Helping Emotionally Distressed Studentsa Faculty Guide

1
Helping Emotionally Distressed Studentsa Faculty
Guide
2
I. Why Should I be concerned?

• Students are struggling
• 1. Among college students, between 1988 and
  2001
• ? The rate of depression has doubled
• ? Suicidal thinking has tripled
• ? Sexual assaults have quadrupled
• 2. 1,088 students commit suicide on college
  campuses each year
• 3. 50 of students will have significant
  problems with depression or alcohol
• 4. 25 of students are taking psychiatric
  medications
• 5. 38 of all students say that they have been
  so depressed in the past year that they couldnt
  function

3
I. Why Should I Be Concerned?

• Why are students struggling?
• Identity development Issues
• Gen Y characteristics
• 3. Increased debt
• 4. Career uncertainties
• 5. A transitory age
• Fragmentation of nuclear family
• Relativistic morality
• 8. Unhelpful Expectations

4
I. Why Should I be concerned?

• C. You are often a first point of contact
• 1. You are known
• 2. Youre respected and approachable
• 3. Youre not stigmatizing

5
I. Why Should I be concerned?

• D. You are responsible
• 1. Ethically
• 2. Legally

6
II. When should I Help

• A. When youre approached
• B. Dramatic change in student performance
• C. Emotional outbursts
• D. Sleeping in class
• E. Major life trauma
• F. Talk of suicide, hopelessness and despair
• G. Change in personal hygiene
• H. Complaints from other students
• I. Repeated requests for extensions or special
  considerations
• J. Disjointed thoughts
• K. Bizarre/inappropriate behavior

7
III. How Can I Show Concern?

• A. Communicate Effectively with Distressed
  Students
• Do.
• 1. Ask to speak to them privately
• 2. Acknowledge emotional state and content
• 3. Show interest in what theyre saying
• 4. Let them know you want to help
• 5. Take any mention of suicide or self-harm very
  seriously
• 6. Be Direct but Non-Judgmental
• 7. Take students at their word (when it comes to
  their distress level)

8
III. How can I show concern?

• B. Communicate with distressed
• Dont
• 1. Minimize the situation or depth of feeling
• 2. Avoid asking the person if they are so
  depressed or sad that they want to hurt
  themselves
• 3. Over commit yourself and not be able to
  deliver on promises
• 4. Ignore your limitations
• 5. Offer to pray too quickly

9
III. How Can I Show Concern?

• C. When to refer
• 1. Your advice goes unheeded and the students
  problem is recurrent
• 2. You have a sinking, helpless feeling
• 3. You identify too closely with the problem.
• 4. When talk of self-harm occurs
• 5. The student seems delusional
• 6. Talk of abuse of children or elderly
• 7. Fear of harm by others

10
III. How Can I Show Concern?

• D. How to Refer
• A. Dont wait until your concerns about the
  student are critical
• B. Speak with the student openly and honestly
• C. Share with the students your observations of
  the behavior that lead you to conclude a referral
  is advisable
• D. Couch your comments in concern, not criticism
• E. Encourage students response to your referral
  suggestion
• F. Respect the students right to reject
  counseling or take some time to think about
  (unless there is talk of suicide).
• G. Encourage the student to contact Aldersgate
  Center directly
• H. When concerns are critical, walk students over
  to Aldersgate or call Campus Police.

11
III. How Can I Show Concern?

• E. When to Seek Consultation
• 1.You hear any suicidal/homicidal thoughts
• 2. You perceive delusions
• 3. You hear talk of abuse involving that
  student or a minor or elderly person
• 4. You are confused, uncertain, afraid

12
III. How Can I Show Concern?

• F. How to seek consultation
• 1. Call ext. 2257Aldersgate Center--from 8 a.m.
  to 5 p.m.
• 2. Call the students RD after hoursfor
  on-campus students
• 3. Call campus police for off-campus students.
• 4. In an emergency always call campus police
  first.
• 5. Always let us know if there has been a suicide
  attempt/hospitalization for mental health issues

13
IV. Taking Care of Yourself

• A. Know your boundaries
• B. Involve yourself only as far as you are
  willing to go
• C. Dont make promises you cant keep
• D. Err on the side of caution

14
V. What Happens After I Refer

• A. Confidentiality and its Implications
• B. Our typical routine
• C. Our limits
• D. Keep us updated