As part of its student health management programme, HNU has been offering courses in mental first aid since 2023 and has thus established the Mental Health Network for HNU members. Christoph Giebeler, the person responsible for psychosocial counselling and student health management at HNU, is delighted about the increase in new helpers. "Our mental health network is growing, which shows that we have hit a nerve with the foundation. I am delighted that the topic of mental health is attracting more and more attention and that we have already empowered numerous people to support people in crisis situations."
What motivated the members to take part in the training programme? What would they like to pass on to their fellow students and colleagues? What are their most important learnings from the training programme?
My interest in psychology has been with me for a long time and I wanted to take the opportunity to actively contribute to this field. The opportunity to support people with psychosocial challenges immediately motivated me. It is important to me to have an open ear for others and to help ensure that mental health receives more attention in our society.
Take advantage of this offer if you are in a stressful situation and need someone to talk to - I am here for you.
Sooner or later, everyone faces a challenge that at first seems "all-important" and unsolvable. In my career, I have seen many people break down because of this. As a doctoral student, I have seen more people drop out than successfully complete their studies. I don't think that should be the case. I've always been lucky enough to have someone by my side who took a step back with me in difficult situations, helped me to categorise the situation and took some of the pressure off me. With the further training to become a "contact person for psychosocial health", I wanted to become a person who is there to support me in challenging situations.
It's perfectly okay to feel lost sometimes. It's just important to know that you won't be left alone.
I have learnt how important the right communication is in order to be able to really help. The psychological content of the training gave me a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges of other people. I was particularly impressed by the realisation of how crucial it is to seek or offer help at an early stage. If we support each other, psychological stress can be recognised earlier, treated or even prevented.
For me, the most important learning is active differentiation. It may be that one or two situations seem familiar, that you can identify with them or that you immediately think you know what the person opposite you needs right now. However, it is important to recognise and really understand that every person is highly individual in terms of their emotions, needs and perceptions. As contact persons, we act as active listeners who fully engage with the person they are talking to and, if necessary, help them to sort things out and find the right place for help.
Advice is also a blow.
I particularly remember one sentence from my training: "Advice is also a slap in the face." It shows that it is not about finding solutions immediately, but above all about actively listening, accompanying the other person's feelings and simply being there for them.
There are no pointless enquiries or conversations. All contact persons are people who are happy to listen and accept every situation without judgement and guarantee confidentiality. Even if you don't feel able to talk about things, it can also simply help to sit next to someone in silence and know that they are there. I would advise anyone who is unsure whether they should have a conversation: just try it! There's nothing to lose.
[Translate to English:]
Achtet auf euch selbst und aufeinander. Sich Hilfe zu holen, ist kein Zeichen von Schwäche, sondern von Stärke und Selbstfürsorge. In den Worten von Sigmund Freud: „Unbewältigte Emotionen verschwinden nicht. Sie werden begraben und kommen später auf hässlichere Weise wieder hervor.“
Freud erinnert uns daran, wie wichtig es ist, Gefühle nicht zu ignorieren. Probleme, die wir verdrängen, lösen sich nicht von selbst – sie können sich stattdessen auf andere Weise negativ zeigen, etwa durch Stress oder Konflikte. Deshalb ist es wichtig, Emotionen zuzulassen, offen darüber zu sprechen und Unterstützung anzunehmen. Habt keine Scheu, euch an vertrauenswürdige Personen zu wenden – sei es Freund:innen, Familie oder auch uns als MHFA-Ansprechpersonen. Wir sind jederzeit gerne für euch da!
At the beginning and end of 2023, I had to deal with various types of loss myself, which took a heavy emotional toll on me. During this time, I realised how important it is for me to have people with whom I can talk openly about it and who simply listen to me. That's exactly what I want to be here at HNU: a contact person that anyone can turn to in stressful situations.
