Being a student in today’s world is difficult enough as it is, especially as the semester comes to a close and dealing with finals and assignments et al. while also dealing with everyday stressors on top of it all. All that said, it can be easy to forget to check in with ourselves and those we love regarding our mental health. Dealing with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, traumatic experiences, and general stressors of life all lead to an increased risk of suicidality and it’s important that we look at what we can do to help deal with such pressing issues in ourselves and in those we care about in our lives.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that about 4.9% of all adults, 11.3% of young adults, and 45% of LGBTQ youths have had serious thoughts of suicide. A study done by Zeifman et al (2021) discusses how suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. The Zeifman et al (2021) article discusses how risk factors such as depression severity, hopelessness, and self-criticism are the most integral risk factors in suicidality amongst college students and generally people 18-25 years of age. That same article discusses how important stable and healthy support systems and reinforced self-compassion are the most important protective factors in suicidality among the same population (Zeifman et al 2021: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1679154). The NAMI website also states warning signs such as withdrawing from friends/social circles, increased alcohol/substance use, as well as aggressive, impulsive, or dramatic behavioral shifts can all be warning signs for suicidality. Again, these warning signs can manifest not only in those we love, but also in ourselves and it is imperative that we try to be aware of these warning signs so that we can try to seek help.

Knowing when and how to seek help as well as how to respond to those seeking help in us is incredibly imperative in lowering the risk of suicidality. Understanding the most common warning signs is a highly useful step in this issue, as well as knowing who to talk to and what to say. Firstly, it is important to be kind to yourself and to not feel as though you need to blame yourself in any way for any negative feelings toward yourself. Once one feels comfortable doing so, it is important to acknowledge when suicidality is present in oneself and if it is possible, reach out to someone who can help such as a loved one, a friend, or a mental health/crisis professional and be open and honest about the feelings being experienced so that others can better understand the issues at hand and be as supportive as possible.

In general, it is important that when talking with those who are dealing with suicidal thoughts or suicidality overall, that we adopt an open mindset in the conversation. What is not helpful in situations of crisis or talking with someone dealing with suicidality would be arguing or rationalizing, saying things like “your life isn’t that bad!” or “I don’t understand what you’re so upset/sad/stressed about”. Instead, it is important to express concern and support and asking more honest, open-ended questions such as “how long have you felt this way?” or “do you have a plan for how you would kill yourself?”. Asking questions such as these and actively listening to the person discuss their circumstances can help the person in crisis feel supported and validated. In order to be the most supportive in these situations, it’s important to express empathy and create a welcoming and supportive environment so that the person in crisis feels as though they can stay calm and hopefully continue towards seeking help.

It’s important to note that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is live 24/7 and is available by phone call or SMS Text messaging, this resource can be invaluable to anyone experiencing suicide risk and crises. Specific to Franklin County, Ohio, ADAMH (https://adamhfranklin.org/find-help/suicide-prevention/) has a call/text line for suicide prevention: 614-221-5445. If you or someone around you is in immediate danger or risk of causing harm do not hesitate to call 911.

Surrounding the topic of reducing stigma and honing skills in addressing suicidality, The Ohio State University offers a suicide prevention training program entitled REACH, information on that can be found here: https://suicideprevention.osu.edu/reach/. Also available from the university are the services provided by Counseling & Consultation Services, whether it be from the embedded clinicians in each College across the university (https://ccs.osu.edu/outreach/embedded-clinicians), providing resources and support directories for not only students, but also faculty, staff, and loved ones (https://ccs.osu.edu/supporting-your-student), and providing an exhaustive list of all the resources available to those in crises situations (https://ccs.osu.edu/need-immediate-assistance). As well, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) website (https://www.ohiospf.org/) has a great deal of valuable resources on dealing with suicidality and prevention, namely this short yet insightful piece on how to discuss suicide with someone in crisis or contemplating suicide: https://www.ohiospf.org/download/how-to-talk-to-someone-about-suicide/, a topic touched on earlier.

For an even more informative exposition on supporting those in mental health crises, The National Council for Mental Wellbeing offers an evidence-based training entitled Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Similar to a CPR First Aid course, the MHFA teaches one to understand the warning signs and risk factors involved in mental health crises and how to assist and support those in need. Click above for more overall information on the course, or here to sign up for a course near you!

Hopefully these resources can help and the stigma surrounding suicide can subside leading to suicidality thus being ameliorated across the board. Part of the issue surrounding the stigma on suicide is that few people are willing to discuss it, perhaps thinking that discussing it will incite or encourage suicidality among those dealing with depression or in those contemplating suicide. The reality of the matter is educating oneself on suicide and depression and the risk and protective factors therein can be imperative in preventing suicide because it leads to us having informed and supportive interactions and relationships with those in crisis or dealing with depression in general. The more we learn about suicide, the more we talk about suicide, the closer we get to ending suicide because we know what to do and how to help those at risk of suicide or otherwise in crisis. Let’s hope we can get better about preventing suicide not only in our circles, but in all of society if we all work together.

Jason Dodson
Peer Professional

Jason Dodson

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (SPAM) which is an important reminder to be thinking about ways stigma surrounding suicide as well as different risk and protective factors in suicidality impact us, our loved ones, and society at large. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website can be a great resource for learning about the many ways to be involved during SPAM as well as in prevention of suicide altogether. More information can be found at their website

The NAMI website (linked above) states that about 4.9% of all adults, 11.3% of young adults, and 45% of LGBTQ youths have had serious thoughts of suicide. A study done by Zeifman et al (2021) discusses how suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. The Zeifman et al (2021) article discusses how risk factors such as depression severity, hopelessness, and self-criticism are the most integral risk factors in suicidality amongst college students and generally people 18-25 years of age. That same article discusses how important stable and healthy support systems and reinforced self-compassion are the most important protective factors in suicidality among the same population (Zeifman et al 2021: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1679154).

It’s also incredibly important to note that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is live 24/7 and is available by phone call or SMS Text messaging, this resource can be invaluable to anyone experiencing suicide risk and crises. Specific to Franklin County, Ohio, ADAMH has a call/text line for suicide prevention: 614-221-5445. As well, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) website has a great deal of valuable resources on dealing with suicidality and prevention, namely this short yet insightful piece on how to discuss suicide with someone in crisis or contemplating suicide: How to Talk to Someone About Suicide.

Surrounding this topic of reducing stigma and honing our own skills in discussing suicidality, The Ohio State University offers a suicide prevention training program entitled REACH, information on that can be found here: https://suicideprevention.osu.edu/reach/. Also available from the university are the services provided by Counseling & Consultation Services, whether it be from the embedded clinicians in each College across the university, providing resources for faculty, staff, and loved ones to support students, or providing an exhaustive list of all the resources available to those in crisis situations.

Hopefully these resources can help, and the stigma surrounding talking about suicide can subside. Part of the issue surrounding the stigma on suicide is that few people are willing to discuss it, perhaps thinking that discussing it will incite or encourage suicidality among those dealing with depression or in those contemplating suicide. The reality of the matter is educating oneself on suicide and depression, and the risk and protective factors therein, can be imperative in preventing suicide because it leads to us having informed and supportive interactions and relationships with those in crisis or dealing with depression in general. The more we learn about suicide, the more we talk about suicide, the closer we get to ending suicide because we know what to do and how to help those at risk of suicide or otherwise in crisis. Let’s hope we can get better about preventing suicide not only in our circles, but in all of society if we all work together.