I still remember what she was wearing. A red, one-piece bathing suit. A red, one-piece bathing suit over a turtleneck, in the middle of a harsh Pennsylvania winter. No coat. No pants. No shoes. This was my first experience seeing someone experience psychosis.
Let’s call her Sarah.
Over the course of one incredibly cold January weekend, Sarah started wandering around our small campus talking to herself. She’d been awake for days and refused to put on anything warmer, so those of us who knew her tried to keep her indoors. Sarah was closely followed by her worried and exhausted roommate. Unsure of what to do and how best to support Sarah, the two of them walked the campus and talked. Talked about whatever came to Sarah’s mind until campus security intervened and took Sarah to the hospital.
I’m not sure what happened next, and I wish I could tell you my thoughts at the time were kind, but they probably weren’t. I didn’t get it then like I do now. Sarah was obviously dealing with something her mind couldn’t make sense of.
College is made up of stressful situations both in and out of the classroom. Add in a dash of trauma, either new or old, sacrifice sleep in the name of studying or partying, maybe throw in some substances like alcohol or drugs, and you have a recipe for triggering psychosis.
In 2016 alone, three in one thousand college students reported being diagnosed with schizophrenia. So how can you support a college student in your life who might experience psychosis?
According to Dr. Marcia Morris, a psychiatrist at the University of Florida writing for Psychology Today, parents and friends can keep an eye out for specific behaviors and should keep certain things in mind.
- Psychosis is scary for the person experiencing it. The student might fear they are “going crazy” and won’t be “normal” again. They might experience embarrassment and want to hide or shy away from seeing campus mental health.
- An episode of psychosis doesn’t mean it’s the end of the student’s college career. With treatment and lifestyle changes, it is possible to return to class and have a great college experience.
- Psychosis can be accompanied by suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Seeing an increase in these thoughts and behaviors might mean the hospital is the safest place for your student until they can be properly helped.
- Don’t lose hope! Recovery is possible and hope is essential. You can provide the support system your student needs to get back on track.
If you’re the parent of a child dealing with psychosis while at college, you might be interested to read the rest of Dr. Morris’ article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/college-wellness/201610/helping-your-college-student-cope-psychosis