You can help a student in distress by knowing the signs and symptoms. These include:
- Excessive procrastination and very poorly prepared work, especially if this is inconsistent with previous efforts
- Infrequent or inconsistent class attendance with little or no work completed
- Dependence – the student hangs around you or makes excessive appointments to see you during office hours
- Chronic fatigue, lack of energy, or frequently falling asleep in class
- Marked change in personal hygiene
- Impaired speech or confused, disjointed thoughts
- Repeated requests for special consideration (eg, deadline extensions)
- Excessive anger or threats to harm others
- Behavior that regularly interferes with effective management of your class
- Suicidal thoughts – referring to suicide as an option, even if in jest
- Marked irritability, including unruly, aggressive, violent, or abrasive behavior
- Inability to make decisions despite your repeated attempts to clarify and encourage
- Dramatic weight loss or weight gain
- Bizarre or strange behavior that is obviously inappropriate to the situation, (eg, talking to “invisible people”)
- Normal emotions that are displayed to an extreme degree or for a prolonged period of time (eg, fearfulness, tearfulness, nervousness)
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