With midterms just past, cold weather finally here and students heading into finals, it can become very easy for students to feel stressed and depressed.

In worst case scenarios, suicide may not be far behind.

According to Suicide.org, untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college students.

“It’s not an epidemic,” said DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen. Povlsen has been working with the Ben Gordon Center, 12 Health Services Drive, going to area schools and giving speeches on suicide awareness for over 20 years.

Suicide can happen anywhere at any time, Povlsen said, and he’s had personal experience with the issue.

“My uncle committed suicide when I was younger,” Povlsen said.

Although it did not shape his career path, Povlsen believes his uncle’s mental illness could have been treated before it ended his life.

“Back 40 years ago, we didn’t have a great outpatient facility compared to what the Ben Gordon Center has now,” Povlsen said.

According to Mental Health America, about 1,088 suicides occur on college campuses per year.

There are many reasons that go along with thoughts of suicide and completed suicides in students. Some of the reasons are new and unfamiliar environment, academic and social pressures, feeling of failure, inadequate coping abilities and difficulty adjusting to new demands and different workloads, according to a fact sheet by the American Association of Suicidology.

In his presentations, Povlsen stresses the importance of looking for warning signs.

Some of them include an individual withdrawing from family and friends, along with feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, strong anger or rage, excessive guilt or shame and feeling trapped in a situation.

Students or individuals plagued with thoughts of suicide have help available on-campus or off-campus. NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center, located in Campus Life Building Suite 200, has a number of support and discussion groups available, including Healing Huskies, a group designed to help students cope with loss of various kinds.

Mental health counseling for adults of the Ben Gordon Center can be reached at 815-756-4875.
National hot lines are available at 1-800-SUICIDE and 1-800-273-TALK.

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