How to Help Depressed Students As a Teacher

Last Updated: December 5, 2022 References

Depression is a serious illness that can profoundly impact a student's overall well-being and school performance. If you're a teacher and see a student showing signs of depression in the classroom, you can support them by intervening early. Early intervention, treatment, and counseling can prevent further mental health issues down the line.^{[1]
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Research source} We’ll show you how to spot the warning signs of depression, how to offer support, and how to refer the student to professional mental health services so your students can get the care they need.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Identifying the Problem

1
Know the general signs of depression. Depression can impact different people in different ways. It's more common in teen and adult years, but can happen at any age. Environmental and genetic factors can play a role. The general signs of depression include:^{[2]
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- Fatigue
- Sensitivity, sadness, and/or irritability
- Emotional numbness, or lack of emotion
- Difficulty focusing
- Disorganization
- Low self-esteem
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Suicidal thoughts
2
Watch how depression impacts them at school. At school, a student with depression may become withdrawn and pessimistic. Their grades may suffer because they struggle to focus, and to do their assignments. Here are some different possible signs that you may see:^{[4]
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- Missing class often
- Complaining of headaches, stomachaches, or other stress-related aches and pains
- Forgetting their homework
- Struggling to focus in class
- Seeming fatigued, or even sleeping in class
- Working slowly
- Giving up easily
- Crying, getting angry, or getting upset easily
- Withdrawing, not raising their hand or making friends
- Putting themselves down
- Making pessimistic or suicidal comments, like "life is just going to get harder" or "I wish I could go to sleep and never wake up"
- Risky or defiant behavior: arguing, fighting, skipping class, stealing, etc.
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3
Try checking in on the student. Privately talk to them about what's going on. Try asking them to stay after class (and adding right away that they're not in trouble). Then, gently ask what's wrong.
- "I've noticed that you've been struggling more with your assignments. What's going on?"
- "At the beginning of the year, you raised your hand a lot. Now you rarely do. Why is that?"

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Supporting Classroom Success

1
Find ways to manage the student's fatigue. Low energy levels can make school very difficult for students with depression.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} Here are some ideas you could try:^{[6]
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Nonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievement
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- Be extra forgiving about absences. Try giving lecture recordings, notes, or other materials to the student to help them catch up.
- Check in right away if the student doesn't turn in their work. Gently ask what happened, and what could help the student complete things.
- Give the student shorter assignments.
- Break larger assignments into small pieces with individual deadlines. Let the student work one-on-one with you if needed.
2
Try having the student spend time with you after class, or during office hours. Students with depression can struggle a lot with time management, and may have a hard time just sitting down to do the task. Sometimes, having you there to help them get started may be enough for them to get some actual work done.
- "Parallel work" is an option, too: you go through your emails while the student works on a worksheet, and can occasionally ask questions if needed.
3
Cultivate a growth-based mindset in class. A growth-based approach can help students build resilience, and not worry too much if they don't get things perfect right away. It can also help the student succeed.^{[7]
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Research source} Here are some examples of positive things you can say, to the class in general or one-on-one:
- "This material is tricky, and it's okay if you don't get it yet. We have plenty of time to practice."
- "It's okay to make mistakes as you work on this. I make mistakes sometimes too."
- "It's okay if you don't get a perfect score. Just keep doing your best."
- "Oh, did I mess this up? That's okay. I can fix it."
- "Hard work matters much more than intelligence."

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Supporting Depression Recovery

You can't single-handedly cure your student, but you can be a positive force.

