Student Resources
I’m still having a lot of anxiety because of the pandemic. Please help.
We get it. It’s hard to sift through the messages and information coming at us. Worse, the “unknown unknown” (not knowing what you don’t even know) can cause even greater anxiety for many of us. What you can do
Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus! Poor lung health caused by smoking, lack of adequate health care, suppressed immune systems, and/or populations particularly susceptible to infectious diseases, such as the elderly, have been particularly affected by COVID-19.
Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Look beyond rhetoric and arm yourself with information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, vaccination, risk assessment, etc. To subscribe to the CDC’s email and text message service, visit CDC Subscription Service.
Get your emotional support system in place:
- Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies: rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food, and engage in physical activity.
Take control and incorporate preventative measures:
- Wash your hands. See the CDC’s list of preventative measures.
- Avoid watching, reading, or listening to news reports that cause you to feel anxious or distressed. A near-constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek CDC updates and practical guidelines at specific times during the day
- Be supportive of others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.
Mental Health Resources:
- Telehealth: NLU has partnered with Virtual Care Group to offer a variety of wellness resources.
- NLU students will receive telehealth, telemedicine, and life coaching
- Students with questions, should email counseling@nl.edu.
- Ulifeline: This online resource has information about mental health, as well as a self-evaluation screening which does not provide a diagnosis, but identifies problems that could be impacting thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The screening process also provides information on these conditions and how to reach out for help.
- Sanvello App: Free premium access to this highly-rated mental health app that includes cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. “During this challenging time, Sanvello is a place you can go to feel better and meaningfully connect with others—anywhere, anytime.”
- Illinois Warm-line: The warm-line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover. We are here to serve you.
- Call: 866.359.7953
- TTY: 866.880.4459
- Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm
- Florida Warm-line: The warm-line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover. We are here to serve you.
- Call: 800.945.1355
- Hours of Operation: 4:00pm – 10:00pm, 7 days per week
- National Crisis Text Line: Text "HELP" to 741741
- National Veteran Crisis Text Line: Text "HELP" to 838255
- Ayuda Español: Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuito servicios en español, no es necesario hablar ingles si usted necesita ayuda.
- 888.628.9454
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24/7 Help is available. Speak with a counselor today
- Call: 988
- Crisis Lifeline for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss: TTY – Dial 800.799.4889
- 24-Hour Crisis Prevention for LGBTQ Youth:
- Call: 866.488.7386
- Text "HELP" to 678678
Through our partnership with the Virtual Care Group, Full-Time students will have access to free telehealth services. Services include medical, behavioral, life coaching, and prescription savings.
To activate your account please visit our telehealth website.
Questions: counseling@nl.edu
Want to take a quick FREE, anonymous ONLINE SCREENING? Click here for access. This SCREENING can be accessed at any time.
Additional online resources for support: www.ulifeline.org/nlu/
Need brief, informal, free and confidential counseling, activate your account here:.
Some reasons to sign up:
- Not sure about counseling and wonder what it would be like to talk with a counselor.
- Not interested in ongoing counseling, but would like the perspective of a counselor.
- Have a specific problem and would like someone with whom to talk it through.
- Have a concern about a friend and want some ideas about what to do.
- Have a non-emergency medical concern and need to consult.
- Thinking about your life next steps and need to discuss it with a life coach.
NLU Suicide Prevention & Response Manual - English
NLU Suicide Prevention & Response Manual - Spanish
Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper training in the world.
We can all save lives
The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.
Did you know...
- Over 90% of all people who die by suicide are suffering from a major psychiatric illness. Examples: (Anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, etc.)
- Firearms are used in 6 of every 10 suicides.
- Males are four times more likely to die by suicide than females.
- More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease, COMBINED.
- Every 12 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies by suicide. And for every one suicide, there are 25 attempts.
- Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., and it is the 2nd leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults ages 15-24.
- The rate of suicides is rising, and each year, more than 900,000 emergency department (ED) visits are made by people thinking of suicide.
- LGBTQ college students experience depression, suicidal thoughts four times more frequently than heterosexual peers.
Email cdanzell@nl.edu to schedule a workshop for your department or classroom or friends or check out the EagleLife App or https://nl.presence.io/ to see when the next workshop is.
National Mental Health & Support Hotlines
Illinois Department of Human Services: Mental Health Services
National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 988
Stop Soldier Suicide - 988 #1 or Text 838255
National Suicide Prevention Hotline - TTY – Dial 711 then 988.
Online Resource for College Mental Health - www.ulifeline.org/nlu/
National Child Abuse Hotline - 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453)
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance - 800-826-3632
GLBT National Hotline - 888-843-4564
Trans Lifeline Hotline - 877-565-8860
Hopeline Suicide Prevention - 800-442-HOPE (4673)
National Center for Victims of Crime - 800-FYI-CALL (394-2255) (multi-language service available)
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline - 800-662-HELP (4357)
National Domestic Violence Hotline - 800-799-SAFE (7233)
National Eating Disorders Association Information and Referral Helpline - 800-931-2237
Planned Parenthood - 800-230-PLAN (7526)
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Mental Health America - For a referral to specific mental health service or support program in your community - 800-969-NMHA (6642)
National Alliance on Mental Illness - Provides support, information, and referrals - 800-950-NAMI (6264)
Affordable Colleges Online - Resources for student wellness.
BetterHelp.com - Resource to get connected with online counseling services.
Financial Abuse and Domestic Violence - Explore the impact of intimate partner abuse on a finances and resources on getting help.
Resources for Mental Health Issues, Signs and Where to Seek Help
WORKSHOP: Join the NLU team as they provide insight into the intersection of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Trauma-Informed Workplace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy_wpZmeztE
Talking about your mental health is important, but it can also be uncomfortable to open up to others. If you are struggling, watch this video to learn ways to overcome fears. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FbBwehUp5Q
Ted Talk: Clinical psychologist and mental health researcher who focuses on improving access to mental health services in underserved communities, she seeks to improve our understanding of emotional health and decrease stigma through the sharing of personal stories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2YK9g6tyKA
