Self Help
Self Help Psychological Resources
There are a number of different sources of information on self-help topics available through the Internet. We have listed some of them below. We encourage you to browse and use what you find helpful. However, our listing of these sites does not imply that we endorse all the information that they contain, since the quality and accuracy of the sources varies. If you want to find out more about assessing the quality of Internet information, go to "Evaluation of Information Sources" in "The World-Wide Web Virtual Library," for more than you want to know.
• Self-Help Library
The Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services office at 17 Senior Street on the College Avenue Campus has an extensive collection of self-help books that can be checked out for two weeks at a time, with a small deposit. Come by during office hours (8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday) to see the collection or get a booklist.
• Relaxation Instructions
o Relaxation Instructions: A web site at Hobart and William Smith Colleges that offers several brief recordings of instructions on relaxing more fully. Can be listened to directly, or downloaded to your computer, etc. (MP3 file).
o Progressive Relaxation: A muscle relaxation technique that progresses throughout major muscle groups within the body - adapted from Edmund Jacobson.
• Screening for Psychological Concerns
o Mental Health Screening: Provided by the Rutgers Health Service, this link gives you a chance to take brief questionnaires that help tell you whether you are at risk for depression, bipolar disorder, alcohol issues, eating disorders, generalized anxiety disorder,or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Completely anonymous and confidential.
o Ulifeline.org: A web site that offers on-line screening, plus information about mental health issues and campus resources (once you sign in as a student from Rutgers - New Brunswick).
• Self-Help Support Groups - on-line and off
o New Jersey Self-help Clearinghouse: In New Jersey, phone 1-800-367-6274 or 1-800-FOR-MASH (Mutual Aid Self-Help); outside New Jersey, dial (201) 625-9565; TTY (201) 625-9053. A listing of self-help groups in New Jersey and around the country
o PsychCentral: Dr. John Grohol's Mental Health Page An extensive listing of all kinds of self-help information, including online support groups for a wide range of mental health and recovery related concerns. Generally considered one of the best sites.
• Advice Services Online
There are several services which answer on-line questions anonymously. Even if you aren't allowed to ask a question because you are outside their system, you may benefit from reading answers to others' questions. Please remember that if a local mental health or counseling service is referred to, you should instead come to Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services instead.
o Rutgers Student Health Service provides answers to questions on a range of topics.
o 'Go Ask Alice" is an interactive question and answer line at Columbia University. Besides an "emotional well-being" section, it also answers questions on a variety of topics, including relationships, fitness and nutrition, drugs, sex, alcohol, and stress.
• Ways to help yourself survive and even thrive during exams