Suicide a serious issue during college years
She heard the news from a friend on her ride home for Thanksgiving break and fell down sobbing as soon as she got home.
The friend Jennifer Thurgood had seen every day in high school was gone – found asphyxiated in her car after letting it run in her family’s garage, allowing exhaust fumes to take her life.
“When she committed suicide, everyone was shocked,” said Thurgood, a senior in food science. “She was an amazing performer, writer and people person. No one would have ever guessed.”
Thurgood said Natalie (whose name has been changed) was in a couple of advanced choir groups with her and they became good friends during early morning and after-school practices. They traveled together during high school trips to Disneyland and performed Christmas music throughout December as a group.
Natalie was involved in drama, the yearbook and newspaper and had her poetry published online. When she died, she was in the middle of her sophomore year of college; she was young and it seemed life was going her way.
“It was a great loss,” Thurgood said. “She was a wonderful person and a wonderful life was wasted and it didn’t have to be.”
According to the National Mental Health Association, in 1998, suicide was the eighth-leading cause of death for all Americans, the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24 and second-leading killer in the college population.
About one or two suicides happen at USU each year, said Mark Nafziger, a psychologist in the USU Counseling Center. Although the number is lower here than many universities, suicide is still a serious issue.
“We’ve had students try to hang themselves or attempt to overdose on drugs,” said Capt. Steve Milne of the university police. He said whenever officers are alerted of suicide, they immediately arrive with medical personnel. If the person has not succeeded in taking his/her life, police try to work through the problem and hopefully help the situation.
Nafziger said thinking about suicide is common and is one symptom of a major depressive disorder. While some people clearly intend to kill themselves, others are crying for help, he said, and they have had painful experiences and want to communicate. It’s not unusual to hear people say they wish they were dead or that they want a way out, he added.
If a friend seems severely depressed, Nafziger suggests talking and suggesting counseling. Of the suicides that have happened at USU, very few of them were clients at the Counseling Center, he noted.
“Tell them you are really concerned. Sometimes people think they shouldn’t ask or they think they might be giving them ideas,” he said. “But if suicide is conceivable to them, most will be relieved to talk about it.”
Thurgood said if friends see that a loved one is really down, don’t leave them alone and try to get them help. She suggests being a good listener and trying to figure out and understand the root of the problem.
Some possible reasons behind suicide include depression or family problems, such as divorce or marital instability. Significant loss can also draw a person into suicidal thoughts. Some may have lost a loved one, their health or their respect. Breakups can also lead some to severe depression and suicide. Others may feel extreme pressure to succeed and won’t accept failure.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, many college students feel a mix of the stress of academic demands, being on their own, finances and life after graduation.
Nafziger said students should look for signs or dramatic changes in their friends, including verbal threats of suicide, substance abuse or unusual purchases, such as weapons or ropes. A person who loves to be social may suddenly become secluded or lose interest in favorite hobbies.
“People who attempt suicide are those who are feeling intense emotional pain and feel hopeless. They don’t see a way out,” Nafziger said. “Thinking gets very negative and they don’t see things getting better.”
Four of five people give clear warning signs before attempting or committing suicide, according to a 2003 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thurgood said she heard Natalie had been extra happy the week before she died and was talking to people she hadn’t seen in a long time. Sometimes it will be hard to see if anything is wrong.
“People may have no idea,” she said. “[Natalie] was involved in drama and had the ability to hide her feelings. So, maybe rather than dealing with them, she decided to hide them.”
Thurgood said there were many people came to Natalie’s funeral that knew her from high school and college, such as from her choir groups and other social activities. Thurgood said it was hard for everyone, adding that they felt like they should have been able to help her.
“When something like this happens, it makes you realize that it’s real. It can happen even when you’re young,” she said. “And it doesn’t diminish how much you care about that person. It makes you care more because you realize it didn’t have to happen. It didn’t have to be that way.”
For students who are feeling down and want to talk to someone, the Counseling Center is open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is located in the TSC in Room 306. Call 797-1012 and talk with or schedule an appointment with a counselor. Nafziger also suggests talking to friends, religious leaders or parents.
For psychological emergencies after hours, students can call the USU police at 797-1939 and they will contact a member of the Counseling Center at home.
-mnewbold@cc.usu.edu