Did You Know?
92% of Gustavus students prefer to socialize in a smoke-free environment.
College students typically encounter a great deal of stress (i.e. academic, social, family, work, financial) during the course of their educational experiences. While most of them cope successfully with the demands of college life, for some the pressures can become overwhelming and unmanageable. Students having difficulty have a number of resources available to them. These include close friends, relatives, clergy, coaches, head residents, collegiate fellows, work supervisors, administrators, support staff, and faculty. In fact, anyone who is seen as caring and trustworthy may be a potential resource in time of trouble.
We believe there is a powerful rationale for people to intervene when they encounter distressed students: The inability to cope effectively with emotional stress poses a serious threat to students' learning ability. Expressions of interest and concern may be a critical factor in helping a struggling student reestablish the emotional equilibrium necessary for academic survival and success.
Your willingness to respond to students in distress will undoubtedly be influenced by your personal style and your philosophy about helping students grow emotionally as well as intellectually. Obviously, a student's openness to assistance and such situational factors as length and depth of your relationship, and the location of your contact, may have a substantial effect on the type of interactions you can have with a student.
We hope this information will not only help you assess what can sometimes be difficult situations, but will also give you some specific ideas about what you can do when confronted with a student who is in distress.
At one time or another, everyone feels depressed or upset. But we can identify three general levels of distress which, when present over a period of time, suggest that the problems the person is dealing with are more than "normal" ones.
Mild
These behaviors, although not disruptive to others, may indicate that something is wrong and that help may be needed:
Moderate
These behaviors may indicate significant emotional distress, but also a reluctance or inability to acknowledge a need for more personal help:
Severe
These behaviors are obviously inappropriate and/or indicate a crisis which needs immediate attention:
Severe
These problems are the easiest to identify, and specific procedures for helping students in crisis have been delineated. You need to stay calm and know who to call for help. That information is outlined in the section of this document titled Emergency Assistance and Referrals.
Mild or Moderate
In dealing with a student who shows mild or moderate levels of distress, you have several choices. You can choose not to deal with it at all; deal directly with the request or disruptive behavior in a way that limits your interaction to the classroom issue; or you can deal with the situation on a more personal level.
If you choose to approach a student you are concerned about, or if a student seeks you out for help, here are some suggestions that might make the opportunity more comfortable for you and more helpful to the student.
Even though a student asks for help with a problem and you are willing to help, there are circumstances that may indicate that you should refer a student to a professional resource. Some of these situations include:
Some people accept a referral for professional help more easily than others. It is usually best to be frank with students about the limits of your availability to assist them -- limits of time, energy, training, and objectivity. It is often reassuring to students to hear that you respect their willingness to talk to you, and that you want to support them in getting the assistance they need.
When proposing a referral, it is best to do so in a direct and positive manner. There are many kinds of referrals. The best one is the kind to which a particular student will respond. Depending on the situation, have the student consider friends, clergy, family members, community agencies, and campus offices, especially those in the Division of Student Affairs. Tell the student what you know about the person or referral service, being as specific as possible about the kind of help the student can expect.
Assure students that seeking help does not necessarily mean they have serious problems. It is possible that their concern is one of the common reasons that college students seek help from another person. These include feeling down or low on energy and motivation; experiencing difficulties in relationships with their family, friends, or romantic partner; feeling anxious or depressed; and having concerns about future goals or plans. Confused students may be comforted to know that they do not necessarily have to know what is wrong before they ask for help.
If the student agrees to be referred, suggest that she or he call to make an appointment immediately. The student should make the appointment if possible, rather than you making it for him or her. You can increase the chances that she or he will attend the appointment if you tell the student that you would like to hear how the meeting went and request that the student let you know about it.
If the student is reluctant to talk to anyone, you can call the Counseling Center to consult about the situation.
If you have chosen to follow through with a student, you may still have some questions about how best to handle the situation. Staff members at the Counseling Center would be pleased to help you:
For consultation from the Counseling Center, call Extension 7027, or drop by 204 Johnson Student Union to set up an appointment.
Moderate Distress: Students who exhibit severe anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or other intense emotional disturbances. No immediate harm seems likely.
Consultation, Evaluation, Treatment, and Referral
Counseling Center: 933-7027 Severe Distress: Students expressing a direct threat to themselves or others, or acting in a bizarre, highly irrational, or disruptive manner.
Try to stay as calm as possible. Find someone to stay with the student while calls to the appropriate agency are made.
Transportation and/or Protection (24 hours)
St. Peter Police: 931-1550 Safety and Security: 933-8888 Emergency Consultation, Evaluation, Treatment, and Referral
Counseling Center: 933-7027 Emergency Consultation
Dean of Students: 933-7526
92% of Gustavus students prefer to socialize in a smoke-free environment.
