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Earlham College Counseling Services
Recommendations for Students with Histories of Mental Health Concerns
While Earlham College provides limited support services, students
are encouraged to proactively address their mental health concerns
prior to coming to campus. Students preparing for the transition
to college who either have had past mental health concerns or who
are currently dealing with mental health challenges are encouraged
to do the following:
Start planning now for a healthy transition to college.
Have an up-to-date treatment plan with your current mental health
professionals and follow it.
If you have put off getting help, don’t wait any longer. The stresses
inherent in leaving home, coupled with the transition to college and the related
adjustments, may result in the worsening of your symptoms.
Meet with your psychiatrist, medical doctor, and/or mental health professional(s)
to review medications you currently might be taking, discuss anticipated stresses
related to the transition to college and leaving home, and develop relapse prevention
strategies.
Contact Earlham Counseling Services to talk to a counselor who can help
you develop a plan for transition. Counselors can provide short-term counseling
and crisis assistance, and help you connect with other campus and community resources.
If you have been meeting weekly with a mental health professional prior
to coming to college, plan to connect with an off-campus mental health professional
with whom you can continue to meet weekly for as long as you and the professional
decide is needed. Earlham counselors may not be able to meet weekly with you
for an entire semester due to limited resources and scope of practice.
Consider continuing to meet periodically with your home town mental
health professional during your first semester (or longer), even if the contact
can be only by phone. Contact with someone whom you already know will lessen
the stress of meeting with someone new, and dealing with all the other changes
that going to college brings.
Take your medication as prescribed. The transition to college is not
the time to see if you no longer need your medication. Be careful not to self-medicate
using alcohol, other drugs, or food.
Develop a stress management plan, and get adequate sleep. Increased
stress and lack of sleep often are factors in the recurrence or exacerbation
of a mental health concern.
Know what you will do if your symptoms begin to recur or intensify.
Write down your plan if that is helpful, and keep it handy, rather than trying
to remember it while also dealing with renewed symptoms.
Respond quickly if your symptoms recur or intensify, rather than waiting
to see what happens. This can help you to feel better more quickly and minimize
the possible negative impact of a relapse on your academic and social activities.
Become familiar with other campus and local community mental health
resources prior to coming to campus. The Earlham Counseling Web pages as well
as the Richmond/Wayne County Web pages (http://www.waynet.org) are
excellent resources if a visit to campus and the Richmond area is not possible.
If appropriate, register with Earlham’s Center for Academic Enrichment,
especially if academic accommodations are needed or requested.
Contact Earlham Counseling Services via the Web page, by calling
765-983-1432, or by e-mailing woodrho@earlham.edu.
Counseling and Health Services Offices
Student Development
Earlham Hall First Floor
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