 16 in Scotland experiencing low mood anxiety or depression You can just call if you are feeling overwhelmed and need someone to listen They can also offer advice if you ask for it and can make you aware of other places to get help locally Edinburgh Crisis Centre http www edinburghcrisiscentre org uk wordpress 0808 801 0414 A telephone service that is open 24 7 for anyone who feels like they are experiencing a mental health crisis They help you deal with feelings or thoughts experienced at a time of crisis including anxiety panic attacks and self harm They also provide practical support by providing access to information welfare benefits and accommodation Support Apps Feeling Good App Available on the Appstore free for University of Edinburgh students Provides easily accessible short evidence based selfhelp audio clips Want tips on staying healthy and happy Live Well Liverpool https www thelivewelldirectory com Wellbeing Liverpool http www wellbeingliverpool co uk Brownlow Health Mental Health Resources https www brownlowhealth co uk mentalhealth resources Uni of Liverpool Wellbeing Resources https www liverpool ac uk studentsupport advice resources Uni of Liverpool Maintaining Wellbeing During Lockdown https news liverpool ac uk 2020 04 06 howto maintain good mentalwellbeing during lockdown Other organisations and information which could help support your mental health Talk Liverpool https www talkliverpool nhs uk If you re struggling at university Mental Health Advisory Service https www liverpool ac uk studentsupport mentalhealthadvisoryservice QUEEN S UNIVERSITY BELFAST Aware NI The Support Line operates Mon Fri 11am 3pm Please call 07548530931 or 07340488254 QUB Nightline 02890 975453 or instant message https qub im nightline ac uk Lifeline People living in Northern Ireland can call 0808 808 8000 Belfast HSC Trust Staff Psychological Support Helpline Staff and students working in Belfast trust can call 028 9615 1888 Monday Friday 9am to 9pm Saturday Sunday 2pm to 6pm Western HSC Trust Staff Psychological Support Helpline 028 7161 1281 Monday Friday 9am to 9pm Saturday Sunday 2pm to 6pm COVID 19 Belfast Community Helpline 0800 587 4695 Monday Sunday 9am 5pm Eating Disorder Association NI 028 9023 5959 24 7 Mental Health Guidance https www liverpool ac uk studentsupport counselling selfhelp mentalhealthproblems Long list of sources of help https www liverpool ac uk studentsupport counselling otherhelpinformation 26
Amazing vegan berry pie COOKING CORNER PREP 20 MINS COOK 50 MINS MEDIUM DIFFICULTY SERVES 6 8 Ingredients Pie Crust All purpose flour 300g Granulated sugar any type is fine I tend to use brown 2 tbsp Butter room temperature cubed 200g Milk any type I tend to use oat around 3 tbsp A pinch of salt Play around with the flour milk proportions until you get a pie dough consistency It should be just dry enough so it won t stick to the rolling pin Berry Filling Berries I just use a frozen bag of mixed berries 1000g Sugar any type I use brown amount is completely up to you depending on how sour tart you like your pies I don t use any but I like my pies very tart I think around 1tbsp should be fine but go ahead and taste It will seem like a lot but you have to fill your pie for it to be really juicy Method In a pan in low medium heat cook the berries to make a sauce just put the berries in there while you make your pie crust it may take a while The kitchen will smell amazing after 27 this Don t add the sugar now otherwise it will burn keep stirring the berries once in a while so the top berries have a chance to get cooked Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C only heat the bottom of the oven if you can if you heat the top it ll burn the superior aspect of the pie without cooking it To make the pie crust in a large bowl combine the flour sugar salt Then make a well in the centre and add in the butter and milk with your hands knead the mixture until it forms a dough don t be afraid to add more milk or flour if it s too dry wet Check back on the berries Odds are they won t be done now but give them a stir You re looking for a mostly liquidish jam like consistency Add the sugar now and keep them bubbling away on low heat Butter flour your cake pan so the pie won t stick to it Put flour on a bit of table and spread your pie dough Spread enough to cover your cake pan make some dough strips to go over the top in a criss cross pattern make more dough if you have to it s worth the aesthetics Keep the strips to the side for now and place your dough on your cake pan With a fork pierce the bottom of your pie dough this is to stop air bubbles forming between pan dough Take the berries off the heat and spoon them onto the piedough covered cake pan There should be a lot of berries Arrange the dough strips over the top in a checkered pattern Place the pie in the middle of the oven for around 50 minutes but every oven is different so perhaps longer In the last 5 minutes turn the top part of your oven on so the pie can look golden purely for aesthetics so don t worry if your oven can t do that Yay you have pie ANON UNIVERSITY OF 12 EDIBNURGH
Hummingbird bakery s traditional brownies COOKING CORNER PREP 10 MINS COOK 30 MINS EASY COOK SERVES 8 10 I have always enjoyed sweet treats especially brownies and cookies but I never found the time to bake any of my own However during quarantine I set myself the task of finding the perfect full proof brownie recipe and after many delicious but not quite perfect attempts I have finally found one It was recommended to me by a friend who also likes soft gooey brownies with a crackly top so if that is how you like your brownies I definitely recommend this recipe It is the Hummingbird bakery s traditional brownie and can be found online but I ll set it out here so it s easier I found baking has been a great escape from online uni I m intercalating and really helps clear my mind eating the sweet treats after also helps Ingredients 200g dark chocolate Dark chocolate gives them a more intense chocolate flavour I usually prefer milk but dark works best here 175g unsalted butter 325g caster sugar 130g plain flour 3 eggs Optional add ons walnuts raisins chocolate chips Method Pre heat oven to 170 C and line your tray Chop up the chocolate and place it with the butter in a heatproof bowl over a sauce pan of boiling water don t let the water touch the bowl as it can ruin the chocolate Remove from the heat stir in the sugar and flour Add the eggs and mix until thick and smooth Bake for about 30 35 minutes You should see a flaky top but should be soft in the centre some crumbs on the knife when you check them ENJOY ANON UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL ARE YOU A MEDICAL STUDENT OR DOCTOR LET US KNOW HOW GETTING CREATIVE HELPS WITH YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ARTWORK POETRY RECIPES PHOTOGRAPHY WE TRY AND PUBLISH EVERYTHING WE RECEIVE Certificates for your e portfolios provided EMAIL US medicstogethersubmissions gmail co uk 28
