Below are some signs and symptoms of common mental health issues facing college students. 1 in 5 youth and young adults lives with a mental health condition so you are not alone.
If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, please reach out to your Chaplain who can assist you in getting a referral to our counseling services.
- Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than 2 weeks.
- Talking about death or suicide often.
- Seriously trying to harm or kill oneself or making plans to do so.
- Severe out-of-control risk-taking behaviors.
- Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason.
- Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to lose weight; significant weight loss or weight gain.
- Seeing, hearing or believing things that are not real.
- Repeatedly using drugs or alcohol.
- Drastic changes in mood, behavior, personality or sleeping habits.
- Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still.
- Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities.
Below are some ideas on how to start a conversation about mental health with your Chaplain:
- “I haven’t been feeling right lately and I’m not sure what to do about it. Can I talk to you?
- “I’m worried about stuff that’s going on with me right now, do you have time to talk?”
- “I’m having a really hard time lately, can I talk to you about it?”
[Adapted from NAMI Student Guide to Mental Health]