What Steps Can Students Take to Maintain Mental Wellbeing?

Maintaining mental health is a core part of academic success for South African students. Balancing coursework, social pressures, and personal expectations can be challenging-especially for those facing limited resources or living away from home. Students can foster resilience and emotional wellbeing by creating healthy routines, recognising signs of distress early, and seeking support when needed.

Recognising Early Signs of Distress

• Difficulty concentrating or sudden drops in academic performance
• Withdrawing from social connections
• Changes in sleep or appetite patterns
• Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or persistently sad
• Loss of motivation or enjoyment in normal activities

Establishing Effective Daily Habits

• Prioritising consistent sleep routines and balanced nutrition
• Scheduling regular physical activities-walks, stretches, or informal sports
• Incorporating mindfulness techniques, such as focusing on breathing for a few minutes daily
• Allocating downtime for hobbies and social interaction

Connecting with Affinity Health’s Mental Health Team

Affinity Health provides confidential telephonic and virtual consultations with mental health professionals from our internal team, offering timely support-especially when in-person services are impractical or fully booked. Students covered by insurance plans that include these consultations can access sessions for counselling, stress management, or mental health check-ins. To learn more or to have someone contact you, submit a contact form via Affinity Health’s Day-to-Day Cover.

Practical Support Systems and Community Resources

Building a Supportive Network

Participation in campus or community groups, whether for study, religion, or hobbies, creates a sense of belonging that can buffer stress. Trusted friends, mentors, or university staff can offer guidance or simply listen-sometimes that is all a student needs to get back on track. Students may also use virtual peer groups for ongoing encouragement and shared resources.

Integrating Professional Guidance Into Academic Life

• Routine online check-ins with a healthcare practitioner from Affinity Health’s in-house team when feeling stuck emotionally
• Utilising student health centres, where available, for access to skilled mental health professionals
• Engaging with campus workshops focusing on resilience and stress management techniques

Students considering long-term health support should reference benefit options with their insurance provider. For those wanting both day-to-day and more extensive cover, resources like Affinity Health’s Combined Plan may prove valuable for broadening care choices, including mental health consultations with our team. To find out more, submit a contact form through the site.

Addressing Stigma and Prioritising Self-Care

• Acknowledging that reaching out for mental health support is a proactive strength
• Educating peers and breaking down stigma within student communities
• Normalising conversations around mental wellness

Supporting mental health is not just for crisis situations-it is an ongoing process. Students should stay informed about the benefits provided by their health insurance. For additional plan details, submit a contact form for information about affordable student plan options and ensure access to necessary care at all times. Students seeking hospital-related information due to acute mental health crises may also submit a contact form for protected hospital cover guidance.

Sources

• Affinity Health - Day-to-Day Medical Cover
• South African Depression and Anxiety Group
• Affinity Health - Combined Plan Details
• World Health Organization - Mental Health in Universities