College Mental Health
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I wish I had known that psychologists at Counseling Services can help with anything
(relationships, stress, homesickness, depression, etc.).
College Mental Health
For some students, the stresses of college can result in mental
health issues. Some students come to college with a previously diagnosed mental
health condition and are under the care of a physician or psychiatrist; these students
may wish to transfer their care to UCSB professionals at Student Health Service.
Other students may develop symptoms such as depression and anxiety for the first
time while in college. Although mental health issues can be challenging, with the
proper medication and therapy, students can be very successful in the college environment.
Consultation, diagnosis, and treatment for many common mental health symptoms is
available at Student Health Service (893-3371), and free and confidential counseling
is available from licensed psychologists at Counseling Services (893-4411).
How to Help a Friend
Occasionally a student can begin to have more severe problems
that can seriously impede both academic and social success. Someone may become too
depressed to get out of bed or take proper care of their hygiene; some students
may begin to engage in self-mutilation (e.g., cutting themselves), or even threaten
or attempt suicide. Needless to say, some of these symptoms, if left untreated,
can lead to serious consequences. At times, the most severe symptoms can prevent
someone from recognizing that they are in trouble. Often, in these cases, a roommate
or friend realizes something is wrong, but has a hard time convincing the person
to seek help. If you find yourself in this situation, please reach out for help.
You may even be saving your friend's life! If a person is in immediate danger of
hurting him/herself or someone else, call 911 and let the paramedics respond. If
you are concerned, but the person is not in danger, call the student mental health
coordinator, Angela Andrade (angela.andrade@sa.ucsb.edu, 893-8920) or the clinical
social worker, Burt Romotsky (burt.romotsky@sa.ucsb.edu, 893-3380). These campus
professionals can help assess the situation and connect the person you are concerned
about to the appropriate resources as quickly as possible. Finally, if you need
to talk to someone when the campus is closed, Counseling Services (893-4411) now
offers after-hours assistance; simply call the appointment line any time the office
is closed to be connected to a licensed professional.
General Assistance
You are surrounded by caring people who want to help all students
be successful. If you need help for yourself or a friend and are not sure where
to start, or want some support getting started, the following list of folks can
be quite helpful to you--and it's all free! If you live in university-owned housing,
there are trained and friendly staff members who are there to help you. Don't hesitate
to contact your resident director (RD), assistant resident director (ARD), resident
assistant (RA) or resident coordinator (RC). You can even talk with one of them
about a hypothetical or anonymous situation if that feels easier to do. The folks
in the Office of Student Life are also available to talk with you, and can help
you sort out how to approach a difficult situation--
Candace Stevenson,
Mia Vela, Britt Andreatta,
and Miles Ashlock are available Monday-Friday (893-4569).
Also, don't forget that every student is assigned mentors/advocates from the Student
Mentor Team. You will receive monthly emails at your umail account and you can email
or make an appointment with one of your mentors for help with any situation (www.sa.ucsb.edu/osl/smt).
Know the Signs
Here are some of the signs that you or a friend could be in distress
and need to see a counselor:
- behavioral or emotional change; someone who doesn't seem like themselves
- withdrawal from others and/or favorite activities
- change in hygiene or appearance, not taking care of oneself
- decline in academic performance
- alcohol or drug abuse
- excessive or inappropriate anger
- bizarre thoughts or behavior (e.g., out of touch with reality, talking about suicide)
- others feel uncomfortable or worried about them
- decline in functioning (e.g., not attending class, not sleeping or sleeping too much)
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