Irish University Students with Mental Health Difficulties : Experiences, Challenges and Supports

Abstract

This book explores the nature and meaning of higher education for Irish university students with mental health difficulties. It does this by understanding the lived experience of these students. Understanding lived experience is one of the most powerful, yet under-appreciated, forms of knowledge available. This book illuminates the value of lived experience in informing inclusive education policy and practice. It offers an understanding of the experiences of students, their routes to higher education, the challenges they face, and their experiences of the supports that are available to them. It offers valuable insights and reflections on the nature and meaning of higher education for students in distress and the efforts these students invest in managing their mental health so that they may complete their university education. The book aims to provide insight and understanding for educators, student support providers, and students on professional courses so that they may better support students struggling with their mental health while at university.