University students often encounter a great deal of stress during the course of their academic experience. Many of these students do not know how or where to get help. In your role as an employee of University of Ottawa, you may come into contact with student who suffers from anxiety. Being able to recognize symptoms of anxiety and knowing how to intervene, can help you respond appropriately to such situations.
Anxiety is a normal response to a perceived threat to one‘s well-being or self-esteem. For some students, the cause of anxiety will be clear, but for others it may be difficult to determine. It is our experience that anxiety is very often the result of the intense academic competition among students. Anxiety can be generalized across a range of situations, or it may be situation-specific (e.g. test anxiety, social anxiety, public speaking anxiety). Anxiety, when it goes untreated, can result in ‘panic attacks’. However, the treatment for anxiety has a high success rate.
Regardless of the cause, one or more of the following symptoms may be experienced:
University students often encounter a great deal of stress during the course of their academic experience. Many of these students do not know how or where to get help. In your role as an employee of University of Ottawa, you may come into contact with students who may be experiencing psychosis. Psychosis is a serious mental condition involving a disruption in normal brain functioning that may result in some loss of contact with reality. Poor contact with reality can cause bizarre and disturbing behavior. When dealing with a student who may have lost contact with reality, it is important that you know how to recognize some of the symptoms of psychosis and how to be most helpful.
University students often encounter a great deal of stress during the course of their academic experience. Many of these students do not know how or where to get help. In your role as an employee of University of Ottawa, you may come into contact with a suicidal student. Being able to identify clues that suicidal risk may be present and knowing how to intervene, can help you respond appropriately to such situations.
Myth: Suicide typically happens without warning.
Fact: Most people who attempt or commit suicide give some indication of their intentions.
Myth: Suicidal people want to die.
Fact: Suicidal people are typically ambivalent about dying and will often seek help immediately after attempting to harm themselves.
Myth: Asking people about suicidal intentions will "put the idea into their heads" and increase the risk of an attempt.
Fact: Asking direct, caring questions encourages emotional ventilation and shows that someone cares and is willing to help.
Myth: There is no correlation between drug and alcohol abuse and suicide.
Fact: Alcohol, drugs, and suicide often go hand in hand. Even people who do not typically drink or use drugs may use substances shortly before killing themselves.
Myth: Mental health professionals are the only people who can help a suicidal person.
Fact: Professional counseling is very important in reducing the risk of suicide, but nonprofessionals also play an important role in detection and early intervention. It is important that students, faculty, and staff who may interact with a suicidal student (i.e., everyone) know what to do in such circumstances.
University students often encounter a great deal of stress during the course of their academic experience. Many of these students do not know how or where to get help.In your role as an employee of University of Ottawa, you may come into contact with student who suffers from depression. When dealing with a student who may be depressed, it is important that you know how to recognize some of the symptoms of depression and how to be most helpful.
Depression is a very common illness. It is defined as a state of persistent sadness and lack of energy. This must not be confused with "the blues" which occur normally when facing a difficult situation or in reaction to excessive academic pressure. Major depression is a mood disorder that disrupts normal psychological functions. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks or months. The most serious risk associated with depression is suicide. The risk is particularly high when depression goes undetected and untreated. However, early intervention usually yields positive results. Treatment for depression is effective for about 80% of depression sufferers.
Clinically depressed persons will exhibit multiple symptoms for a long period of time.
University students often encounter a great deal of stress during the course of their academic experience. Many of these students do not know how or where to get help. In your role as an employee of University of Ottawa, you may come into contact with students who are being disruptive or behaving aggressively. This information is designed to provide you with appropriate, effective, and legally sound principles for dealing with disruptive student behavior. The goal is to help you more confidently, fairly, and safely address incidents of disruption in a manner which supports the person while discouraging the inappropriate behavior.
Note: It is important to remember that even such conditions as physical or psychological disabilities are not considered a legitimate excuse for disruptive behavior.
Example: "I can hear how upset you are and how you feel nobody is listening, but you are talking too loud right now. I want to help you, but please lower your voice. We can’t continue to talk if you threaten me."
If you are concerned about a student but are uncertain about the appropriateness of a referral, feel free to call the manager of Counseling Service, Donald Martin (ext.6885).
Many consider their university years among the best of their lives. Nevertheless, the university experience can be, at times, highly stressful and filled with many unforeseen challenges.
As a parent, you want to know that your son or daughter is well cared for in times of need.
Professionally trained counsellors at the Counselling and Coaching Service offer emotional and psychological support to all students who may feel overwhelmed by stress or who “just want to talk (Student eligibility).
Counselling is free and readily available (a wait of a day or two for a first appointment), and is provided in a safe, comfortable and confidential environment (Information about confidentiality).
If you have questions about the support available to your son or daughter at the University of Ottawa, or you are concerned about his or her well-being, please feel free to contact us by phone at 613-562-5200 or by e-mail at couns@uOttawa.ca.
Should you ever feel that your son or daughter may present an imminent danger to self or others, you should immediately contact University of Ottawa Protection Services at 613-562-5800 ext. 4511.