STUDENT
MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE Created for Brown School Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff that interact with students regularly are in a unique position to notice signs and symptoms that students may be under significant stress, distress or experiencing an emotional crisis. This document aims to provide some guidelines for recognizing when students are experiencing mental health difficulties, and for assessing the appropriate response and support needed. The students who are experiencing issues may exhibit the following:
Academic and Employment Indicators 6 Repeated absences from class or employment, missed assignments, exams, or appointments, especially without reaching out and notifying instructors 6 Significant deterioration in the quality or quantity of work 6 Extreme disorganization or erratic performance 6 Patterns of extreme perfectionism or anxiety 6 Preoccupation with violence, death, isolation, despair, or depression in their work 6 Continually seeking special provisions 6 Sending frequent, lengthy, “ranting”, or threatening emails
Behavioral Indicators 6 Direct statements indicating distress, despair, family problems or loss
Physical Indicators 6 Deterioration in physical appearance or hygiene
6 Angry or hostile outbursts
6 Excessive fatigue or repeatedly falling asleep in class/work
6 More withdrawn or animated than usual
6 Dramatic change in energy level, in either direction
6 Expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness; crying or tearfulness
6 Noticeable changes in weight or visible bingeing and purging
6 Expressions of severe anxiety or irritability 6 Isolating self; unresponsiveness to outreach from faculty or staff 6 Excessively demanding or dependent behavior 6 Shakiness, tremors, fidgeting or pacing
6 Noticeable physical injuries (cuts, bruises, burns, etc.) 6 Disorganized, slurred, or rapid speech; confusion 6 Shakiness, tremors, fidgeting, or pacing 6 Frequent or chronic illness 6 Chronic substance abuse or coming to class bleary-eyed or smelling of alcohol or marijuana
6 Excessive responses to grades or other evaluations
Other Factors You Need to Consider 6 Concern about a student expressed from their peers or another faculty or staff member 6 A hunch or gut-level reaction that something is wrong 6 Any significant change in the student’s baseline personality, mood, academic performance, or relationships
brownschool.wustl.edu
I have identified a student who is exhibiting some indicators. How do I know if they need immediate assistance? Is the student a danger to themselves or others? Are there other reasons for immediate concern? DIRECT INDICATORS OF SUICIDE RISK INCLUDE: statements that mention despair, suicide, or death; severe hopelessness, depression, isolation, withdrawal; statements to the effect that the student is “going away for a long time;” or statements about wishing life would just end, be easier if they were dead, or statements indicating ambivalence about being alive. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS INCLUDE: Direct statements or actions of self-harm; physical and verbal aggression directed at others, animals or property; a student who is unresponsive to the external environment (incoherent, disconnected from reality, displaying unrelenting disruptive behavior); a situation that feels threatening or dangerous to you or the student.
If a student is exhibiting any of the above, they may pose an immediate danger to themselves. You should: 1. Stay with the student 2. Contact the university’s Habif Health and Wellness Center at 935-6695 3. or Washington University Police at 935-5555.
4. Report the incident and issues to Danielle Bristow, Brown School Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs in Hillman Hall 251 or at 314-691-4893,
5. You may directly walk the student to Habif, located on Shepley Drive on the South 40. 6. For additional campus crisis support resources visit students.wustl.edu/get-crisis
Students who are experiencing issues may not need immediate medical intervention. Here is how you can understand and identify the differences between stress, distress and crisis.
Stress The student may appear in a bad mood, be overwhelmed, have anxiety about their commitments or academic performance, have trouble sleeping, may cry and/ or have physical symptoms like headaches, muscle aches and tension.
Distress
Crisis
The student may show a sudden change in typical behaviors (eating, socializing, sleeping), withdrawal from peers, a change in appearance or hygiene, be missing class or appointments or handing in work of lower quality, be experiencing a loss or major life event, express intense emotions (sadness, anger, hopelessness, anxiety).
The student may make suicidal or homicidal thoughts or statements, show extreme and/or uncontrolled emotions, have an inability to communicate effectively, be experiencing a loss of contact with reality, be experiencing a trauma (injury, rape), have current mental disorders (particularly clinical depression), have current substance abuse issues, show impulsive or aggressive tendencies.
Now, what can you do to help? CRISIS
DISTRESS
STRESS
The student's conduct appears reckless, disorderly, or threatening, and is suggestive of an imminent risk to self or the community
Signs of distress are observed, but severity is unclear. The interaction has left you concerned or uneasy, but it is not imminent
I'm not concerned about the student's immediate safety, but they are having significant academic or personal issues and could use support
Call WUPD at 314.935.5555 or 911
Call Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (314-9357537) for a consultation
Refer student to an appropriate campus resource
Call Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (314-9357537) for a consultation
Submit a Student of Concern Report on Inside Brown
Submit a Student of Concern Report on Inside Brown
Submit a Student of Concern Report on Inside Brown
For additional campus resources visit www.students.wustl.edu/ mental-health-services-appointment
If you have any questions or want to learn more about mental health disorders that may affect the student population, please contact Ryan Lindsay, rlindsay@wustl.edu for additional materials.
Important Contacts to Know FOR ON-CAMPUS MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS
Habif Health and Wellness Crisis Appointments business hours 314-935-6695 after hours 314-935-5555 shs.wustl.edu Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs office 314-935-7537 cell 314-691-4893 WUSTL Relationship & Sexual Violence Prevention Center 314-935-8761 rsvpcenter.wustl.edu
Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org Trevor Lifeline a 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth 1-866-488-7386 thetrevorproject.org For On- or Off-Campus Behavioral Health Emergencies, Behavioral Health Response: 314-469-6644 bhrstl.org
WUSTL Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Helpline 314-935-8080 sarah.wustl.edu
ADVANCING SOCIAL WORK, PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL POLICY
Founded in 1925, the George Warren Brown School was named with a generous gift from Betty Bofinger Brown in memory of her late husband.