Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student

The Student Under the Influence

 

We are all aware of the toll that abuse of alcohol and other drugs can take on individuals, families, friends, and colleagues. In a recent survey, college presidents identified alcohol abuse as the campus life issue of greatest concern. The costs are staggering - in terms of academic failure, vandalism, sexual assault, and other consequences.


Warning Signals of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse

There are many signs of alcohol and/or other drug use, abuse, and addiction. None of these signs alone are conclusive proof of an alcohol or other drug problem. Other conditions could be responsible for unusual behavior, such as an illness or a reaction to a legally prescribed drug. Any one sign, or a combination of them, could be cause for alarm and could signal problems in general as well as a substance abuse problem.


 

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction

Intervention, Consultation and Referral

The Anxious Student

The Suspicious Student

The Depressed Student

The Suicidal Student

The Student in Poor Contact with Reality

The Student Under the Influence

Violence and the Verbally Aggressive Student

Departmental Safety Plan

Counseling Center Services



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Take An Online Assessment To See How You Are Doing Emotionally

 

 

Impairment, Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Alcohol and/or drug abuse can impair a student in several different ways:

  • Impairment of Mental Alertness
  • Depression
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Flat or unresponsive behavior
  • Hyperactivity
  • Loss of interest in one's work/school results
  • Nervousness

 

Impairment of Motor Behavior

  • Hand tremors
  • Loss of balance
  • Loss of coordination
  • Excessive movement (fidgets all the time)

Impairment of Interpersonal Relationships

  • Detachment from or drastic changes in social relationships
  • Becoming a loner or becoming secretive
  • Loss of interest in appearance
  • Change of friends
  • Extreme change in interests

  • Tendency to lose temper

  • Being argumentative
  • Borrowing money and not repaying

Impairment of Academic and Work Performance

  • Inability to perform work assignments at usual level of competence

  • Missed deadlines, classes or meetings

  • Increased absenteeism or lateness

  • Accidents in the lab

  • Complaining or feeling ill as an excuse for poor performance

  • Coming to class, practice, or work intoxicated/high

  • Legal problems associated with alcohol use

It is helpful to

  • Accept and acknowledge feelings of student
  • Focus on the behavior: what specifically occurred to cause concern
  • Permit the student to say how they regard the problem
  • Find out source of emotional support that the student trusts. Encourage involvement from friends, family doctor, minister or employer
  • Be willing to admit limitation of your assistance and refer to specialists and/or the Counseling Center

It is not helpful to

  • Convey judgment or be critical of student's substance use
  • Make allowances for the student's irresponsible behavior
  • Ignore signs of intoxication


Counseling Center
Veitch Student Center
North Wing
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521-0320
Phone: (951) 827-5531
Fax: (951) 827-2015