Suicide On College Campuses

There has been numerous studies that put emphasis on the importance of social support as a cornerstone for an individual’s physical and psychological well-being (Ozbay, Dimoulas, Charney & Southwick, 2007). Lin, Ensel, Simeone and Kuo (1979) defined the term social support as support available to a person from their inner and outer social circles, including family, friends, peers, and the community. Studies have shown the importance of social support as a buffering factor that protects against stress and psychological disorders (Yasin and Dzulkifli, 2010). Ozbay et al. (2007) suggested that fostering positive social support helps in managing stress and reduces psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and others. Whereas lacking in adequate social support makes the individual susceptible to the psychological disorders and unable to cope with stress (Yasin and Dzulkifli, 2010).

Mental health among college students has been proven to be a relevant social issue that our society faces. There are certainly a few different institutions that play a large role within the development of this social issue. The first institution, and the primary institution at play with this issue, is the higher education system. In terms of mental health and having access to resources, college students haven’t always been as lucky as they are today. One study in 2007 explains the story of Junior at Syracuse University (Kravets, 3081). Anita Rutman had a history of mental health issues; she even found herself being admitted to a mental health hospital. One morning in February, she threw herself off of the eighth floor of Boland Hall and landed on a patio and fortunately lived. However, her attempt stemmed from the university sending her letter three days prior that informed Anita that the school was planning to dismiss her because of her suicidal tendencies (Kravets, 3081). Anita later sued Syracuse for ten million dollars for malpractice and negligence in handling her condition.

The suicide worries the authors. Suicide is a cause of death for college students. The authors conces is that the suicide rate can easily increase at the time when the students get easy access to the guns. Skorton and

When you listen to a convicted murderer speak of his drunken, physically abusive father, you don’t blink an eye. You say to yourself, “No wonder he turned out that way. He came from a screwed up household.” It makes perfect sense that children born to violent and cruel parents will feel the impact later in life. That being said, not all parents have to be violent and cruel to do serious damage. Does the term “helicopter parenting” ring a bell? Julie Scelfo of the New York Times references the term in her article, “Suicide on Campus and Pressure of Perfection.” In recent years, “helicopter parenting” has become more and more prevalent in our society. These parents relentlessly hover over their children, micro-managing every choice and decision

In the support group, there were a wide variety of members present during all four sessions. They all came with their diverse characteristics and experiences. The only element of homogeneity in our group was all social work students at Loyola University Chicago. Elements of heterogeneity included gender, as there was only one male in the group. Race was also an element of heterogeneity, since there was a mix of members Caucasian and African-American ethnicities in our group. In terms of educational level, Amy was a master’s level student, and the rest of us were still in our undergraduate careers. It appeared motivation also varied, since several members of the group openly wanted support, while others took a step back and were quieter. I

“Small groups” were identified as “safe” places of connection, support and encouragement, both for mental health concerns and daily emotional struggles.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. Suicide by firearm is the most common method and 90% of the

In the aftermath of a student suicide, I co-founded a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter on campus. We soon encountered obstacles with both the Student Activities Board and Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CPS). We needed the Board’s approval to be recognized as a club. They initially denied our club application citing lack of student interest, but forbid us from holding interest meetings while we are not recognized. They only chartered our club after we submitted an online student petition with hundreds of signatures. The Board also initially denied NAMI funding to train and certify students as facilitators. They believed that peer facilitators were unnecessary as students on campus already have the Counseling and Psychiatric

According to Dipeolu, Jinhee, & Cooper (2007), support group treatment offers many advantages and can enhance the health and sense of well-being. There are several reasons that support group can beneficial those students. Firstly, group provides supportive context for students to discuss adjustment concerns and further

The group chosen for this article was a support group of master?s level social work students that were stressed. The group took place on the campus of Simmons College in a small room with minimal

Group counseling not only allows for members to learn from their therapist, it also allows for them to learn from personal experiences of other members and to gain insights and ideas on the issues they are confronting. Group counseling also helps in improving social skills among the members as they are able to interact freely in and out of the group. This way members can be more confident and open to interactions during the sessions. Group therapy influences growth and change to those involved. Also, it increases their self-awareness and enables them to gain sustenance from each other. Group counseling is also favorable to the therapist as they are able to gain faster and more efficient results for their members by counseling them simultaneously rather than one at a time. Jacobs, Mason, Harvill and Schimmel (2012) describe group counseling

Suicide is not a one victim act. When the victim takes his or her life they are leaving behind people who love and care about them. When a student takes his or her life and their seat is empty in the classroom every student will be affected. It will be nearly impossible to keep the class focused on any lesson when they are missing a part of their

Support groups have an overlapping element that includes a therapeutic effect (Wayne & Cohen 2001). For example, participants may help each other understand why an event

A struggle that comes along to achieve this social interest is trying to figure out where one belongs. Shifron (2010) talked about a man who did everything possible to fit in, and ended up losing close relationships due to his behavior. Once he learned he didn’t have to do that, he started focusing on connecting with others (Shifron, 2010). Feeling close to a group can play an important role, especially when wanting to help others get past tough times. In fact, past research has found that a group member with social interest will volunteer others who are more hesitant to put themselves out there during a session (Dreikurs, 1976). Group members can also be capable in making a fellow member help face his or her issues. At one point during a session, one student revealed a past of abuse as a child. The other students reacted with affection, validation, and even to put some of their own experiences (Boldt & Paul, 2011) To be concerned about others growth, is just another example of how acceptance of a group can encourage that ability to focus on

Lewin’s law of change explains that, it is easier to change individuals formed in groups than to change them separately (Kamininski, 2011). Group support can promote change in individuals and individuals join groups to enhance this change. When a person is experiencing grief, they don’t seek professional advice but would voluntarily seek out a support group. Persons join these voluntary groups where members share their common problem for the purpose of exchanging social support (Forsyth, 2010, p.483). The characteristics of a support group are that they focus on specific problems, encourage members