How to Help

How students, faculty and staff can help students

Help for students having personal or academic difficulties

Professional school can be a difficult and stressful time and while students can usually manage the multiple stressors of professional, academic and personal demands, it’s okay to ask for or offer help to those in distress or need of support.

How Students can help students

A change in behavior of a friend, roommate or classmate can make us question what exactly they might be going through.

Signs to Look For

signs that someone might need help

• A recent traumatic event or loss
• Suicidal statements (direct or indirect)
• Expressions of being unhappy or sadness
• Negative statements or expressions of helplessness or hopelessness
• Changes in energy level, sleep or appetite
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Social withdrawal or isolation
• Changes in personal hygiene or appearance
• Signs of excessive alcohol and/or drug use
• Relationship problems with family or friends or partner

How can I help?

• Let them know that seeking counseling takes strength and that it may help provide support during a stressful or difficult time.
• Let them know that counseling is free and confidential.
• Listen and show empathy while talking to the person you are concerned about.
• Offer to come to the first appointment as a means of support and belief that counseling may help.
• If you’re not certain how to approach someone about seeking help, call the Center for Student Wellness & Counseling Services at 330.325.6757.
• Familiarize yourself with the services that NEOMED provides on campus as well as through the community resources on the University’s website.
  • Counseling at NEOMED
  • Care Team referral
  • Community-based referral resources

How Faculty & Staff can help students

Too much stress can catch up with any of us. Our students can usually manage the multiple stressors of professional, academic and personal demands, but when these demands become overwhelming, their normal ways of coping can become ineffective or non-existent, causing problems in overall functioning. As a faculty or staff member, you can make a difference.

Is it stress or distress?

By understanding the signs of distress, providing support in a critical moment and referring a distressed student to appropriate services, you can help to restore balance and put the student back on track.

It’s helpful to understand the differences between a person under stress, which is a normal reaction to difficulties in life, and a person in distress—a heightened reaction to stress that makes a person feel helpless and unable to function.