Students in Crisis vs Experiencing Distress
Concerned About A Student?
As an administrator, faculty, or staff member interacting with students, you play an invaluable role in being able to identify students who are struggling and in helping students obtain the assistance they need. You are in an excellent position to recognize behavioral changes that characterize the emotionally troubled student.
The resources below will help you distinguish between a student in crisis and a student experiencing distress.
A Student in Crisis
If a student is in a mental health crisis, you might see or hear the following:
- Statements about suicide or death, or attempts at suicide or self-harm
- Written or verbal threats, or attempted assault or homicide
- Destruction of property or other criminal acts
- Extreme anxiety, panic, or uncontrollable crying
- Inability to communicate (e.g., jumbled, pressured or slurred speech; disjointed thoughts)
- Loss of contract with reality (e.g., seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, expressing beliefs or behaving in a way that is at odds with reality)
- Highly disruptive behavior (e.g., hostility, aggression, violence)
FIND COUNSELING SERVICES RESOURCES
How to help when a student is in crisis
If the student may be in immediate danger (e.g., someone is already injured, has overdosed, is threatening to use a weapon, or is on a ledge, open stairwell, building top, etc), immediately contact Campus Safety at 662-621-4175.
If the student is experiencing a mental health crisis and is not in immediate danger, contact Counseling Services at 662-621-4858 or after hours 662-645-9500.
A Student in Distress
Stress is a part of every student’s life. However, there are some indicators that, when present over time, suggest that a student’s stress level may be a cause for concern. In these circumstances, you might see or hear the following:
- Uncharacteristic changes in academic performance
- Uncharacteristic changes in attendance at class or meetings
- Depressed mood
- Hyperactivity and/or rapid speech
- Social withdrawal
- Increased alcohol or drug use
- Marked change in dress, hygiene, or weight
- Repeatedly falling asleep in class
- Requests for extensions or special considerations or accommodations
- New or recurrent behavior that interferes with the effective management of your class, work team, etc.
- Unusual or exaggerated emotional response to events
By the Numbers
Studies indicate that in a group of 100 college students (50 men and 50 women) at least:
- 25 will have parents who are divorced
- 15 will have a substance-abusing parent
- 10 will have a substance-abuse problem
- 15 females will be victims of rape or sexual abuse
- 6 females will have an eating disorder
- 4 males will be victims of sexual abuse
- 3 females will have an unplanned pregnancy during college
Other common stressors include:
- Isolation and loneliness
- Death of a loved one
- Breakup of an intimate relationship
- Serious illness
- Feelings of rejection by family
- Academic pressure or failure
- Identity confusion
- Cultural oppression/discrimination
- Low motivation or inability to establish goals
- Outside work pressures
- Parenting responsibility