We are a campus that cares about the health and safety of all individuals in our campus community. As members of the campus community, we focus on supporting students by creating an atmosphere that encourages student mental health.

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If you have a concern for your immediate safety or that of a student, do not hesitate to call the UMass Lowell Police at 978-934-4911.

UMASS LOWELL IS COMMITTED TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS UMatter2 ImageThe issue of mental health and well-being in college students is in the forefront of discussions and of concern for everyone in higher education no matter their role in supporting students. UMass Lowell is implementing a community wide program to raise awareness of the role every member of the campus community has in creating an environment that supports positive mental health in our students. UMass Lowell joined JED Campus, a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) designed to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets.

The following information is here to help you better support students in their mental health by knowing some warning signs of students who may be struggling as well as appropriate resources to which you can direct students.

Students who are struggling may often present changes in key areas.

Be mindful of all changes in student behavior.

WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE:

Academic signs:

  • Deterioration in quality or quantity of work
  • Repeated absences or lateness from class or commitments
  • Disorganized or erratic performance
  • Falling asleep in class

Physical signs:

  • Change in energy level—either an increase or decrease
  • Change in personal hygiene or appearance
  • Frequent state of intoxication
  • Changes in diet or weight—either loss or gain

Emotional signs:

  • Significant emotional distress, including anger, irritation, sadness or extreme happiness
  • Withdrawing from friends or previously enjoyed activities
  • Expressions of hopelessness and fear
  • General low mood

Warning signs that someone may be considering suicide:

  • Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself
  • Looking for ways to kill oneself (e.g., searching online)
  • Talking about feeling trapped
  • Behaving recklessly
  • Writing about death, dying or suicide
  • Giving away favorite possessions

If you have a concern for a student’s immediate safety, do not hesitate to call the UMass Lowell Police at 978-934-4911 to have them assess the situation.