Preventing Suicide

Suicide is a needless & permanent solution to short-term problems.

These are some of the reasons why people consider suicide:

  • You may want relief from painful circumstances, or external pressure.
  • You may feel you have to do something huge in order to be taken seriously.
  • You may want to communicate to others just how bad things feel.
  • You may want desperately to control the loss of a relationship.
  • You may not recognize any options or that this crisis will end in time.

Your situation may be that you have:

  • Lost or fear that you will lose a relationship.
  • Been rejected by someone you really want to be in your life.
  • Had a real blow to your self esteem.
  • Been telling yourself that you're bad and want to punish yourself.
  • Strong reactions to change in your family, in where you live, in status.
  • Lost a friend or family member through illness, accident, or suicide.
  • Feelings of worthlessness, alienation, loneliness, homesickness, anger.
  • Confusing thoughts which interfere with life, with sleep, with school.

Suicidal thoughts are not uncommon among college students. You may be:

  • Tall or short, attractive or plain, an easy-study student or a study slave, a leader or a loner, a male or a female, loud or quiet, aggressive or compliant, popular or unpopular.
  • Lost inside yourself right now; uninvolved with others.
  • Moody, grouchy, like you're on an emotional roller coaster.

Twelve things that YOU can remember and do that will help:

  1. Suicidal thoughts can be useful signals that you want your life to be different---not that you don't want to live.
  2. Contact one of the crisis resource numbers listed at the end of this page.
  3. Be with other people whom you enjoy; avoid "downer" people.
  4. Reach out to the safest person you can find---an RD, RA, instructor, brother, sister, mother, father, minister, old friend. Let the person know how you're feeling and that you need to talk.
  5. Be sure you get plenty of rest; if you're having trouble sleeping, cut out coffee, soft drinks with caffeine, tea. Take a warm shower/bath before going to bed. If noise bothers you, get soft ear plugs from a pharmacist; do deep muscle relaxation.
  6. Avoid dangerous situations. (ALCOHOL is very dangerous because it depresses your controls and messes up your judgment; mixing alcohol and pills can permanently damage your brain, liver, nervous system).
  7. Think of: a time you felt really good about you; a success; a time you helped someone else; how you've been down before and gotten up again.
  8. Give yourself comfort---warm baths/showers, a good book, music with positive associations. Say to yourself, "I deserve this".
  9. Start writing down your thoughts and feelings in a private journal.
  10. Accept attention, support, praise and rewards---you may be pushing people and good things away; do a nice thing for someone in need.
  11. Try to solve problems and "take care of business" from day to day so your worries don't mount up any higher than they are now; this will also give you a feeling that you are more in control of your life.
  12. Write this note & keep it with you:
    "My suicidal crisis is temporary. Unbearable pain can be survived. Help is available. I am not alone."

Crisis Resources:

  • BSC Counseling Center (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday of academic year) - 508-531-1331
  • Brockton Hospital- 24 hour crisis 508-941-7400
  • Your Residence Hall Director and Assistant
  • BSC Public Safety and Police Services - 911
  • Suicide Hotlines
      
    • Samaritan
      • Boston: 617-247-0220
      • Fall River: 508-673-3777
      • Providence: 401-272-4044 or 1-800-365-4044
          
    • Samariteen
      • Boston: 1-800-252-8336
          
  • Preventing Suicide:  http://www.PeoplePreventSuicide.org/


Last Modified: November 13, 2009