Need help for my student

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2005
Need help for my student
3
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 2:52pm

I'm a teaching assistant at a large university, and one of my students came to me today because she's been dealing with a lot of difficult problems (especially with family) lately, and she has anorexia and it's getting worse.  She eats very very little and exercises for hours daily, and she's taking Ritalin to help keep her going.  She wasn't warm to the idea of going to the counseling center on campus, and she just had the major trigger of her dad telling her that he didn't want her home for Christmas.  What should I do?  Right now I'm encouraging her to express her thoughts and feelings, and I'm trying to be as supportive as possible, but I'm afraiding of doing or saying something that will make it worse (I mean, I know not to say "just eat" or something stupid like that, but beyond that I don't know).  I'm going to speak to my supervisor about it without naming names, but I'd like to have you guys' opinion.  What helps you the most?  What sorts of things should I talk about or not talk about?


Thanks for your help.

Image hosted by Photobucket.com 




iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 9:33pm

Hi Elaine,

Thank you for posting and for your concern and desire to help. I think what you are doing is great - be there for her, listen, and encourage her to open up. Just ask her how you can help her the most. Counseling is probably the best option and I continue to encourage her - gently - to move in that direction. You can also check out this link http://www.somethingfishy.org/helping/whatyoucando.php for some more info on how you can help and what you can't do or shouldn't do.

Please feel free to post any time as well and ask as many questions as you need to.

Love & hugs, Kristina


“It helps to resign as the controller of your fate. All that energy we expend to keep things running right is not what keeps things running right.” ANNE LAMOTT



The opinions I have expressed here are from my own experience and are not intended as medical advice or to take the place of your own physician's advice.


Love & hugs, Kristina

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2005
Tue, 12-06-2005 - 11:16am

The somethingfishy.org website is so full of good things for people with EDs.

 

 

~Diana~

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2005
Wed, 12-07-2005 - 3:08pm

Thanks!