College Student Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, and Support

Introduction: The Scope of College Student Suicide

Roughly 1,100 suicides occur on college campuses each year, making suicide the second most common cause of death among college students. One in twelve college students have made a suicide plan at some point during their college career, making suicide ideation as critical a concern as suicide attempts themselves. The reasons behind a college student's suicide attempt vary widely. Feelings of failure, decreased academic performance, stress from a new environment, depression, and the general pressures of college all can generate significant anxiety. Having the responsibility of resident assistant training, I recognize it is critical to analyze the reasons behind college student suicides and explore ways we can help prevent them.

Academic Pressure and Stress as Risk Factors

Every college student experiences stress, and most can attest to the pressure that classes and the expectation to perform well bring. A tragic example of what this pressure can cause is the story of Madison Holleran, a college freshman who committed suicide. Madison was a soccer and track star who appeared happy and successful to many, but her parents soon realized how the stress of college academics and campus life was affecting her. Her father later stated that her death was linked to the "stress" of maintaining good grades at an Ivy League school. The question we must ask ourselves is: How much stress is sufficient to push seemingly successful college students to consider and then commit suicide?

College students across the country consider suicide as a means of relief from the pressure and tension that college brings. Resident assistants are positioned to provide support to anyone who may need it. One of the main challenges many RAs face is being able to recognize when a resident is struggling and to intervene at the critical moment. Early detection and thoughtful response can be lifesaving.

Trauma, Assault, and Acute Crisis

While the buildup of college stress can lead a student to consider or attempt suicide, a sudden incident such as assault can also trigger a suicide attempt. Campuses have been shaken by such tragedies, and recent events have forced communities to confront what has happened and what must happen next. One student who had been assaulted reported only a foggy memory of the incident and went home to discuss it with her parents. The question becomes: What thoughts may follow such a trauma, and how high is the risk of suicidal ideation?

The connection between traumatic incidents and suicide tells us that we must interact with and support victims of assault with great care and sensitivity. We have no way of knowing what thoughts may be going through that person's mind, and there is a highly probable chance that a trauma survivor may experience suicidal thoughts. Immediate and compassionate intervention, combined with professional mental health support, is essential.

Depression as a Persistent Precursor

Depression among college students is also a major precursor to suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Many college students across the country suffer from depression but choose to keep it private and hidden. One example of this tragedy involves a college senior who committed suicide despite having access to counseling resources. This student suffered from depression throughout his college years but kept it hidden from those around him, though his family was aware of his struggles.

The challenge for counselors and peers is that depressed students often hide their symptoms intentionally. One of the pressing issues for campus staff is learning to recognize the symptoms of depression and developing effective ways to help. This is difficult, but a resident assistant who is constantly involved with their residents is often best positioned to notice things that are different or out of the ordinary in residents' lives. It is crucial that RAs know their residents well enough to detect someone who may be suffering from depression and encourage them to seek help.

Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Strategies

From RA training, I learned about three critical components of suicide response: suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Of these three, I believe prevention is the most important and deserves the most focus. Campuses have many resources for students struggling with suicide ideation, but many students do not access them. Research shows that many campus suicide prevention efforts focus on identifying students struggling with mental health concerns and referring them to counseling resources before their treatable problems reach the acute stage of suicide. As an RA, it is crucial that I be able to spot those who may be struggling and help them in any way possible. It is also essential that we talk to incoming freshmen about the signs to look for if a friend or peer is struggling, as well as the tools and resources available to help. With the increase of suicides on college campuses, it is necessary for everyone to be trained so that no one is overlooked or ignored, especially when those suffering are reaching out for help.

When prevention efforts do not work, intervention becomes the only option to help those who are actively considering suicide. The purpose of interventions is to help identified students safely emerge from active suicidality and recover to the point where they are not likely to attempt suicide in the immediate future. As RAs, we are trained to handle certain situations involving someone considering suicide. As an RA, I can call for assistance and will work with the student and other professionals, such as counseling services, to help the student reach a healthy mental state. However, before an intervention can officially occur, someone must be able to spot the signs of someone in crisis. Without knowing if someone is truly considering suicide, nothing can be done to help that person.

Once intervention takes place, postvention—one of the more important follow-up processes—must be implemented. Postvention deals with helping survivors cope with trauma and involves working with all bereaved survivors by offering mental and public health services. It is even more critical when survivors have a history of being traumatized, depressed, or suicidal. Many people do not think about the postvention process, but as an RA it can be crucial to prevent another instance from occurring. As a campus community, we need to ensure that we do not overlook or ignore those who have struggled in the past with suicide ideation, so that person stays in a healthy state of mind.