Johns Hopkins University Counseling Center
Recognizing Students in Distress
Contents:
Description of the Counseling
Center
Recognizing and
Helping Students in Distress
Dealing with Students who may be Suicidal
Helping Students
Campus and Off-Campus Resources
Description
of Services and Structure
The
The
Additionally, a wide offering of educational and support programs is designed to foster the development of students as healthy, thoughtful, responsible, respectful and productive members of a diverse community who will be able to function at their full potential.
Recognizing
Students in Distress
As a member of the faculty or staff, you may find yourself in a position to observe and recognize changes which signal psychological distress in students. This is not to imply that you are to be a “watch dog,” but rather that students often seek out faculty and staff to share their distress. At other times, you may become concerned with the behavior you have observed in one of your students. Being able to identify students in distress, having some guidelines for dealing with distressed students, and being aware of appropriate referral resources that can assist you will allow you to be more in control of situations which may present themselves. Listed below is some basic information on the more common signs of psychological distress observed in college students.
1.) Emotional Problems. College can be a difficult experience, and it is not unusual for students to experience problems, the most common of which are related to depression and anxiety. While just about everyone gets depressed from time to time, persons suffering from significant levels of depression exhibit and array of symptoms.
The symptoms of depression are: insomnia or change in sleep patterns, inability to concentrate, change in appetite, loss of ability to experience happiness or pleasure, apathy, sloppiness, crying, poor personal hygiene, feelings of worthlessness, no desire to socialize, loss of self esteem, and preoccupation with death. Having only one symptom is usually not enough to describe someone as severely depressed. However, when several of these symptoms occur for an extended period of time, a person may be experiencing a depressive episode.
Although many students experience high stress at college, some develop emotional problems related to anxiety. Students suffering from anxiety problems can experience panic attacks or extreme fearfulness of specific situations (e.g., being in public places). Exposure to a traumatic experience can also cause a student to develop anxiety problems, symptoms of which include flashbacks, avoiding things associated with the traumatic event, and being easily startled. When symptoms such as these interfere with a student’s life, they may be experiencing an anxiety disorder.
2.) Unusual acting out. This would represent a change in behavior from normal socially appropriate behavior. It would include being repeatedly and excessively disruptive, overly antagonistic, or acting in a bizarre or peculiar manner. In some cases, alcohol or drug abuse may be involved.
3.) Suicidal ideation. The most seriously distressed student may consider doing harm to him or herself. Many suicide attempts are preceded by messages that the person is considering suicide. Verbal messages can range from “I wish I weren’t here,” to a very direct “I’m going to kill myself.” Some non-verbal signals include giving away valued possessions, and putting legal, financial , and University affairs in order, a preoccupation with death, withdrawal or boredom, a history of depression, and poor grooming habits. Each type of message about suicide should be taken seriously and may require immediate faculty or staff intervention.
4.) Other signs of distress. Again, the more symptoms observed, the more likely the individual is to be truly distressed. It is important to observe changes from a student’s previous behavior. These signs may include a drop in class attendance or a drop in quality of class work, a more generally tense or shad appearance, and the development of inappropriate or bizarre responses such as talking off-the-subject and rambling or laughing inappropriately.
Guidelines
for Dealing with Students in Distress
Each person has his/her own style of approaching and responding to others. As such, there are no absolutely correct procedures for dealing with a distressed student. Nevertheless, listed below are some suggestions and guidelines for dealing with a student who is in distress.
1.) Talk to the student. Let the student know your concerns and ask if they are feeling distressed. Try to identify the problem area.
2.) Be accepting and non-judgmental. Help them determine what the problem might be without minimizing their feelings or judging them for feeling distressed.
3.) Reinforce the student for confiding in you. Acknowledge your recognition that they are hurting.
4.) Know your limits as a helper. While talking to the student you may find you are unable to provide adequate assistance or do not feel comfortable trying to help someone cope with his/her problem; that is, you sense that the person is in need of much more time than you can honestly give or requires much deeper exploration of the problem area. If this is the case, it is important that you indicate in a gentle but direct manner that professional assistance is the positive step which is needed to deal with the pain, and that you will assist them in finding competent professionals.
