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Suicide Awareness at Assumption

Quick Links:
Why suicide?
Warning Signs
What can you do?
Assumption College resources
Community Resources

Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection selection on depression

Why Suicide? (top)

There is no simple answer as to why people choose to kill themselves. Usually, the emotional upset is so great that the person "just wants to stop the pain." The psychological distress seems so unbearable that solutions other than suicide recede into the background of the mind.

Usually a combination of events leads a person to believe that suicide is the only way out. One common thread is that the person feels hopeless about life. Feelings of hopelessness and of low self-esteem can have many causes:

• Breaking up of a close relationship with a loved one or difficulties in interpersonal relationships with family or close friends.
• Worry about grades and concerns about failure or doing less well than one hoped or expected. The strains of intense competition for high achievement can be overwhelming.
• Concerns over physical appearance and personal attractiveness (or lack of it).
• Loss of "support systems" or "emotional safety." New students often have difficulty finding friends and colleagues in their new environment; consequently, they experience a sense of loss and alienation.
• Pessimistic feelings about the future and meeting one's goals, together with an enormous sense of unhappiness.
• The compounding and disorienting effects of drugs and/or alcohol.
• Above all, just feeling lonely and isolated, abandoned and alone.

Warning Signs (top)

Suicide is a desperate cry for help. Usually that "cry" is preceded by clues or warning signs that indicate an individual is considering suicide as a way out. Recognizing these warning signs is the key to prevention.

Warning Signs
When someone:

• Implies that he or she will not be around in the future
• Gives away prized personal possessions
• Has purchased or acquired a rope or gun
• Exhibits extreme self-dissatisfaction frequently due to loss (of a loved one, self-esteem, employment, health and /or money)
• Has accumulated a large supply of pills
• Exhibits personality and behavior changes
• Falls into periods of deep depression
• No longer cares about school, work or social activities
• Talks a lot about death, dying, and life after death possibilities
• Shows a marked lack of energy or enthusiasm
• Isolates him or herself from friends and family

You should realize that almost no one commits suicide without letting others know how they are feeling. Also, many suicides occur just when the individual seems to be getting better. The person then has the energy and means to turn suicidal thoughts into action.

What Can You Do? (top)

Become aware of others around you. Take time to listen; the simple act of showing you care can make the difference between a person attempting suicide or seeking help. Learn to recognize the subtle clues and warning signs of the troubled individual. When you suspect someone is suicidal or in need, contact an expert who can provide practical, knowledgeable aid.

One good rule is not to take full responsibility by yourself, but find the best possible other resources that can help the troubled person.

Experts in suicide prevention have learned that suicidal feelings are temporary. Crises can be resolved; help is available.

The suicidal crisis is usually not what the person thinks it is - a crisis of abandonment or emotional pain. In reality, it is a crisis of unclear thinking, and can be helped by psychological, psychiatric and social treatment. A good rule of life is: Never do any serious, irreversible act while you are upset.

If you suspect that someone you know is suicidal, don't be afraid to talk about it. The clues you may be hearing or seeing are often an unconscious invitation for you to help.

Assumption College Resources (top)

Student Development & Counseling Center
Monday through Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed from 12:00 - 1 p.m. for lunch
Phone: 508-767-7409

Student Health Services
Phone: 508-767-7329

Campus Ministry
Phone: 508-767-7419

Campus Security
Phone: 508-767-7225

Community Resources (top)

Emergency-Police-Ambulance
911

Emergency Mental Health Services
U Mass Memorial
508-856-3562

American Suicide Survival Line
(Toll free) 1-888-784-2433

Poison
Mass. Poison Information Center
Help is available.
(Toll free) 1-800-682-9211

Samaritans Framingham
1-508-875-4500

Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection selection on depression

Remember: The suicidal crisis is temporary. "Unbearable" pain can be survived.

Help is available. You are not alone.