Courtesy of Suicide.org
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. Nearly 1,100 suicides will occur on college campuses this year.
The number one cause of suicide for college students and for all suicides is untreated depression. In a 2009 survey of 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students at 70 U.S. institutions con- ducted by David Drum, a professor of education psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, students were asked about suicidal thoughts. The survey defined considering suicide as having at least one episode of suicidal thinking at some point. Slightly more than half of students responded that they fit that category, and recent reports show that suicide among college students is on the rise. Darryl Stephens, a former Mt. SAC student and former Mountie football player, com- mitted suicide in May 2009. Stephens died from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to reports.
According to the American Psychological Association of Boston, more than half of American college students have considered suicide at some point in their lives.
Suicidal thoughts and tendencies stem from many social and psychological stressors. College students face issues of racism, bullying, gender, inadequacy, sexuality, societal stigmas, rape, divorce, domestic violence, postpartum depression, and economic difficulties.
According to the American College Health Association’s 2006 National College Health Assessment, 94 percent of college and university students surveyed reported that they felt overwhelmed by everything that they had to do. Forty-four percent responded that they had felt so depressed that it was difficult to function. Eighteen percent of students surveyed had a depressive disorder.
Josue Velasquez, 23, anthropology major, was diagnosed with depression in 2010. He admits to “cutting” in high school, but stopped. Velasquez said that cutting offered momentary relief and became something that was soothing to him, but his depression did not subside and eventually he turned to thoughts of suicide.
“I think that last year was the worst for me with regards to my depression. It will be two years this January that I tried to overdose on a whole bottle of anti-depressants. I left, I just left, I was gone, I just left my mind,” Velasquez said. Velasquez spoke openly about difficulties at home contributing to his battle with depression. “My mother and I just couldn’t come to terms with our differences, my [gay] lifestyle and her religion,” Velasquez said. “It was probably one of the darkest times of my life, I was really starting to hate myself and my life.”
In January 2010, Velasquez reached out to a professor during his attempted suicide and the professor alerted authorities. Velasquez was taken to a nearby hospital where his stomach was pumped. After the incident, he returned home. In November 2010 he resumed cutting. Velasquez sought help from Mt. SAC Student Health Services prior to his suicide attempt. “I went one time but I didn’t really like it. They consulted with me only one time and then they said that they would send me somewhere else.”
Velasquez also reached out to one of his professors when he resumed cutting.
“I reached out to her because I was losing control, I just couldn’t deal with it and I trusted her. She told me to go back to student health services so I went and they kept me there and called a crisis team from L.A. County. I waited for two to three hours. I just sat in silence and waited.” Velasquez was told that he needed to be transported off campus for observation and was given an ultimatum that exacerbated his fears. “When they came I was afraid, but mostly concerned. They told me that I had one of two options, that they would arrest me for trying to hurt myself or that I could be transported to a county hospital.”
After being transferred to a mental institution in Los Angeles, Velasquez said he felt isolated, fearful, more uncertain, and that he was given the opposite of the help that he needed. “I was really uncomfortable, the white robes, the really long hallways, the really dark rooms, the flickering lights, and people roaming the halls that were mentally disabled. I just wanted someone to talk to about my sexuality and my home life, it didn’t work out the way I thought it would.”
Velasquez remained institutionalized for over two weeks.
Velasquez’ professor, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect her student, said she is un- comfortable sending students in a mental health crisis to health services on campus.
“Seeing what happened to Josue has made me think twice. He was locked up and drugged, and then set free with no follow up help and no financial support to continue his medication. How is this help?” she said.
As for Velasquez, he said he is doing better now.
“I don’t think I’ll ever attempt to hurt myself again. I have taught myself to come to terms with my family. I do have my sister’s support and I think it’s finally my time to be happy. It took a long time to finally accept myself so I wouldn’t hurt myself again.”
As a member of LAMBDA the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Alliance on campus, Velasquez has found a community of support and a voice to speak openly about serious issues affecting students. Velasquez hopes to transfer to UC Berkeley. He has applied twice and has successfully been accepted twice but cannot afford the cost of attendance. He also was accepted to USC along with several other colleges.
