University Housing is not immune to this trend. In the last few years University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus Police have taken six service calls that were deemed possible suicide attempts—two of which took place in the Sandburg Halls.

With 42 percent of college students admitting to “feeling too depressed to function,” it is no wonder that suicide is the third leading cause of death among college-age students. According to a survey administered by the American College Health Association, 9.4 percent of those who responded said they’d “seriously considered suicide.”

University Housing is not immune to this trend. In the last few years, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus Police have taken six service calls that were deemed possible suicide attempts, two of which took place in the Sandburg Halls.

This may not seem like a staggering statistic, but it’s still no trivial matter, especially since suicide is preventable.

In a survey conducted at the University of Michigan, 39 percent of students said that finishing school was a suicide deterrent, but that’s still not enough. There are many telltale signs that someone is seriously depressed and perhaps suicidal.

According to a pamphlet entitled “Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student,” emotional and behavioral cues like crying spells, difficulty concentrating, increased social isolation, preoccupation with death, hopelessness, poor self care, a sense of worthlessness, irritability, mood swings, change in eating habits, giving away valued possessions, a previous attempt, substance abuse, sudden, unexplained recovery from depression and activities such as buying a gun or asking for sedatives can be a tip off.

There are also verbal warning signs: sentiments like “My family would be better off without me,” “I wish I were dead,” “If happens I’m going to kill myself” or other phrases that denote a wish to die are definite warning signs that should not be ignored.

However, suicidal risk is “based on a constellation of clues, not just observing any one clue.” And if you should happen to be concerned about a friend or suitemate, it is advised by the Norris Health Center’s Web site, that you “express your concerns openly, and that you encourage your friend to seek help or at the very least discuss how they are feeling, and follow up by gently asking if they have taken any positive action.”

If the person doesn’t respond to promptings, know when to back off—pushing too hard won’t help, so the next advisable step is to “contact a counselor or advisor for guidance on how to handle the situation.”

For counseling, the best places to call are the Norris Health Center (414-229-4716), University Police (414-229-9911 or 911 for a real emergency) or the Milwaukee County Crisis Line (414-257-7260), which is open 24/7.

Most importantly, never give up on the person, overreact or take on more than you can handle yourself. Suicide and depression are extremely serious situations and should never be down-played or ignored.

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