We started the original page in November 2018 but it didn't last very long! This current page was made May 2019 but didn't get properly used until January 2020.
I'd say probably around 80.
Probably a few hours a day! I'm currently working so all posts are scheduled, but I still have to manually read each submission and make sure it adheres to the page rules (don't want to risk the page being shut down again!!) and also respond to messages.
There's one "full-time" admin (me) and a few other people that check the submissions when they can! But it's just me who comments/messages.
Yes, so the first page was us (same admin team) and it either got shut down for violating community guidelines (we stupidly posted some dodgy submissions) OR *conspiracy theory* was reported by the makers of the NottsFess page (they messaged us trying to buy this page off us! 😂). All pages with the name "The Nottsfessional" and the same page icon have been the original admin team though.
I saw a submission where someone suggested a survey type thing so we could find suitable people to pass the page over to! I know other confessions pages have done the same too so we'll probably do that.
Yeah, it's been really fun! It's so entertaining reading the submissions and messaging people/commenting. It's nice having this little "admin" (or admum, but I would like to state on the record that I did not suggest or advocate for admum. I just said I preferred it to admin).
It's ok... I suffer with my own mental health, so I've found it really important to keep busy! I work four days a week in a pharmacy and then spend the rest of my time doing my uni work and, honestly, it is stressful and a lot of work but for me personally I need that, rather than being stuck in the house all day every day!
I've gone home!
I wouldn't necessarily say they've increased but yeah we do tend to get quite a lot of MH posts. We try and post as many as we can - ones offering or asking for advice mainly. We can't post ones though that insinuate harm to themselves/others or also could possibly be triggering for other people. Thankfully, we don't get many posts like that but if we ever do we like to highlight/share some of the resources available to students who may be struggling.
I think a lot more can be done for MH by EVERYONE. There's still unfortunately a lot of stigma behind it which means it can be really difficult for people to get help/diagnosed in the first place. On top of that, you have the difficulty of getting help and maintaining that with the MH services being under so much stress.
Like I said, as a page we like to share some of the Uni resources where we can (and we have links/numbers on our pinned post) but I also think the University/SU could do more, at the very least just to make the process a bit more transparent/easy to navigate. Especially in these difficult times with everything being online - I know online counselling is still available but I'm not sure whether many other students know about that.
Just to stay safe! Look after each other, check up on your friends, and respect your key workers/retail staff (that last one is more of a personal request).