Grossmont College participates in National Suicide Prevention Week

Above: Juliette Harrington, student health service specialist, displays red bracelet with helpline phone number (888) 724-7240; bottom: Harrington and Romalyn Watson, health promotion specialist with the County of San Diego, show that they are wearing their bracelets while staffing information tables at Griffin Center on Monday, Sept. 9

EL CAJON—There are acute warning signs that indicate someone is seriously contemplating suicide and there are other, more subtle, signs.  Both types were explained at Grossmont College as part of its national Suicide Prevention Week observance.

Health officials report that  one person in the United States dies by suicide every 14.2 minutes, claiming over 38,000 lives each year.  From 2000-2011, suicide took the lives of 4,132 San Diegans.  An estimated 1,100 students affiliated with colleges and universities die by suicide each year.

In an attempt to reduce these fatal statistics, a red “not on my watch” wristband bearing the help number (888) 724-7240 was distributed at Griffin Center along with materials denoting the warning signs. According to the literature,  a person in acute risk for suicidal behavior may engage in any of the following behaviors:

* Threatening to hurt or kill him or herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/ herself.
* Looking for ways to kill him/ herself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means.
* Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when those actions are out of the ordinary.

Additional, but more subtle, warning signs listed on literature distributed by the American Association of Suicidology included:

*Increased substance (alcohol or drug) use
* No reason for living, no sense of purpose in life.
*Anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
* Feeling trapped—like there’s no way out.
* Hopelessness
*Withdrawal from friends, family and society
* Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
*Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
*Dramatic mood changes.

In literature distributed on campus by the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention and Program, these facts about suicide were reported:

*In the United States it is estimated that an attempt is made once every minute. For every single adult who completed suicide it is estimated that there are 35 attempts.  For teens it is estimated there are 100 to 300 attempts for every completed suicide.

* Among 5 to 15 year olds, suicide is the third leading cause of death.

* The fastest-growing group completing suicide is children between the ages of 10-14.  This rate has doubled in the last two decades.

* 90 percent of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental illness at the time of their death.  60 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from depression—the most treatable of mental illnesses.

If you or someone you know needs help or is in crisis, San Diego County’s 24-hour Access & Crisis Line is (888) 724-7240.

-DHH-