Helping a Student in Distress

Students in an emergency situation can include the following:

• The student has harmed themself or others and there is a need for emergency medical attention.
• The student is making extreme threats to harm themself or others.
• Please immediately call 911.

Students in severe distress may exhibit behaviors that signify an obvious crisis and that necessitate emergency care. Behaviors may include:

• Showing signs of depression (e.g., appears emotionless or lethargic, weight loss, looks exhausted or complains of sleeping poorly, displays feelings of worthlessness or self-hatred, is apathetic about previous interests);
• Showing signs of self-injury (e.g., cuts or scratches, bruises, burns);
• Inappropriate communications (e.g., threatening letters, email messages, statements, harassment);
• Overtly suicidal thoughts (e.g., referring to suicide as a current option or in a written assignment) or threats to harm others.

Students may be reluctant to, emotionally unable to, or uncertain of how to ask for help. A student may show signs of distress but is unclear how serious it is. Behaviors may include:

• Repeated requests for accommodations, such as deadline extensions;
• New signs of hyperactivity (e.g., unable to sit still, difficulty maintaining focus, gives the impression of going “too fast,” appears agitated);
• Signs of depression (e.g., appears emotionless or lethargic, weight change, looks exhausted or complains of sleeping concerns, displays feelings of worthlessness or self-hatred, is apathetic about previous interests);
• Deteriorating academic performance (e.g., incapacitating test anxiety, sporadic class attendance, extended absences from class).

Students in mild distress may exhibit behaviors where the safety of the student or others does not seem to be in jeopardy but may indicate something is wrong and that assistance is warranted. Behaviors may include:

• Decline in coursework or grades;
• Excessive absences, especially after prior consistent attendance;
• Unusual or markedly changed patterns of interaction (e.g., goes from being actively involved to quiet and withdrawn, or goes from being quiet to more agitated or demanding);
• Peers have expressed concern.

If you are concerned about an individual who is visiting from another school, or participating in a Yale program, and it is an emergency, please call 911. If it is moderate or non-urgent, please contact their primary institution, your student affairs office or Yale program lead.

• Yale College
• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
• School of Architecture
• School of Art
• Divinity School
• David Geffen School of Drama
• School of Engineering and Applied Science
• School of the Environment
• Jackson School of Global Affairs
• Law School
• School of Management
• School of Medicine
• School of Music
• School of Nursing
• Office for Postdoctoral Affairs
• School of Public Health