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Your new winter staple Vegan hazelnut and cauliflower soup COOKING CORNER PREP 10 MINS COOK 30 MINS EASY COOK SERVES 4 6 Meal prep is hard but with our busy schedule it s important to prioritize a balanced diet This creamy and comforting soup is perfect to make in bulk and stick in the freezer to save for a busy day Non vegan can be made by substituting milk alternative and veggie stock for dairy and chicken stock I personally use acti oat milk from aldi For this recipe you will need a blender 29 Ingredients Now this may look like a lot but as long as you have the base right the rest is optional 2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 large Cauliflower cut roughly into 8 chunks 1 Onion diced 1 Celery stick diced Salt and Pepper 1 4 tsp Nutmeg powder or freshly ground 2 medium Russet Potatoes diced 1 Vegetable Stockcube 120ml Unsweetened Nut Milk or oat milk 2 tbsp Hazelnut Oil optional 150g Fresh Hazelnuts Parsley coarsely chopped for garnish optional turning them half way Instructions Pre heat the oven to 200 Celsius ANON HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet with 1tbsp of olive oil Roast for 20 mins or until lightly browned then remove from oven On another baking tray roast hazelnuts for 20 minutes or until lightly browned Heat one tbsp of oil to a saucepan Saute onion celery with salt pepper and nutmeg until translucent Add potatoes stock cube to pot with enough milk to cover potatoes Simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes until potatoes are nearly soft Add the roasted cauliflower and further simmer for 15 mins Blend the roasted hazelnuts and add to saucepan Blitz soup until smooth Season with salt pepper to taste Add extra milk if you like your soup a little thinner
What a clever boy GOOD NEWS Gilbert a rescue pug from Staffordshire learned 26 tricks in four days some when instructed in Chinese Together with the owner Melissa they raised a total of 139 79 for animal rescue centres facing closure during the covid 19 pandemic in the 2 6 challenge See the full story here https www staffordshirelive co uk news watchgenius staffordshire pugunderstands 4853596 Postal worker brings joy on her rounds 10 year old raises money for hospital GOOD NEWS need and offering those feeling isolated a wave smile and chat Lucy Garlick is a postal worker who has been wearing fancy dress to deliver her post to help bring some smiles and positivity to her community A resident who described Lucy said that in the darkest of times she has been a shining light She has also been a lifeline for those shielding collecting items for them if they are in See the full story here https www bbc co uk news av ukwales 55369381 GOOD NEWS See full story here https www bbc co uk news ukwales 55508339 We ve all been bored over lockdown and this little boy is no different 10 year old Corey recently ran cycled and even carried potatoes up mountains in the Rhondda Whilst doing so he raised money for computers at a local hospital for those who couldn t have visitors He s even decided to do this every year 30
Getting lost and finding solace frankly it hurts and I ve never been particularly good at it To overcome these barriers I decided to set myself the challenge of running a particular distance over a predetermined length of time i e the most recent challenge saw me attempt to run 100 miles in the run up to WUBU2 MED STUDENTS Christmas from the 1st December and gradually increased the difficulty of these challenges as The announcement of a national lockdown and my fitness and running capabilities improved subsequent suspension of life ranging from With the increasing monthly distances I quickly the closure of coffee shops hairdressers and found myself if you ll pardon the pun running restaurants to having to relocate our entire out of local routes to traverse so I began to working lives online inevitably induced a wide improvise In doing so I stumbled upon a range of emotions for many of us Speaking rather unexpected benefit of long distance from a very privileged position it was the running getting lost to then somehow find my closure of my local gym that impacted me the way back home A particularly memorable run most involved me taking an impromptu detour from the Leeds Liverpool canal my go to running For the past 8 years or so lifting weights in spot to then find myself trudging ankle deep the gym has always provided an outlet for any in mud through the middle of a farm The sense stress I encounter and has formed an integral of accomplishment I felt when I eventually part of my identity because of this Initially I navigated my way out of the farm and back struggled with having to adapt to a routine that home was enormous especially considering my no longer included my daily trip to the gym Over orienteering skills are subpar at best the past two lockdowns however I replaced my I strongly urge you to lace up your walking weightlifting sessions with running outdoors running hiking shoes get out and experience Irrespective of the innumerable benefits that the inherent joy in getting lost cardiovascular exercise has on our mental and physical wellbeing I d like to say here that I JED 2ND YEAR UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL have never been fond of running because quite Running into the new year WUBU2 MED STUDENTS If I m being completely honest I really wanted to write this piece about how my first run of 2021 was refreshing and energising hopefully reflecting a more positive year ahead Then I actually went on it I fell in love with running during the first lockdown It was an escape from the 1 craziness of everything going on in the world as well as a break from uni work Now every few days I put my headphones in trainers on and have some quality time with my thoughts I am by no means a pro sometimes I run a long way and sometimes I don t go very far at all but running is how I maintain my well being I had this idea that my New Year run would represent sprinting away from 2020 and into brighter days As you have probably gathered it didn t quite go to plan It was very cold and even though I had wrapped up I was still absolutely freezing 10 minutes in it started snowing the paths became slippery and I Continued on next page