According to The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a new task force to address suicide prevention efforts within the high risk population of the Lesbian Bisexual Gay Transgender community was formally added in 2010.
Mercury Castle, a 20-year-old aerospace engineering major, struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. Castle is a transgender woman, a person who was born a biological male but identifies as a female. In an effort to find help for depressive thoughts associated with the stigma of not being accepted by social norms, Castle went to student health services on campus for help.
“After meeting with a therapist I explained my situation about needing help in finding information or resources for transgender individuals, and basically the counselor explained to me that I would be offered short term therapy and that we would only be meeting one more time because it would take way too long for someone in my situation to go through counseling at Mt. SAC and they didn’t have the resources for it.”
Castle does not have the support of her family who believe she can be changed through conversion therapy.
“Both of my parents are aware that I identify with being transgender but they refuse to accept this.”
For Castle the lure of suicide is very real.
“The reason I went to therapy in the first place was to try and work out my depression for transgender issues. The only way that I can put it is that when I hit rock bottom, I picked out a nice building to jump off of, it’s 20 stories tall, it’s the Wells Fargo building off of Grand and the 10 freeway.”
Though Castle’s journey for help and education on transgender life and coping is a lonely one, she offers a message of hope.
“I hope that with the next generation of transgenders, people will be more aware and take things more seriously. If someone says something is wrong and they want to talk maybe someone will listen. If I choose to take my life, that’s my decision but if I hope someone else doesn’t have to. I hope other individuals don’t have to go through the things I’ve gone through.”
Sandra Samples, director of student health services, explained the protocol from start to finish for students who approach the health services department regarding a suicidal student.
“The person is assessed to determine urgency. If the situation is urgent, immediate attention is provided by a therapist, psychologist or RN, depending on availability. If the situation cannot be diffused, community crisis teams are contacted for further evaluation of the need for hospitalization. If the situation is non-urgent or it is diffused, arrangements are made for followup care either in the Health Center, community agencies, or the person’s provider.”
According to Livier Martinez, licensed clinical social Worker at Mt. SAC, suicide education is available to all faculty and staff to recognize symptoms and early warning signs in students. She explained:
“QPR, Question, Persuade, Refer, is a gatekeeper training aimed to increase awareness and educate public. Here on campus we use it for staff and faculty to increase awareness, knowledge, and a preventative approach to pick up any red flags about suicide intent, it is not a training for them to become the therapist or for them to intervene in terms of stopping.”
According to the student health services department, Mt. SAC does offer suicide prevention events and seminars specifically for students. Velasquez’s professor said she is unaware of any training.
“Since being hired at Mt. SAC, I have never received any kind of training on how to deal with students in crisis.”
Joan Sholars, professor of math, had the same experience.
“I have been teaching here for 23 years and I have never had suicide prevention or awareness training, nor have I been offered one.”
Maryann Tolano-Leveque, director of student life, shared her concern for students contemplating suicide.
“If we hear of an attempted suicide that’s reported to our office we send the student a letter saying that we want to talk to you and make sure you’re okay,” she said. “And then I would meet the student and ask if everything is okay, if he or she is getting help, what’s going on, if they’re getting help. We try to intervene making sure they have resources and help to make them get through whatever they are going through.”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $6.2 million in grants to 21 colleges and universities this year to assist in their efforts to prevent suicide and enhance mental health services for students in crisis. Mt. SAC is a grant recipient this year. According to the SAMHSA website, the college has been awarded $100,868 for the 2011 school year.
Samples explained how the grant funds are distributed: “The grant funds support staff to provide outreach activities, primarily suicide prevention training, to key faculty, staff, and students. The ultimate goal is to increase mental health awareness and outreach efforts on campus.”
Students can find out about health services on campus at: www.mtsac.edu/students/health-center/faq.html.
- Sonia Ross, Joanne Angulo, Susy Hernandez
Copy Editor, A&E Editor, Multiculture Editor
I learned in my Psychology for Effective Living that more women will attempt suicide but are ineffective, but it is men who actually complete the act.