Introduction
Most of us have had, or will have, fleeting thoughts of death as a means of escaping from an unpleasant situation at some time in our lives. It is when the thoughts are more than just fleeting that there is need for concern.
The National College Health Risk Behavior study of 1995 found that as many as 11.4 percent of college students have seriously considered attempting suicide. The National College Health Assessment Survey, completed in the Spring ’03 semester, evaluated 19,497 student participants at 33 schools and produced essentially the same results: 10 percent indicated having seriously considered suicide during the preceding year.
Data reported on http://www.ulifeline.org (an online behavioral support system for college-aged students) indicates that 1 in 12 college students (8.33 percent) go so far as to make a suicide plan, and 7.5 of every 100,000 succeed in taking their lives.
Ninety percent of adolescent suicide victims have at least one diagnosable/treatable disorder, but only 15 percent were in treatment at the time of death. How many deaths could have been prevented if more were in treatment?
Approximately four-fifths of those who successfully complete suicide are severely depressed. Many bouts of depression are moderately short lived and if the person can be helped through the episode they have a good chance of recovery. We are talking here of severe depression, not the transient feeling of sadness all of us experience from time to time.
What to say or do
Those at risk of suicide are feeling depressed, hopeless, and isolated. You can help someone break this pattern by approaching them with a show of genuine concern. For example, “I’ve noticed you’ve been feeling down for a while. I’m concerned about you. Is there anything I can do to help?”
If they dismiss your impression as being inaccurate, just respond with something like “Good, I’m glad you’re okay. If there ever is something upsetting you I’m around if you need me.” Just knowing that someone cares can make all the difference.
If they do admit to feeling depressed, don’t be afraid to ask “Are you thinking of killing yourself?” The more specific a plan one has for suicide the higher the risk.
If the person does sound like they are considering suicide the first thing to do is just listen, encouraging the person to express their feelings. It is important to acknowledge your understanding of their feelings. Don’t try to minimize it by voicing platitudes such as “Things will get better,” “Look at the bright side,” or “You have so much to live for.” Such statements will make the person feel that you haven’t understood what they are experiencing, which will add to their feeling of isolation.
Try instead to put into your own words what you hear them saying about how they feel (i.e. “You’re saying it hurts so badly you’d rather not wake up in the morning,” etc.).
Remove or get them to give up anything that could be immediately lethal. This will reduce the likelihood of an impulsive suicidal act, and communicates your concern and willingness to intervene.
If you find the person has a timetable or a plan, take it seriously. Don’t leave them alone or be brushed off by “I’m okay now.”
Keep the person talking about what is bothering them and direct them towards getting professional help right away. If the person is a Rensselaer student have them call the Counseling Center (276-6479), or call our office yourself.
Someone can be reached from the Counseling Center 24 hours a day by calling Public Safety at 276-6611. If it is during office hours, walk the student over to us. If the person is not a Rensselaer student, contact someone in his or her community (emergency mental health line, family, clergy, doctor). It is better to risk the person being angry at you for violating a confidence, than to have the person kill themselves.
Screenings for Depression
There are many options for you or someone you care about to find out if they are dealing with depression. First, the Counseling Center will be conducting Depression Screening Days on from 1 pm to 4 pm on October 26 and 27 in the RPI Playhouse.
This event is in conjunction with a national speaker on suicide and depression, Ross Szabo in DCC 308 at 7 pm on October 26. The screenings are free, confidential, and no appointment is needed.
Under the Additional Counseling Resources link on the Counseling Center website there are also many online options,
http://www.studenthealth.rpi.edu/. For confidential online screenings, you can try Mental Health Screenings for issues such as depression, alcohol abuse, and anxiety/post traumatic stress disorder. There is also the “self evaluator” at http://www.ulifeline.org/ for assessing your own level of suicide risk. It too is confidential and free.
Depression is not the only issue college students deal with. Stress, academic issues, relationships, and anxiety are just a few of the variety of college-related issues. If you would like to make an appointment to talk about any mental health issue, please give us a call. If you have any questions about these events or websites, please feel free to contact us through the Counseling Center website or by calling the number above.
Editor’s Note: Joseph Albert, Ph.D, is the director of the Counseling Center at RPI.
