Suicide Awareness Month | Graphic by by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
September is national suicide prevention month, a time to highlight the importance of prioritizing mental health. For college students, this is especially an important time to raise awareness as the back-to-school season can be very stressful and is often plagued by great change.
College mental health: triggers & preventative measures
The month of September is dedicated to suicide prevention, and raising awareness to those struggling with mental health issues and those who know someone struggling.
College is a major life adjustment, making areas of a student's life that once felt familiar and comfortable new and scary. Without proper guidance on how to handle major life changes, students often fall victim to the dangers of poor mental health and the issues that follow with this.
The ability to recognize mental health triggers and the best way to deal with a crisis could save a life.
Young people are especially susceptible to the many triggers of stress, anxiety and depression, all of which can lead to suicidal thoughts. The many transitional phases experienced and uncertainty of the future makes college students at risk for poor mental health.
“44% of students reported symptoms of depression, 37% reported anxiety disorders and 15% reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year—the highest recorded rates in the history of the 15-year-old survey,” a 2021 study, taken by 96,000 U.S. college student, reports.
Having access to resources and becoming more educated on prevention methods and mental health is important to improving the quality of life on campus and learning to navigate times of crisis.
Counseling and Wellness Services
Wright State University is spreading the importance of mental health this month and next through new and established measures.
WSU’s Counseling and Wellness Services works hard to provide mental health services to students. CWS offers individual and group counseling, psychiatry services and limited psychological testing services.
WSU prioritizes affordability, with services included in students’ bills each semester for $20. For this amount, students can attend one-on-one services, group therapy, walk-in/crisis services and more. A full list of services can be found on CWS’s online page.
The Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Emergencies page provided by CWS lists campus, national and self-help resources to those in a crisis. Campus resources vary from Raider Cares’ 24 hour crisis line, in-person counseling and contact information for university police.
The numbers for effective national resources are listed on CWS’s page as well. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline, Trevor Project and crisis text lines are included so students are aware of the many options for an emergency.
CWS is dedicated to keeping students informed on the many factors that contribute to mental health issues and suicidal thoughts.
Information sheets, workshops and self-help checklists are provided on common mental health disorders including anxiety, depression and eating disorders for those interested in a self-help approach in 053 Student Union and online.
Mental Health Task Force
On Aug. 28, Provost Amy Thompson announced the Mental Health First Aid Training programs that will be taken by WSU employees.
The program will be conducted by the Health and Wellness Task Force in efforts to incorporate mental health support to students in a class setting.
Barb Marsh, Director of CWS, talked about the mission of the Health and Wellness Task Force.
“The Health and Wellness Task Force consists of a comprehensive and collaborative group of individuals across [WSU] who will implement policy, systems and environmental change strategies,” Marsh said.
The task force aims to promote positive student and employee mental and physical health, and also address substance misuse.
The Mental Health Training Program became a requirement to be taken by all WSU employees in Jan. 2024, with training offered throughout the year.
The latest training session took place on Sept. 7, and aimed to be a comprehensive guide on navigating mental health issues and how to deal with emergencies.
“This program aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to provide crucial support to individuals who may be experiencing mental health challenges,” Provost Thompson said.
More specifically, the program is a course, which teaches employees to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
“It helps us to also engage in conversations and help support engaging in conversations about mental health and reduce that stigma around mental health,” Marsh said.
Continued prioritization is important to WSU in creating a safe environment in which students and faculty can speak openly about mental health. With more funding, the university hopes to further increase resources and even offer training sessions to students.
Additionally, Provost Thompson announced that WSU is to celebrate World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10. Faculty is encouraged to incorporate mental health support activities and sessions in class on this day.
Montgomery County resources
Montgomery County offers many accessible online and in-person resources to anyone in need of counseling or additional forms of mental health care. College students commonly face the issue of the high financial costs associated with therapy and treatment.
Montgomery County’s National Alliance on Mental Illness is dedicated to providing the community with free mental health support, online groups, resources and education.
“Dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with mental illness and their families through support, education and advocacy,” the website’s mission statement reads.
NAMI offers many resources for the community including preventative measures and crisis lines.
A comprehensive list of resources, which explains each organization and lists contact information, can be found on NAMI’s website, allowing people to choose a resource that would be most beneficial.
Breaking the stigma
To further the mission of suicide prevention, the stigma associated with mental illness needs to be broken.
Talking about mental health struggles often appears uncomfortable and intimidating. Engaging more frequently in conversations about health and wellness is crucial to normalizing mental health struggles, rather than making an individual feel isolated.
As a family member, friend or peer, being educated on what to do if someone is having a crisis or is displaying symptoms of mental illness is a useful skill to have.
CWS provides extensive information which explains how to support a student who requires support. Information on properly engaging in conversation with the student and what action is required depending on the severity of the situation is provided on CWS’s page.
Marsh explained that breaking the stigma is a group effort, which involves creating a “culture of caring,” and continuing to increase mental health awareness in all environments.
“If we can increase people having the conversation, that will help reduce stigma, and it will help people to feel more comfortable to talk about it and also to access resources when they need them,” Marsh said.
Education and awareness are crucial to getting to the root of the issue with individuals’ mental health. Through proper knowledge and increased awareness, WSU and the surrounding communites continue to further the mission to prevent suicide and enhance mental health.
