With the military conflict in Iraq, many Americans may be struggling to cope with added stress. West VirginiaUniversity students and employees who need assistance dealing with feelings of stress, anxiety or depression are encouraged to utilize services offered on campus.


WVU s CarruthCenter for Counseling and Psychological Services operates weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and is open to all students, including part-time students and graduate and professional students. Call 293-4431 to schedule an appointment. After-hours telephone crisis consultation services for psychological emergencies are also available to students by calling 293-4431. The Department of Public Safety answers after-hours calls and immediately contacts the CarruthCenter staff member on-call to return the crisis call. More information about the CarruthCenters services is available online at http://www.wvu.edu/~cocenter/ .


Active and retired administrators, faculty and staff and their dependents can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, a free and confidential problem-solving resource. Call 293-5590 for an appointment. For after-hour psychological emergencies, employees may call the 24-hour Healthline at 1-800-982-8242. Learn more about FSAP online at http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/fsap/ .


Services at both the CarruthCenter and the FSAP are provided on a strictly confidential basis, unless otherwise required by law.


In addition, the CarruthCenter and Student Affairs staff members have compiled”Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student: A Guide for WVU Faculty and Staff,”which is available on the Carruth Center Web site at http://www.wvu.edu/~cocenter/distressed_student_guide.pdf .


The staff recommends these common sense approaches:


  • If you find the news distressing, turn it off

  • Stay consistent with daily routines

  • Be sensitive to children or individuals who are vulnerable to fears

  • Engage in spiritual or other uplifting practices


Common stress reactions include:


  • Physical reactions such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, underactivity or overactivity, change in appetite, digestive problems, nightmares, headaches, muscle tremors/twitches and startled reactions.

  • Cognitive reactions such as difficulty concentrating, solving problems or making decisions, memory disturbance, lowered attention span, violent fantasies and flashbacks of or preoccupation with the traumatic event.

  • Emotional reactions such as guilt, feelings of helplessness, emotional numbing, sensitivity, fear/anxiety, hyper vigilance, anger/irritability and moodiness.


While there is little anyone can do to make these symptoms vanish, people can help restore emotional well-being and a sense of control by:


  • Taking part in local support groups led by trained and experienced professionals

  • Engaging in healthy behaviors, such as getting plenty of rest and eating well-balanced meals, to enhance the ability to cope with excessive stress

  • Establishing or re-establishing routines

  • Communicate feelings in whatever ways feel comfortable

  • Ask for support from people who care and will listen and empathize

  • Avoid major life decisions that could produce additional stress.

    WVU will post updated war-related information periodically to the WVU web site ( http://www.wvu.edu ) along with the employee Intranet ( http://intranet.wvu.edu ) and the student MIX