Transcript Mental Health - Algonquin College

Presented to Focus on Learning May 5th 2012
Gillian Axten
BA,MCounPsych,CO,OCC,CCDI,CCPA
 Factors affecting academic performance
Within the last 12 months
 3-6% of students say alcohol affected their performance
 15-18% of students felt like depression affected their
performance
 24-30% said anxiety
 36-47% found stress was affecting their performance
 Mental Health
 Alcohol
 37% Unable to function due to
 60% used alcohol within
depression
 15% diagnosed by a professional
 7% seriously considered suicide
the last 30 days
 30% had 5 or more drinks
 15% had 7 or more drinks
People with Mental illness are
violent and dangerous
They are less intelligent
They are weak willed or have a
weak character
Mental illness is one illness and is
relatively rare
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The population of students with Mental Illness,
within Canadian post secondary schools, is
increasing by 100% per year.
On our campus, we are seeing a significant
increase in students with a mental illness
diagnosis
This is natural considering the age of our
student population. Most people who develop a
lifelong mental health disability will do so
between the ages of 16 and 30.
Reported distress
rates are more than
twice as high among
Canadian postsecondary students
than among nonstudents
 85% of students drank since
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arriving on Canadian campuses in
September
30.4% reported negative
consequences of drinking, 32%
patterns of harmful drinking
47% used ‘pot’, 2.3% injected
illicit drugs
30% reported impaired mental
health
4% reported sexual assault within
the last 12 months, 6% physical
assault
* CAMH 1998 Canadian Campus Survey participants = 7,800 undergraduates
A 2003 article in Professional Psychology reveals that college counseling center
staffs are reporting unprecedented levels of student problems with 14 of 19
problem areas increasing in the 13 years studied. One study reported that over
three-quarters of clinic directors (77.1%) noted increases in “severe psychological
problems.”
 Over the three time periods (from 1988 – 2001) problems became much
more complicated and complex –– anxiety, depression, suicidal
tendencies, sexual assault, personality disorders.
Depression cases DOUBLED.
Suicidal students TRIPLED.
Sexual assault cases QUADRUPLED
Changes in Counseling Center Client Problems Across 13 Years,” Sherry A. Benton, John M. Robertson, Wen-Chih Tseng, Fred B. Newton,
and Stephen L. Benton, Kansas State University. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol. 34, No. 1, 66-72, 2003. Copyright
2003, The American Psychological Association, Inc.
Statistics Canada’s most recent (2002) national
mental health survey found that teens and
young adults aged 15-24 had the highest rates of
any group for mental illnesses like mood and
anxiety disorders and alcohol/drug use
problems, and that these young people were also
the least likely to seek help.
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All our students requesting accommodation have
been diagnosed by a psychiatrist and are currently
under the care of a professional
Some students may have a duel diagnosis,
therefore having symptoms of two or more
disorders
To be diagnosed as having a psychiatric illness,
students must meet many diagnostic criterion (ie.
symptoms they experience must interfere with
their daily lives)
Emotional
• Depressed, extremely sad
• Suicidal
• Anxious or very nervous
Behavioral
• Crying
• excessive sleeping/lack of
sleep
• weight gain/loss
• difficulty initiating
activity and sustaining
energy
Cognitive
• Short term memory
difficulties
• Attention span
• Difficulty concentrating
Medication under the supervision of a psychiatrist
Therapy
Extra time for exams (to reduce stress)
Assistance from a learning coach or a tutor
Ability to leave class as needed
Taped lectures
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Respect all differences and try to engage
student without forcing them
Listen if they want to talk about any difficulties
they may be experiencing
Report suicidal ideation
 Canadian Mental Health Association
Emotional
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Behavior
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Agitation
Nervousness
Very talkative
Inappropriate dress or
behavior
• Overly sexual behavior
• Extreme use of alcohol,
gambling, spending
• Depression
Agitated
Anxious
High/exuberant
Depressed
Cognitive
• Thoughts of grandeur
• Thoughts that are
disconnected and hard
to follow
• Intrusive thoughts and
expressions of those
thoughts
Treatment with medication under the supervision of a psychiatrist (May leave the
student with many side effects including lethargy, sleepiness and cognitive
slowness)
Hospitalization
Use of extra time during exams to reduce stress
Use of a note taker to assist the student in continuing with academic progress
regardless of absence
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Look for changes in behavior and make referrals
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Provide a supportive environment
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Assist student with reintegration in the class
following absence
Report suicidal ideation
Emotional
• Flat and unemotional
• Underlying anxiety and stress
Behavior
Cognitive
• Talking to self
• Strange dress or use of objects
• Disconnected from the rest of
the social world
• Distracted by own internal
thoughts
• Paranoid
• Self-Harming ( head banging,
cutting, etc.)
