Helping Students in Distress
How to Identify Students in Distress
We have seen in our society that there can be tragic results when a person, often owing to underlying psychological problems, feels pushed beyond his or her ability to tolerate the stresses of life. Students dealing with personal issues or problems tend to show signs that they are struggling in some way. The severity of the distress is one factor that will determine the best response. Many students may feel depressed or upset at one time or another. However, when symptoms of distress are persistent over a long period of time or when they interfere with academic responsibilities and social relationships, it may be a cause for concern. Following is a list of signs that may indicate that a student is in distress:
Academic Signs
- Deterioration in quality of work
- Missed assignments or appointments
- Repeated absence from class or lab
- Continual requests for unusual accommodations (late papers, extensions, postponed exams, etc.)
- Essays or papers that have themes of hopelessness, social isolation, rage, or despair
- Lack of engagement in participation-oriented classes or with lab mates
- Inappropriate disruptions or monopolizing classroom time
Physical or Psychological Signs
- Excessive anxiety or panic
- Apathy, lack of energy, a change in sleeping or eating habits, or dramatic weight gain or loss
- Marked changes in personal hygiene, work habits, or social behavior
- Mood elevation
- Isolation or withdrawal
- Overtly suicidal thoughts, such as referring to suicide as a current option
- Giving away treasured personal possessions
- Increased irritability or aggressive behavior
- Bizarre thinking, seemingly at odds with the reality of the situation (such as apparently paranoid ideas)
- Excessive use of alcohol or other drugs
Other Factors to Consider
- Direct statements indicating family problems, personal losses such as death of a family member or the break-up of a relationship
- Expressions of concern about a student by peers
- Written note or verbal statement that has a sense of hopelessness or finality
- Your sense, however vague, that something is seriously amiss
