At the Center for Student Wellness, we are incredibly dedicated to providing the necessary education on mental wellness and suicidality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared suicide a public health concern in the United States and defines a suicide attempt as any harmful behavior a person engages in with the intent to end their life.
Unfortunately, suicide is the third leading cause of death amongst college students. As this year’s Chair for Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month (SPAM), I hope we can collectively spread awareness and compassion with the goal of facilitating access to mental health resources throughout campus. Our theme is #BeThere for each other.
Suicide prevention requires community effort. Lack of support systems and knowledge of wellness resources can severely impact one’s mental health. Various marginalized groups are also disproportionately impacted by suicide, such as those who identify as LGBT, BIPOC, people with disabilities, and more. In Utah, young people are particularly affected by suicidal ideation. Utah's suicide rate has consistently been above that of the national rate. In 2019, Utah had the 6th highest age-adjusted suicide rate in the U.S. For this reason, we are committed to serving all members of our campus student body and improving education surrounding suicide prevention.
Some of the upcoming SPAM events led by our Peer Health Educators and THEM Ambassadors include the ‘Coping & Community’ visual display in the Union Lobby, a social media raffle on ‘Healthy Coping Strategies,’ a guest speaker event on suicide in partnership with the University Counseling Center & COE, a Stress Care workshop, STI/HIV testing, a calming mantras activity, and a Suicide Prevention Awareness Education panel led by mental health experts. More information will be posted to our instagram account @uofuwellness!
There are many warning signs that may indicate suicidality. Some of these include: self-isolation, hopelessness, feeling like a burden to others, excess or lack of sleep, increase in use of alcohol or other substances, talking about wanting to die, and increased anxiety of recklessness.
You are not alone.
Asking for support is brave.
Please reach out if you or anyone you know is in need of help.
Below are some mental health resources available to students:
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org
Dial 988 - University Counseling Center
https://counselingcenter.utah.edu/
801-581-6826 - Mental Health First Responders (MH1)
https://mh1.utah.edu/
385-321-5356
Fall Hours: Sun-Wed 4 p.m.-2 a.m. | Thurs-Sat 12-10 p.m. - SafeUT
safeut.org/
833-372-3388
Download the app - Women’s Resource Center
womenscenter.utah.edu/
801-581-8030
#BeThere for each other.