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Generally very bright
Strange thoughts
Disconnected thoughts
Stickiness of thoughts
Rigidity
Difficulty managing
change
Medication under the supervision of a psychiatrist
May leave the student with many side effects including lethargy, sleepiness and cognitive
slowness
Extra time on exams in a separate room
Ability to leave the classroom anytime
Option to work alone on group projects
Learning Coach to help with organization and stress management
Note taker for student absences
Special accommodations may be permitted because of the renovations
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Some symptoms like self harming must be dealt with
quietly and immediately
Help student out of the situation and escort to student
services or call security to assist
Get the student’s attention. Speak quietly but directly that
the behavior must stop because it is harmful and
distressing to others
Get student into a safe place, ie. student services or call
security
Be calm use a quiet neutral voice
Approach quietly and, if you are comfortable, gently
redirect the behavior
Escort the student to security or, preferably, to student
services or call security
Emotional
• Anxious
• Out of control nervousness
• Stressed
Behavior
Cognitive
• Agitations
•Inability to do class presentation
or even to speak in front of class
• Signs of anxiety(ie needing to
urinate frequently, feeling sick
to the stomach, difficulty eating
or sleeping)
• Panic attack
• Difficulty
concentrating
• Difficulty with short
term memory
• Difficulty bringing
thoughts together
Medication under the consultation of a psychiatrist
Therapy
Extra time on tests to reduce stress
Option to do presentations only in front of the teacher
• Positive atmosphere with lots of encouragement to
participate
• Don’t single out students because they don’t
participate
• Encourage small group work rather than large group
participation
Housekeeping
Paper, Voice, Picture
Timing is everything
• Sit
• Breathe
• Distract from stress
• Escort student to student services
• Practice!
Cognitive
Emotional
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Single minded
Very skilled in specific areas
Sticky thinking or inflexible
Counterintuitive thinking
Seemingly unemotional
Inappropriate emotional outbursts
Difficulty handling “ big” feelings
Seemingly unaware of other’s feelings
Large inner life (imagination)
 Behavior
• Aloof or socially distant from others
• Occasional difficulty following social cues
• Intolerant to stress and will occasionally exhibit in panic
attacks, social withdrawal or rarely self harming behavior
• Meticulous and detail orientated
• Intolerant to change especially environmental
Medication to reduce anxiety and help with flexibility of thought
Counseling
Extra time for exams
Option, if possible, to work alone on group projects
Learning coach to assist with organization in the big scheme
Learning coach to work on social skills
Special accommodations maybe made this year due to renovations
• Be patient and frank about behaviors with the student;
if there is inappropriate or disruptive behavior speak
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with the student after class
Be mindful of the learning differences
Be mindful of the social interactions that might cause
other students distress
Be aware of resources available to you and the student
Get student into a safe place (ie student services or call
security)
 A study done in the USA about what Post Secondary students
with Mental Health disabilities think is important to succeed in
college:
• Confidentiality is important when helping students
• Staff-Student interaction is critical to gaining trust of student and helping
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them feel supported
Extracurricular activities are important
Staff should be open to learning about the student’s perspective
Staff need to understand mental health; students should know about the
accommodations that are available to them
Positive school environment
Students may require special attention and some creative thought about
how to allow the students to meet the learning outcomes of the course
• Student “ first” and a person with Mental illness “second”
• Stress increases the symptoms, so managing stress becomes
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critical
Missing class may be inevitable so assistance with reintegration
is important
Medications can cause debilitating side effects which may be
long term or temporary
Change of season and change of environment can create
symptoms of illness. Fall and spring are often difficult to manage
for some
Having someone to listen to the student, in a non judgmental
way, and make appropriate referrals help to reduce the anxiety
and the stigmatization that so many persons with a mental
illness experience
A
• Ask questions, acquire
information, active listening.
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• Safety first – maintain your
safety and that of others.
K
• Know your limits; know when to
get help, know where to get help!