How to Get Help

Too often, students don’t ask for help until their problems start to escalate. Asking for help any time is okay, but the earlier you or your friend asks for help, the better you will feel.

Someone who could benefit from talking with a counselor might be:

• feeling overwhelmed
• feeling anxious or depressed
• affected by bullying (The victim, the bully, and the bystander all can benefit from talking with a counselor.)
• affected by divorce or other family problems
• feeling overly-stressed about doing well academically
• having trouble sleeping
• using drugs or alcohol
• struggling with eating issues or body image concerns
  

How to get the help you need
We offer many ways for you to find the support you need. On campus, you can speak with:

• a member of the Health and Counseling Center at 617-898-2450
• a member of the Outreach Team
  
• a member of the Individual Student Support group

During an emotional crisis, seeking help from an adult, for you or your friend, is so important. If you are in a situation you feel you can’t handle on your own, please remember that you can seek help from any adult. The programs listed below, however, are best able to help you in a crisis. If you are ever unsure whether you or a friend needs help right away, it is always best to ask for help. Examples of someone who should ask for help right away:

• has thoughts or plans of hurting themselves or others.
• feels that his or her problems have become insurmountable.
• has experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
• appears to be abusing alcohol or drugs.
• appears to have problems with an eating disorder.

How to get the help you need

• Call the Counseling Center (24 hours a day) at 617-898-2470.
• Call Campus Safety at 617-898-2911.
• Call Samaritans, a confidential, 24-hour phone line answered by trained teens, at 800-252-8336.
• The Trevor Project Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386
• Call Boston Area Rape Crisis Center at 1-800-841-8371
• Call 9-1-1.

Most people who are feeling overwhelmed or over-stressed give clues that they are struggling. You can make that important first step toward helping someone you care about by learning to recognize these clues.

Verbal Signs

• “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
  
• “No one understands me.”
  
• “I can’t take it anymore.”
  
• “Things will never get better.”

Physical Changes

• Losing or gaining weight quickly
• Suddenly not caring about appearances or cleanliness
• Unexplained cuts, scrapes or bruises
• Appearing tired all the time

Acting Differently

• Changes in mood: more withdrawn, anxious or sad, or a sudden mood lift after a down period
  
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
  
• Suddenly taking more risks: not taking prescribed medication, abusing drugs or alcohol, drunk driving, ignoring physical limitations, having unprotected sex
  
• Loss of concentration
  
• Withdrawing from friends and family
  
• Losing interest in things they used enjoy
  
• Hurting oneself on purpose

Situations

• Recently having lost a loved one or ended a relationship; parents recently separated or lost a job
  
• Money problems
  
• Questions or worries about being gay, bisexual or transgender
  
• Having attempted suicide
  
• Problems in an important relationship
  
• Difficulty at work or school
  
• Social isolation

If you think that you or a friend have been a victim of sexual assault or misconduct, we want to make sure you are safe and get the help that you need. Many resources are available to you, and depending on your situation, you have several options in connecting with specially-trained and caring adults, both on and off campus. This decision tree will quickly help you understand your options and get the help that you need.