How should I handle a roommate who's depressed?
Sometimes people tell me stories. There are some stories in the book about really depressed roommates, and what you do if your roommate's suicidal or your roommate even attempts suicide. My suggestion is that you need to turn to people around you who can help that person, because you're most likely not a therapist or psychologist. If you are a therapist or psychologist, then how did you do that so quickly, become a doctor? Most of you aren't, so if you turn to those people, alert them so that they can help that roommate. You also need to let the residential life staff know. You can also let your professors know, let the people and the health and wellness center know, and you can point your roommate to those people. Another thing I think is really helpful is to have the number, the phone number, of your roommate's parents. Okay, it's not something you're ever going to use, but if there's ever a situation where you think someone's in such danger and people aren't responding, call the parents. Be like, "hey, I know you can't see these things, but this is something that's happening and I really think that your son or daughter needs help." It's a really tough thing to do, but essentially, you could be saving someone's life, so I would get that number, and for the parents who might be listening to this as well, give your son or daughter's roommate your phone number and it could be an emergency hotline just in case.
