***If you are in a life-threatening situation, please dial 911 immediately.

What are some events that can ​create distress in college students? ​

  • Loneliness
  • Break-up
  • Difficulties with academics
  • Family issues & conflicts
  • Physical illness, injury
  • Illness or death of a loved one
  • Sexual assault
  • Harassment, bullying
  • Financial problems
  • Food insecurity
  • Homelessness
  • Unemployment

Why do people hesitate to tell others about their stressors or challenges?


​However, we need support - science says so!
  • "No one else is struggling like I am"
  • "I don't want to be 'needy'"
  • Fear of being a burden
  • Need/want to keep things private
  • Embarrassed, ashamed about what is going on
  • Worries about what others might think
  • Anticipate negative interactions from others
  • Talking about mental health is not in their cultural norms
  • Our brains are wired to be connected to and get support from others even when it might not feel like it. Being independent, tough, and self-reliant in times of stress can be less effective for coping
  • Supportive relationships "share the load" and decrease the burden. In fact, relying on close relationships is one of the important factors in resilience - the ability to bounce back from negative emotional experience 

Behavioral Indicators of Distress

  • "I'm so stressed!"
  • "I am overwhelmed"
  • "I don't have time"
  • "I can't relax"
  • "No one understands what I'm going through"
  • "Everyone else is handling this ok"
  • "I just want to be left alone"​
  • Unusual silence
  • "Verbal" indicators can include messages written via text or on social media!​

​Verbal Indicators of Distress

  • Sad, gloomy, tearful
  • Anxious, "on edge," panicked​
  • Irritable, angry
  • Withdrawn, isolated
  • Trouble with concentration, making decisions
  • Numbness ("I don't feel anything"), indifferent
  • Low motivation or interest, missing many classes
  • Change in drinking, substance use, appetite
  • Change in appetite and/or significant weight loss/gain
  • Decline in ability to sleep or sleeping most of the day
  • Decline in hygiene

Behavioral Indicators of Risk for Harm (To Self or Others)

  • Hostile
  • Bizarre thoughts, behaviors
  • Completely withdrawn
  • Putting "affairs in order" (e.g. giving things away, dropping classes

Verbal Indicators of Risk for Harm
(To Self or Others)

  • "Life is pointless"
  • "No matter what I do, nothing changes"
  • "I can't go on like this"
  • "No one would care if I wasn't around"
  • "Others would be better off without me"
  • "Nothing matters anymore anyways"
  • "I'm so tired and don't care about anything anymore"
  • "I wish that I just wouldn't wake up"
  • Threats (general or specific) against others
  • Unusual fears/paranoia about others threatening to harm them

WHEN YOU NEED SUPPORT

WHEN OTHERS NEED SUPPORT

Showing support for another

person may save their life.

It is better to #SaySomething

​than to not say anything.

If the person you are concerned about is unwilling to get support, please consider calling Student Mental Health Coordination Services at (805) 893-3030. They also have an online reporting form that you can access here. Student Mental Health Coordination Services will help you to figure out the next steps and they can reach out to the person you are concerned about.
​Take some time to watch our audio guided Mental Health Peer created presentation on Talking to a Friend.