Second-year drops out of UEA due to poor mental health support
She had been having ‘suicidal thoughts’
Hamzah AbbasA student who had been suffering from "suicidal thoughts" has dropped out of the University of East Anglia due to poor mental health support.
Caelin Cassidy was a second year student from New Zealand. She was meant to be on a course at UEA from January to June 2019 but left early after a relapse of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
She completed an online form from the university and told that she was in crisis and needed to see a GP. A spokesperson for the university said: "To hear we have fallen short is disappointing."
Caelin told the Eastern Daily Press: "I found myself in quite a bad relapse with the main concerns being self-harm and intrusive suicidal thoughts.
"After being in denial for a few weeks my flatmates convinced me I needed to seek help."
Eventually, her flatmates went to the uni out of concern for her safety.
Caelin was told she could see a wellbeing advisor in two weeks time and a week later was told that she could see a cognitive behavioural therapist.
However, a month had already passed since Caelin submitted the online form by the time that she was told she could see a cognitive behavioural therapist.
She had already decided to go back home, despite it being "a very tough decision."
Caelin was eventually given a six-week online course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which she described as "exactly what I needed."
She said: "If I hadn't had that support system, I wouldn't have made it through the wait without suicide attempts."
A UEA spokesperson said: "To hear that we have fallen short for a student in need of support is disappointing."
They added the delay was "likely to be down to staff shortages and a high volume of demand for our service at the time."
The spokesperson said waiting times had reduced by more than half since 2016 and that more than £1million is being invested into the wellbeing service.
UEA student wellbeing are contactable via email: [email protected].
Norwich Nightline are contactable via telephone from 8am-8pm: 01603 597158.