Suicide Prevention

By Emmett Roman
Staff Reporter

Suicide Prevention Month takes place every September. It is a time dedicated to raising awareness and honoring those who have lost their lives to suicide. However, that doesn’t mean that prevention should come to a stop. There are many resources available to students online through LCC’s counseling services.

LCC provides all students with counseling services as part of their tuition fees. These resources are helpful because they provide support to students who may be struggling, and does not feel comfortable reaching out to others.

Jim Owens, a counselor and Academic Senator at LCC, discussed the resources that LCC provides. “I’ll start by saying that Lansing Community College takes the mental health of our students (and our faculty and staff) very seriously and considers supporting their well-being a top priority,” Owens said. LCC employs a team of licensed professional counselors who regularly work with students experiencing all kinds of mental distress, including suicidal ideation. “The counselors are also trained to provide crisis intervention and treatment for depression, panic, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, as well as a host of other issues. We do some aspect of suicide prevention nearly every day with the students we meet with regularly; it’s that common.”

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for 15–29-year-olds here in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, over 720,000 people die per year to suicide. There are many different ways as well to help someone who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are five specific ways:

1. ASK: “Are you thinking about suicide?” It’s not an easy question to ask, but it can help start a conversation.
2. BE THERE: Listening without judgment is key to learning what the person is thinking and feeling.
3. HELP KEEP THEM SAFE: Reducing access to highly lethal items or places can help prevent suicide. Asking the person if they have a plan and making lethal means less available or less deadly can help the person stay safe when suicidal thoughts arise.
4. HELP THEM CONNECT: Connecting the person with the crisis hotline linked earlier and other community resources can give them a safety net when they need it. You can also help them reach out to a trusted family member, friend, spiritual advisor, or mental health professional.
5. FOLLOW UP: Staying in touch with the person after they have experienced a crisis or been discharged from care can make a difference.

Some advice that Owens shared to students is to not treat suicide as a taboo topic. “Life presents challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming, and many people experience moments of despair when they are in crisis. It’s not uncommon that people consider suicide in such situations,” Owens said. “What we don’t want to do is shame someone for considering it. What we want to be able to do is talk openly and nonjudgmentally with those who are so that we can help them see a plethora of other options to resolve their distress. The ability to talk openly about suicidal thoughts with trusted people can make a life-saving difference.”

Owens emphasized the importance of taking any mention of suicide seriously and to get professional help right away. “Most people who are suicidal are open to receiving help. You can connect them with help through many different resources.”

Resources available:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call 988
• National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 1-800-626-HELP (4357)
• Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis support in the U.S.

These resources are also linked on LCC’s Counseling Services website.