Be aware of the indicators of distress. Being clear on the behaviors and indicators helps connect students to the best resources to support wellbeing.

Members of the UAB community can report a concern for a student experiencing behaviors listed above. Please always contact UAB Police if there is an immediate threat (205-934-3535).

In many cases, the UAB CARE Team is able to connect students with relevant campus resources and outside agencies.

Academic Indicators:

• Sudden decline in quality of work or grades
• Repeated absences
• Disorganized performance
• Multiple requests for extensions
• Overly demanding of faculty and staff time and attention
• Bizarre content in writing or presentations
• You find yourself doing more personal rather than academic counseling during office hours

Physical Indicators:

• Marked changes in physical appearance, including deterioration in grooming, hygeine, or weight loss/gain
• Excessive fatigue/sleep disturbance
• Intoxication, hangovers, or smelling of alcohol
• Disoriented or “out of it”
• Garbled, tangential, disconnected or slurred speech
• Behaviors are out of context or bizarre

Psychological Indicators:

• Self-disclosure of personal distress, such as family problems, financial difficulties, contemplating suicide, grief
• Unusual/disproportional emotional response to events
• Excessive tearfulness, panic reactions
• Irritability or unusual apathy
• Verbal abuse (I.e. taunting, badgering, intimidation)
• Expressions of concern about the student by their peers

Safety Risk Indicators:

• Unprovoked anger or hostility
• Physical violence (shoving, grabbing, assault, use of weapon)
• Implying or making a direct threat to harm self or others
• Academic assignments dominated by themes of extreme hopelessness, rage, worthlessness, isolation, despair, acting out, suicidal ideations/violent behaviors – a “cry for help”
• Stalking or harassing
• Communicating threats via email, correspondence, texting, or phone calls