Suicide prevention goal of new student organization

With suicide as the second leading cause of death among college students, a new student organization at Roosevelt University is trying to raise awareness of how students can help prevent such tragedy.

As National Suicide Prevention Week the students of Active Minds chapter at Roosevelt will be hosting a table on September 8-10 and handing out cards with little purple ribbons pinned to the corners and information about suicide, prevention, and the phone number for the Suicide Prevention Hotline (800-273-TALK).

The table is part of the It Only Takes One campaign. The campaign strives to cultivate a society where people can live to their full potential, by increasing awareness that one phone call, smile, conversation or friend could be all it takes to encourage someone to get help.

For Roosevelt students, the Counseling Center on the fourth floor of the Auditorium building can offer help they need.

A career counselor at the Office for Career Development for just over a year, staff advisor Kate Mason said the suicide prevention work Active Minds is doing is "not just for psychology students. This is an issue that affects everyone."

Although students may not often talk about how they have been personally affected by suicide, Ariel Mendel, the program director of public education & disaster mental health at Mental Health America of Illinois, said, "It is more common than people think."

Active Minds President Meg Lucas, a graduate student at Roosevelt, said when she entered college, "I didn't really know anyone who talked about it." Other students Lucas knew admitted and talked about cutting themselves, and she said some of them also began to open up about having suicidal thoughts. "One of my best friends had thought about it and talked to me. She went to the counseling center, and I don't know if she would have gone if we hadn't talked," Lucas said.

For some members of Active Minds, suicide prevention can be very personal. One member of Active Minds, Terry Pernell, said he had a friend who committed suicide by jumping off a high-rise building. Afterwards Pernell said, "I kept asking, why would he do that?"

Pernell said his friend also gave warning signs of suicidal thoughts. According to Mendel, four out of every five people who attempt suicide give warning signs. Students should be aware of some common suicidal behaviors listed on the cards Active Minds will be handing out: symptoms of depression, expressions no reason for living or no sense of purpose in life, hopelessness, desperation, increased alcohol and substance abuse, and statements revealing a desire to die.

The social stigma of suicidal thoughts or even talking about suicide can make seeking help even more difficult for struggling students. Lucas said, "We want to get it out. People don't want to talk about it.

"People think you can just take care of yourself." Lucas emphasized, "Sometimes you can't do it by yourself."