Myths about suicide keep facts hidden

By Lindsey Alpert

Daily Staff Reporter

As finals week approaches, students may feel more pressure, anxiety and stress. But although it is often thought that suicide rates tend to be higher for college students, especially during final exams, this is a myth.

"Suicide is not higher than other young adults that are not in college," said Cheryl King, an associate professor of psychiatry.

In fact, the suicide rate of college students is actually lower than young people of the same age. According to data collected by the American Association of Suicidology in 1997 from coroner reports, the suicide rate for 15 to 24 year olds is 13.2 percent of the population. The suicide rate of college students at 12 large universities was half of this rate.

The study also reported that most suicides occur during February, March and October.

Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said there have been far more attempts than deaths at the University in the last nine years.

"There were 90 attempts from 1991 to 1999, and nine that succeeded," Brown said. "There were two suicides in 1999 - one was a student and one was a patient."

Of the 90, 51 were students and 10 were staff members.

During finals week on December 16. 1997, a 21-year-old male student from Korea died after falling from a upper-level window of the Dennison building. Friends and advisors said the student had a long history of mental illness and didn't necessarily commit suicide because of academic pressure.

Brown said the data only includes attempts that occurred on University property or involved the Department of Public Safety.

"The ratio of attempted to completed is higher in young people," King said. "Girls are three times more likely than boys to attempt suicide."

Although females are more likely to attempt suicide, males are much more likely to actually kill themselves because they tend to use more violent methods. Currently, fire arms are the most common suicide method.

The fact that males complete the majority of suicides contributes to the myth that suicide rates are higher among university students. Previous studies examined single-sites, including Harvard, Yale and the University of California at Berkeley, which consisted of predominately male students and compared them with the mixed-gender population.

"Stress can be one factor in the matrix, but more than 90 percent of adolescents and young adults have serious identifiable mental disorders or psychopathology," King said. "That's why we recommend the early recognition, identification and treatment of a mental disorder."

King said friends and family can look for previous suicide attempts, talk of suicide, moodiness, hopelessness, withdrawal from activities and people and increases in drug and alcohol use as warning signs of depression or suicide.

"Suicide is kind of the last resort someone gets to when they are feeling hopeless, and ending their life is the only way out of it," said Audrey Kim, a psychologist at Counseling and Psychiatric Services. "People get to that point in so many different ways. Giving them an opportunity to talk about those feelings is helpful."

College students have many resources to turn to when feeling suicidal or hopeless.

"We have a 24-hour crisis line and people can also walk in," said Jody Ebert, spokesperson for the SOS Community Crisis Center in Ypsilanti. "We use an empathy model, focus on their feelings and help them identify their feelings. The most important thing is just having someone listen."

Many people believe that bringing up suicide with an individual will prompt them to consider suicide, but there is no evidence to prove this.

"They (family and friends) should talk with them calmly, listen and support them to assist them in getting professional help," King said. "Many of the reasons that people commit suicide are treatable."

- To talk to someone for help:

Counseling and Psychiatric Services - 764-8312

SOS Community Crisis Center - 485-3222

Ozone House - 662-2222

Psychiatric Emergency Services - 996-4747

n People who commit suicide always leave a note.

n People talk about suicide only to get attention.

n There is no risk of suicide after a person's emotional state improves.

n People commit suicide without warning.

n Discussing suicide can cause someone to take his or her life.

Source: American Association of

Suicidology Website

www.suicidology.org