Indicators of Distress: What to Look For

Academic Indicators:

• Sudden decline in quality of work/grades
• Repeated absences
• Disorganized performance
• Multiple requests for extensions
• Overly demanding of faculty/staff time and attention
• Bizarre content in writing/presentations
• Increased need for personal (rather than academic) counseling

Physical Indicators:

• Marked changes in physical appearance (deterioration in grooming or hygiene, significant weight gain/loss)
• Excessive fatigue or sleep disturbance
• Intoxication, hangovers, smelling of alcohol
• Disoriented or "out of it"
• Garbled, tangential, disconnected, or slurred speech

Psychological Indicators:

• Self-disclosure of personal distress, including family problems, financial difficulties, suicidal thoughts, grief
• Unusual/disproportional emotional response to events
• Excessive tearfulness
• Panic reactions
• Irritability or unusual apathy
• Verbal abuse (e.g. taunting, badgering, intimidation)

Safety Risk Indicators:

• Unprovoked anger or hostility
• Physical violence (shoving, grabbing, assault, use of weapon)
• Implying or making a direct threat to harm self or others
• Academic assignments dominated by themes of extreme hopelessness, rage, worthlessness, isolation, despair, acting out, suicidal ideation, violent behaviors, or other "cries for help"
• Stalking or harassing
• Communicating threats via email, texting, phone calls