Helping a Distressed Student
Helping a student who is in distress can be a troublesome situation for Mercer faculty/staff, other students, the student's family members and even the students themselves. A variety of factors can lead any student down the path of stress. Below you will find a few of the ways that you can help in these student's times of need.
Are you a faculty member or part of the staff at Mercer University? Your impact and influence in the lives of students is vast depending on your role within the Mercer population. You might notice something well before a student's family or even some of their friends. There are a number of warning signs to look for and we have detailed those signs here (This list is not comprehensive and should never be used to clinically assess an individual - It is for reference only). If you are in the midst of working with a distressed student, you may not know how to handle the situation. Click the link below for more information. Review the information and if you ever have any questions, please never hesitate to consult with CAPS staff at 478-301-2862 (Macon) or 678-547-6060 (Atlanta).
Being a friend to someone in distress can be worrisome for you, as well as the student experiencing the stress. Sometimes a friend might come to you and ask that you just be there to listen and not do anything about it. Once they tell you what's on their mind, you become worried about their mental health, their ability to cope and even their safety. If you do not know if you should be worried, there are a variety of signs and characteristics that one might display. We have detailed those signs here (This list is not comprehensive and should never be used to clinically assess an individual - It is for reference only). If you are concerned about your friend or fellow classmate, please click the link below. Review the information and if you ever have any questions, please never hesitate to consult with CAPS staff at 478-301-2862 (Macon) or 678-547-6060 (Atlanta).
Are you a family member of a Mercer student and have recently become more worried about their safety? Maybe they have disclosed something to you that just does not seem like them. Maybe they are saying or doing something that they normally wouldn't do. Going away from home and off to college can be as stressful for parents, grandparents and other family members, as it is for the students attending Mercer. You are worried and do not know what to look for or how to handle a situation. There are a number of warning signs to look for and we have detailed those signs here (This list is not comprehensive and should never be used to clinically assess an individual - It is for reference only). If you have identified that your loved one is in distress and don't know how to handle the situation, click the link below. Review the information and if you ever have any questions, please never hesitate to consult with CAPS staff at 478-301-2862 (Macon) or 678-547-6060 (Atlanta).
Thank you for your dedication to Mercer students
As always, please contact CAPS if you ever have questions about a situation, about our services, about where we are located or what a next step might be. If someone is in immediate danger, please call MERPO (Macon: 478-301-4357; Atlanta: 678-547-6358) or 911 for immediate assistance.
