The University of Salford Midwifery Society Magazine Semester 3

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Feature ArticleLiving and studying with mental health issuesOne student’s experience of studying midwifery whilst coping withmultiple mental health illnesses.I am a student midwife. I am a long term mental health “sufferer”.I was diagnosed with clinical depression at 13 and generalisedanxiety disorder at 21. I’ve dealt with bouts of teenage bulimia,adult agoraphobia and, most recently, an informal diagnosisof adult attention deficit disorder. I’ve pushed through infertilitybattles and miscarriages. Despite all of these things, I am stable,high functioning and committed to following my dream to becomethe best midwife that I can be.I refuse to be ashamed of any diagnoses or for taking medication.When providing support to other peopleIrefuse to with their own mental health problems, Ibe ashamed tell them what I tell myself: you wouldn’tof anyfeel guilt or angst if you had a thyroiddisorder or diabetes or kidney problems.diagnosesThe brain is an organ and each organ hasor for taking their own set of illnesses. It is how youmedication. approach the illness that matters.Maybe it’s controversial, but I simply accept my mental healthfor what it is. I don’t feel like I’m currently in a position where Ican battle it out and get “better”. I’ve had clinical depression formore than half of my life, it’s now a chronic thing for me, it’s mynormal. Maybe I could fight it and maybe in the future I will. But,right now, I choose to use my energy to focus on what I can doto get around the limitations of my mental health, in ways whichfacilitate my learning.
For example, I know that I can struggle to concentrate on heavy topics for longperiods of time and that means I need to mentally drift away occasionally, soI make sure to revisit material over and over again to ensure I’ve not missedanything important. For revision, I need to start early. I break things downinto bite size chunks and make posters to cover the common areas of myhouse in, so that I can subconsciously absorb information without feeling thepressure of dedicated revision time.I can find it hard to sit and write my assignments, so I break it down intostages. Research, notes, planning. Writing it takes the least amount oftime but the most amount of mental effort. And I have to allow myself to getdistracted. I have to be able to drift away for half an hour so that I can comeback with fresh eyes.
Page 1 and 2: The Future MidwifeThe University of
Page 3 and 4: Hello and welcome to the second edi
Page 5 and 6: If you, or someone you know, are st
Page 7: ContentsPages 26-29 Academic Hints
Page 11 and 12: I started this degree because I car
Page 13 and 14: Midwifery asks so much from you, ev
Page 15 and 16: Similar to the midwives of the 16th
Page 18 and 19: Starting University DuringA Pandemi
Page 20 and 21: Ironically, it was the somewhat unw
Page 22 and 23: Carolyn Zitha- 2nd Year StudentBook
Page 24 and 25: Wellbeing checklist forEmma Mahon-
Page 26 and 27: Academic Hints and TipsBy Marie Lay
Page 28 and 29: Academic Hints and TipsBy Marie Lay
Page 30 and 31: Member’s Shout Outs, Stories andT
Page 32 and 33: It’s ok not to be ok2nd year stud
Page 34 and 35: So, what I want to share with you a
Page 36 and 37: Key Events27th March Passover start
Page 38: Get InvolvedWe hope that you’ve e

The University of Salford Midwifery Society Magazine Semester 3

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