5.)
Use the resources available. Know the resources that are available to you
(which are listed at the end of this brochure).
Don’t hesitate to contact these resources for consultation if you are
not sure how to proceed. The
Referring
a student who is in distress - an example
A student comes into your office and begins to describe problems that are interfering with his/her academic work. At a break in the discussion, you might say:
“It sounds as though you have been
under a lot of stress lately, are not doing very well,
and would like to talk to someone about this.
I would suggest that you see someone at the
Guidelines
for Dealing with a Student who may be Suicidal
If you are worried that a student may be considering suicide, it is alright to directly ask if he or she is thinking about killing him or herself. Professionals assess suicide potential, in part, by asking:
a.) What the plan for suicide is – exactly how will they do it? Do they have access to a means such as pills or a weapon?
b.) When and where they intend to carry out the plan?
c.) If they’ve ever attempted suicide before. If yes, how and when.
The more specific and lethal the plan, the more recent a previous attempt, and the greater the ability to carry out the plan, the higher the risk of a successful suicide. You need not be afraid to ask these questions. For people who are considering suicide, these questions will not furnish them with new ideas. Most people who are actively suicidal are more than willing to discuss their plan. Conversely, many people consider suicide from time to time in passing. The less specific and lethal the plan (e.g. “I guess I’d take a couple sleeping pills sometime.”), the less likely a suicide attempt.
Again,
please keep in mind that if you are uncomfortable or have any questions in
dealing with this issue, the best course of action is to consult with the
Referring
a suicidal student – an example:
You
have been talking to a student and are so concerned that the student is at risk
for suicide that you would feel uncomfortable if they simply walked out of your
office. In such a case it is recommended
that you indicate to the student that you need to contact the
Guidelines
for Dealing with Students who may be Potentially Dangerous
Campus violence is a serious concern and as such needs to be taken seriously by anyone aware of a potentially violent situation. From time to time you may become aware of or develop a concern that a student may be dangerous to others. Some signals that a student is potentially dangerous include:
a.) Physically violent behavior
b.) Verbally threatening or overly aggressive behavior
c.) Threatening e-mail or letters
d.) Threatening or violent material on academic papers or exams.
e.) Harassment, including sexual harassment and stalking
f.) Possession of a weapon, particularly a firearm
Sometimes these behaviors are the result of or are exacerbated by mental illness. You need to take appropriate action to protect both the potential victim and the potentially dangerous student. If the danger appears imminent you should contact campus security (410-516-7777) or 911 immediately for assistance. If you are uncertain about the course of action to take, it is recommended you contact any or all of the following for consultation and assistance:
a.) Your department chair
b.) The Dean of Student Life at 410-516-8208
c.) The
d.)
The Dean of Students Office, the Counseling Center, and the Campus Security Office often work together to investigate and assess the dangerousness of a student to help formulate preventive interventions and to outline and provide security measures that might be available to those who have this need.
If you are
interested in learning more about how to handle distressed students or wish to
meet with the
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Psychological Emergencies - Call the Medical Emergencies – Call Campus Security, 410-516-7777 (24 hours/day) Medical Services – On the Homewood Campus: Call the Student Health and Monday – Friday; Saturday
At Call JHCommunity Physicians at Wyman Park, 410-338-3421 Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 7:30pm; Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm
At School of Nursing: Call University Health Services, 410-955-3250 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday - 8:00 am 0 5:00 pm Thursday - 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Physically Abusive Students – Call Campus Security, 410-516-7777. (24 hours/day) |
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Off-Campus Psychological Resources Emergency Rooms: Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Emergency Department: 410-955-2280 Other Hospital Emergency Rooms: call 911 Outpatient Clinics: Crisis Lines, Information and Referral
Services: Grassroots Crisis Intervention: 410-531-6677 Grassroots
Youth Service, (located in First Call for Help: 410-685-0525 |