Signs of Distress
Students of concern are students with social, emotional, behavioral or medical difficulties, or life stressors that are affecting their ability to fully participate in the academic community.
General Signs of Distress: What to Look For
Psychological Signs
- Self-disclosure of personal distress such as family problems, financial difficulties, depression, grief, or thoughts of suicide
- Excessive worry, tearfulness, panic reactions, irritability, or unusual apathy
- Unusual/disproportional emotional response to events
- Delusions and paranoia
- Verbal abuse (e.g., taunting, badgering, intimidation)
- Expressions of concern about the student by his/her peers
Academic Signs
- Sudden decline in quality of work and grades
- Repeated absences
- Continuous classroom disruptions
- Multiple requests for extensions
- Disturbing content in writing or presentations (e.g. violence, death themes)
- Overly demanding of faculty and staff time and attention
- You find yourself focusing more on personal topics, rather than academic, during office hours
Physical/Behavioral Signs
- Marked changes in physical appearance including deterioration in grooming, hygiene, or weight loss/gain
- Excessive fatigue/severe sleep disturbance
- Abandonment of previously enjoyed activities, social withdrawal
- Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
- Drug use or abuse
- Inappropriate or complete lack of emotion
- Disoriented or appearing “out of it”
Safety Risk Signs
- Suicidal thoughts
- Unprovoked anger or hostility
- Physical violence
- Making implied or direct threats to harm self or others
- Academic assignments dominated by themes of extreme hopelessness, rage, worthlessness, isolation, despair, acting out, suicidal ideations/violent behaviors—a “cry for help”
- Stalking or harassing behavior
- Communicating threats via email, social media, texting, phone calls, or other correspondence