1
Take the opportunity to develop a relationship. A kind, caring teacher can make a difference.^{[8]
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Research source} Spending time with the student, and listening to them, can help them see you as an ally.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.}
- If you don't "click" with the student very well, try encouraging them to find someone else to talk to. You can recommend a teacher, counselor, sports coach, or other person you know who is a good listen to.
2
Listen and validate their feelings. You can help the student by making them feel cared about and understood. Sometimes, just being heard is enough to help someone feel a little better.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} Here are some examples of validating things you could say to the student:
- "You're allowed to be sad about that."
- "That must be difficult to handle."
- "Of course you're upset. That's a very stressful situation to deal with."
- "It's okay to cry."
- "It's understandable to be angry about that."
- "It's okay to feel that way."
3
Encourage social interaction. Positive social interaction can help people fight depression. Unfortunately, depression often involves isolation, which can just make things worse. Try to gently suggest an opportunity that you think the student might find interesting.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.}
- For group work, assign groups (or help the student choose a group) so that the student is teamed up with kind and cooperative people.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
  Nonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievement
  Go to source} This increases the chance of positive social interactions.
- Try gently suggesting a club for the student to join. For example, if you notice the student doodling sometimes, give them a flyer for an art club.
4
Give reality checks as needed. People with depression can have a distorted sense of reality, believing things like "Nobody likes me" or "I'm stupid." Try giving a gentle correction if you notice them talking this way. It may help a little.
- "I disagree with you being a bad student. Bad students are the ones who quit. But you are working hard to deal with this, so that makes you a good student in my book."
- "That's a generalization. Emma and Jacob seem to like spending time with you, I know your older sister speaks positively about you, and I like you too."
- "A B does not make you stupid. Even geniuses can get Bs sometimes. That's normal, and part of life."
5
Praise them for their successes, and their good traits. Students with depression can be really hard on themselves. They may also lose their sense of identity, so subtly describing them in positive words can help rebuild it.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} A little praise may mean a lot,^{[14]
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Research source}^{[15]
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Research source} even if the student is too depressed to visibly react. They'll remember what you said. Find something you genuinely appreciate in the student, and point it out to them.
- "I noticed you turned your paper in early! I'm really impressed. You're kicking butt at time management."
- "I noticed you raised your hand in class today. That was really cool."
- "I saw what you doodled on your homework. That was a really gorgeous drawing. I love how detailed the eyes were. I hope you pursue that."
- "I noticed you helping Tyler in the hall. You're a really kind person."
- "You know, this semester has been really hard for you, but you've refused to give up. I really admire that. You're a tough cookie."
6
Consider talking about coping skills with the student. The student may not know how to handle some of the awful emotions that can come with depression. Try sitting down with the student and helping them make a list of ideas they can try when they're having a hard time.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} Here are some examples:
- Journaling
- Exercising
- Spending time with loved ones and/or pets (perhaps making a list of people to try reaching out to)
- Practicing a hobby
- Doing something distracting, like an intellectually stimulating puzzle or exercise (e.g. naming all the capital cities they can or reciting times tables)
- Doing a self-harm alternative, like holding an ice cube or drawing on their skin with a marker
7
Try making a no-suicide pact. Have the student promise to tell someone (you, or someone else) if they are feeling suicidal. You can help the student draw up a list of people they trust.
- Try reminding them that it's always better to try the least drastic option first. For example, taking a semester off from school is less drastic than dying.
8
Remember that you can't cure or save them. You can do your best to help the student. But you can't erase their depression, or protect them from all the evils of the world. That isn't humanly possible.
- If something bad does happen to the student, try not to blame yourself. You did the best you could to help at the time, and that's all anyone can do.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Getting Help

