An Epidemic Sweeping Across College Campuses

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. I first came across this statistic while looking into starting a university chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). According to Emory University, more than 1,000 people commit suicide on college campuses every year, and one in ten college students has created a plan for suicide. The school has compiled a list of risk factors specific to college students that includes:

• Being in a new environment

• Losing one's social network and the safety net found at home

• Social and academic pressures

• Isolation or alienation

• Difficulty adjusting to college life

• Feeling like a failure after decreased academic performance

• Experimenting with drugs or alcohol

• Not having the right coping skills

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A lot of major publications have been writing about this issue in the past few years, and many colleges have tips and warning signs on their websites, but this is still a prevalent problem. Elizabeth Hawksworth wrote an article for the Washington Post about her suicide story in college. Reading her story, you can see how even a person who seemed to have her life together can crash and burn once she gets to college and major assignments are constantly being thrown at her. As her anxiety increased, she lost more and more control of her life and even her physical health began to suffer. She eventually dropped out, and after her mental health recovered, she was able to attend a community college. Elizabeth says she now has a "first-hand understanding of how mental health issues can ruin your life."

She explains that depression and anxiety faced by college students account for most suicide attempts. Stress from school, family issues, and finances can lead students to suicide. They may not know how to cope with the demands of college. They may also have a pre-diagnosed mental illness that is exacerbated by the stress of college. The scariest statistic is that suicide rates have increased by 200% since the 1950's among college students.

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Luckily, there are ways to help prevent suicide among college students. CNN says that schools are hosting creative programs such as orientation for first-year students on how to recognize signs of suicide and how to talk to someone about it, skits that show how to help a depressed roommate, training resident advisers to talk to suicidal residents, creating student support groups, training faculty and staff on recognizing and handling depression and anxiety in students, and even creating videos of school leaders sharing their stories of struggle. The main idea is to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health so that students who are struggling can reach out for help when they need it, and many schools have already seen results with more students taking advantage of on-campus mental health facilities.

It's also important for parents and other family members to show support for their college student's mental health. College Degree Search says that parents can:

• Stay in touch through phone calls, instant messaging, or video chat

• Send care packages

• Occasionally visit

• Stay calm when things get rough

• Emphasize the importance of sleep, diet, exercise, and de-stressing activities

• Know about the resources available on campus

• Recognize the signs of stress

The warning signs of suicide among college students, according to Everyday Health, include:

• Difficulty handling work

• Lack of interest in formerly enjoyable activities

• Changes in sleeping or eating

• Lack of energy or feeling drained

• Emotional outbursts

• Self-destructive behavior

• Substance abuse

• Changes in relationships

• Feeling hopeless or talking about suicide

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NAMI has tips on how to help someone who is suicidal:

• Remove anything they could use to kill themselves

• Ask simple and direct questions

• Refer them to a mental health specialist

• Be open and honest, and ask questions such as, "Do you have a plan to kill yourself?" or "Are you having suicidal thoughts?"

• Ask them how you can help

• Don't argue with them

• Don't act nervous

• Be gentle and sympathetic

• Listen actively and provide positive reinforcement

• Keep yourself educated on suicide

• Have an action plan ready

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.