Read this anonymous story about how joining the UOP Equestrian Club and building new friendships helped a Team UOP member to gain confidence and motivated them to reach out.
Our Sporting Minds campaign is running throughout March 2025. This campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health issues by sharing stories from members of our Sports Clubs. These stories are honest, open, and extremely helpful, showing readers that they are not alone in their struggles and giving examples of healthy coping mechanisms and outlets for dealing with complex feelings. We hope that this campaign inspires conversations between you, your friends, family, and teammates. We have also supplied some resources below.
Tell us about yourself and your story
In my mid/ late teens, I battled with my mental health. I predominantly suffer from stress-related food avoidance, depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies. This stemmed from bullying at school and a series of very negative experiences at college, but the university has, in some aspects, been a breath of fresh air.
How sport/exercise have helped you with your wellbeing, perhaps academically and socially?
Getting up and out the door has always been the hardest part for me, it’s so much easier to just rot in bed. I have horses and have ridden for the last 15 years, it's always been a great motivator to get me out of the house and into the world. It also helped boost my confidence because I'm good at something that others might not be. Being in the equestrian society and on the committee has brought me out of my shell, I've been put in so many different scenarios and made amazing friends. These girls have become the most phenomenal support network, I couldn't be more grateful for all the kindness and laughter they have brought me.
Is there anything you're particularly proud of that you've overcome or have learnt to manage well in a wellbeing sense?
I think I've learned how to understand what's happened to me in a way that isn't funny. It wasn't funny then but I made it a joke to cope, and now I've realised that it actually wasn't funny and that I need to categorically handle it maturely.
What advice would you give to other students concerning wellbeing?
Get up and get out the door. Sometimes tomorrow might feel like a lifetime away, you may not want tomorrow at all. But even if it was your last day on the planet, why spend it holed up inside yourself?
Sporting Wellness
Sporting Wellness (previously Sporting Minds) is a charity dedicated to helping athletes stay strong mentally and perform at their best. They focus on the mindset side of sports, offering support with things like confidence, focus, handling pressure, and staying motivated. Whether you're struggling with nerves before a big game or just want to sharpen your mental game, they provide practical tools and techniques to help. From one-on-one coaching to group workshops—Sporting Wellness is there to make sure athletes have the mental strength to match their physical skills.
Sporting Wellness is a learning, sharing, and networking platform that was created to:
- Provide convenient and relevant access to people, ideas, practices, and innovations.
- Connect those who are serious about progress and passionate about their work.
- Build a community that is open to challenge and promotes consistent action.
Resources and Support
If this story resonates with you or someone you know, remember that support is available. You are not alone, and there are people and resources ready to help.
- Sporting Wellness – Free professional mental health support for sportspeople aged over 16 in the UK.
- Sport in Mind – A UK-based charity offering free sports and physical activity sessions to improve mental well-being.
- Samaritans – 24/7 support for anyone in distress (Call 116 123).
- NHS 111 – In a mental health crisis, call NHS 111 to speak with trained professionals.
Let’s continue to support each other, create safe spaces for open discussions, and celebrate the strength found in both vulnerability and resilience.
If you need some support with your mental health at this time, the student wellbeing service has many resources to help.