For Friends, Roommates, Teachers, and Advisors
Recognizing Signs of Struggle
Friends, roommates, teachers, and advisors are often the first to recognize a student’s emotional difficulties. Signs can include:
- Anxiety: excessive worry, panic attacks, avoidance.
- Depression: crying, hopelessness, low self-esteem, excessive guilt.
- Missing classes; neglecting schoolwork, jobs, extracurricular activities.
- Social isolation
- Extreme moods
- Changes in behavior or appearance.
- Alcohol or drug problems.
- Dangerous activities
- Referring to death or suicide in conversation, jokes, writings, posts.
How You Can Help
When a student shows any of the signs listed above:
- Take the signs seriously – don’t assume you are overreacting.
- Ask to talk to the student – arrange for a private conversation.
- Point out the specific signs you’ve noticed. Say you are concerned.
- Listen closely. Don’t judge, give advice or try to cheer up the student.
- If a struggling student is not seeing a professional, recommend CWC.
- If the student raises objections, gently explain: counseling is not a sign of being weak or crazy, but rather a healthy response to problems.
- If the student is not in crisis, let the student decide about counseling. Your words were not wasted. Sometimes students reject help at first but pursue counseling later.
- Do not be sworn to secrecy if the student is in crisis. Say you need to inform someone to make sure they are safe.
- If the situation is an emergency or crisis (i.e., immediate suicidal urges or other self-destructive behavior), immediately call CWC (212-774-0700), the Associate VP of Student Success and Engagement and Dean of Students (212-774-0751), Residence Life (212-774-0740), or Campus Safety (212-517-0411).
Consultations
CWC can consult with faculty, staff, and students who want to discuss concerns about a student. Call CWC to schedule a meeting with a clinician or come to drop-in hours (weekdays 2pm-4pm). Please remember that information about student clients is confidential and will not be disclosed in consultations.