Many RA’s and college advisors have their own problems going on and do not always have the ability to help. students. There should be specific people to guide those struggling through their issues but I feel as if all RA’s should have at least a basic understanding of what to do if someone is having a panic attack. Even if a student is depressed and wants to harm themselves physically, not everyone knows how to deal with that so I feel as if that should also be taught. There should be more support for people having panic or anxiety attacks or those who are unable to speak up.

The awareness of mental health is known yet it is not known as much as it should be. More people should be able to understand panic attacks and anxiety attacks by now. People should also know how to deal with their friends or peers going through that and how to help or support them. It is important that they help them calm down and get their breath under control if they are having trouble breathing. 

An article from Robert Morris University that was written by students of the school about RA’s getting mental health first aid training stated,  “I would not trust someone young to tell me what is wrong with me because that is not their profession,” stated Kiera Branson, a senior at Robert Morris. “The RA’s may have their own issues they have to deal with, and they may not be giving out helpful advice to depressed and stressed students. They are resident assistants not psychologists.” states Rachel Calhoun. Another article found written by a first-year RA speaks about her experiences learning mental health aid and how to address mental health. She was taught to usually report to someone else but when they are going through a crisis or struggling to come to them as yourself. Up until this point, everything we had learned was a concrete “if you notice x, then respond with y.” For the first time, we were being told that the best approach was to be ourselves and connect as humans in these situations.

This is true as the only people who truly know how to diagnose and assist someone is a psychologist or someone who has that as their profession. Being a student, I would always want to help my friends or other students around me yet being an RA, you have to look at it from a professional view which makes it harder.