GUEST COLUMN: "Signals Before Suicide"

While suicide among college students occurs at only half the rate of the same age non-college population, it remains the second leading cause of death in this age group. But it is not always the person who looks depressed or is failing school who commits suicide. What are the behaviors manifested by those who are at high risk for suicide and the thoughts influencing those behaviors? What warning signs might you see in a friend or in yourself that would indicate suicidality? Always take it seriously when someone talks to you about suicide. Most people try to reach out in one way or another. Some warning signs you can look out for are: 1) Avoidance of friends and family and a progressive tendency towards isolation. 2) Any marked change in behavior -- sleeping more or less than usual, serious appetite changes, loss of interest in school or sudden shifts from depression to relief. 3) Engaging in risky behavior or expressing indifference about such risks -- for example, going out alone late at night, driving recklessly, not paying attention to personal safety, being "accident prone" and not paying attention to one's own actions. 4) Increasing abuse of drugs, alcohol and/or food. Often people use substances in attempts to deal with their pain. However, alcohol and drugs are depressants and only increase these problems. 5) Severe negative attitudes about oneself, feeling worthless, being "bad" as if one is a burden on others, being the one that can't do anything right or being excessively guilty over one's actions. 6) Sense of despair -- talking about the meaninglessness of life, seeing no hope for change in the future, talking about death and suicide as the only option, and giving one's possessions away or settling one's accounts. Although the presence of one or more of these warning signs does not necessarily mean one is suicidal, these symptoms should not be ignored. Professionals have experience helping people see their way through these problems. There isn't any one reason driving people to end their lives. It is some combination of events that makes them feel hopeless about themselves and their future. It could be due to a bad situation or to an underlying illness. As hopeless as one may feel at the time, it is important to keep in mind that these feelings are not permanent. Most people have been depressed at some point in their life. Many have stuggled with feelings of frustration and despair to the point that they have thought about suicide. If you or a friend are having such difficulties, it is always a good idea to talk about these feelings with a professional so that together you can figure out the best course of action. With treatment, depression can be overcome and thereby the suicidal thoughts resolved. The following is a list of campus organizations that can offer assistance in dealing with these issues. Student Health Psychiatry: 662-2860 University Counseling Service: 898-7021 Office of the Vice Provost for University Life: 898-6081 Hillel Foundation: 898-7391 Office of the Chaplin: 898-8456 Newman Center: 898-7878 Christian Association: 898-1530 University Police Special Services: 898-6600 Reach-A-Peer Hotline: 573-2RAP Residential Living: 898-3547 Sari Fogel is a staff psychiatrist for the Student Health Service.