1
Meet with your school's counselor. Counselors are some of the people at schools that students go to when they're having trouble with personal issues, including depression and suicidal thoughts. Tell the counselor that you're concerned that a student is depressed, then mention the signs. Rest assured that everything at the meeting will be kept confidential; neither you nor the counselor should be going around talking about your student's problem. ^{[17]
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- Get the student in on a meeting. Be patient if they're slow to open up; it can be hard for some people to talk about what they're going through.
- It's imperative that you see a counselor if the student has suicidal thoughts. Keep this confidential, but have a meeting anyway even if the student asks you not to tell anyone. Suicidal thoughts should never be kept a secret.
2
Refer a college student to the appropriate services. If the student seems to lack energy, try giving them a map with the place circled, or even walking them over yourself.
- The disability center can help them get accommodations, like a quiet place to take exams, and extra time on tests.
- Student health services can help them get depression treatment. If the student seems reluctant, try reminding them that the brain can get sick just like any other body part, and that there's nothing wrong with getting treatment or taking pills to correct chemical imbalances.
- Counseling services can help the student talk over what they're going through, and develop coping strategies for their situation.
- A tutoring center can offer one-on-one support with assignments. Tutors can guide the student through their assignments, helping them learn the material and stay focused.
3
Consider contacting the student's parents. The parents may not realize that something is wrong, or that the problem is more than just a little moodiness. If the student is under 18 and you've had positive interactions before, it's probably fine to go ahead and call or email. If the student is over 18, or if the student seems afraid of their parents, you may want to get the student's permission first.
- Here's an example: "I've noticed that your child seems very tired, and is struggling to stay on top of their schoolwork. I think that talking to a doctor may help. These signs seem similar to what I've seen before in students with depression. Getting help sooner, rather than later, may help keep this from getting worse."
- If the parents seem hypercritical or abusive, try phrasing it in terms of making it easier for the parents. For example: "I think a doctor may be able to help with your child's behavior problems. Getting treatment could even lead to some more positive behavior at home, too."
4
Stay in touch with your student's family. The parents can tell you how things are going at home; you should talk about how things are going at school. Have the student share their personal issues and experience and whether anything at all is improving (in both places). Talk about their academic performance and classroom behavior, and together decide what to do to solve problems at school and at home.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you talk to a depressed student?

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Dr. Peggy Rios is a Counseling Psychologist based in Florida. With over 24 years of experience, Dr. Rios works with people struggling with psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. She specializes in medical psychology, weaving together behavioral health programs informed by empowerment theory and trauma treatment. Dr. Rios uses integrated, evidence-based models to provide support and therapy for people with life-altering medical conditions. She holds an MS and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland. Dr. Rios is a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida.

Peggy Rios, PhD

Counseling Psychologist (Florida)

Expert Answer

Be supportive, kind, and encouraging. Let them know that you're there for them as a resource. Try to not treat them like there's something wrong with them, and be reasonable. As a note, if you think the student is genuinely clinically depressed, you should reach out to their parents or guardians. That's something that requires treatment, and you have a responsibility as a teacher to let the parents know.
Question

What might a student act like if they're depressed?

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Dr. Peggy Rios is a Counseling Psychologist based in Florida. With over 24 years of experience, Dr. Rios works with people struggling with psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. She specializes in medical psychology, weaving together behavioral health programs informed by empowerment theory and trauma treatment. Dr. Rios uses integrated, evidence-based models to provide support and therapy for people with life-altering medical conditions. She holds an MS and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland. Dr. Rios is a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida.

Peggy Rios, PhD

Counseling Psychologist (Florida)

Expert Answer

They may seem moody, withdrawn, or even antisocial. One sign that I think people miss is the fatigue. If the student never sleeps in your class and then suddenly they're napping every other day, that's a big signal that something is going on.
Question

Should I talk to a student about their mental health or is that crossing a line?

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Dr. Peggy Rios is a Counseling Psychologist based in Florida. With over 24 years of experience, Dr. Rios works with people struggling with psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. She specializes in medical psychology, weaving together behavioral health programs informed by empowerment theory and trauma treatment. Dr. Rios uses integrated, evidence-based models to provide support and therapy for people with life-altering medical conditions. She holds an MS and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland. Dr. Rios is a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida.

Peggy Rios, PhD

Counseling Psychologist (Florida)

Expert Answer

I think that it's appropriate as a teacher to address mental health issues, especially if a student comes to you just to connect with somebody and talk. You do raise a good point, though. You aren't a therapist, and if they do need serious help, you're unlikely to be able to do much for them. At that point, you really should contact their parents and a mental health professional at the school.

Warnings

Get help right away if you believe a student is going to hurt or kill themselves.

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In the US, police have shot suicidal people, sometimes fatally. Calling 911 may not be safe.^{[19]
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Research source} Carefully weigh your options.

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