Suicide In College Essays

Suicide In College Essays Suicide In College Essay Suicide In College Essay College is a fun exciting time in a person’s life.   It is a new adventure filled with opportunities.   Unfortunately, when people get there they sometimes discover it was not all they had anticipated it to be.   Although college can be a great learning experience, it is also something very different than what most people are used to.   It is the first time living away from parents and can lead to frustration, loneliness, depression, overindulgence, and some mental illnesses become apparent in college years.   In most cases the students either get over the problem, or drop out of school, in some cases; however these problems lead to suicide.   â€Å"Suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15 – 24 year† (AFSP).   â€Å"It is the second leading cause of death in college students† (Naval Academy).   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The person who feels extreme emotional pain is the type of person who may consider suicide† (Kolehmainen, 14).Frustration and loneliness are two of the most common problems experienced when a person is attempting to adjust to college.   For most students this is the first move away from home.   They discover they have to do their own laundry, get themselves up on time, and clean up after themselves.   This can lead to confusion and frustration.   The loneliness sets in when they realize they are miles away from friends and family.   Both of these problems are minor psychological issues and are usually relieved within the first few weeks as the person makes new friends and adjusts to college life.   If they are unable to adjust, the problems can become much worse and usually lead to depression.Depression has two causes one of which is a problem in the brain; the other is caused by bad situations in a person’s life.   Either cause can lead to suicide.   Clinical depression (chemical problems inside the brain) can be treated effectively with medication, once it has been diagnosed.   T he situational depression is one of the leading factors in suicide. This is the kind that loneliness can lead to it happens when something happens in a persons life to make them very sad for an extended period of time.   It can be caused by a beak-up, loss of a loved one, or loneliness or many other reasons. It is quite common in college students, when they realize they aren’t as popular as they were in high school, they can not keep their grades up, or they miss the people they left behind. Some signs of depression include crying, nightmares, withdrawal from friends and family, feelings of hopelessness, not eating, weight changes, anger, lack of concentration, or decreased energy (Horn, 109).   When someone shows any of these symptoms they need to get help.As college is often when people move away from their parents, this freedom often leads to parties, drinking, and sometimes trying illicit drugs.   Some of these things if taken in excess can alter thoughts.   Somet imes they alter the thoughts to make them consider suicide.   These thoughts would often not be acted on if the person was not under the influence of the drugs.   Alcohol is a depressant and thus would increase any depressed thoughts and could be an influence on a student already thinking about suicide. â€Å"Drugs and alcohol reduce inhibitions and increase risk taking behavior, thus reinforcing whatever tendencies towards self destruction people poses† (Rivera).Some college students have mental disorders which cause thoughts of suicide and eventually lead them to act on it.   Schizophrenia is one mental illness that first appears in late teenage years and college. This illness causes people to hear voices at times and have delusions that someone is trying to cause them harm. These thoughts can sometimes manifest as thoughts of suicide.   There are a number of other illnesses such as bi-polar disorder that if properly treated can be managed, but these illnesses are s ometimes not discovered, until the person has acted on the thoughts of suicide.Suicide is considered a permanent solution to a temporary problem. â€Å"Nearly 1,100 suicides are projected to occur on college campuses this year† (Naval Academy).   This indicates there is a problem on college campuses.   Many people, who are inclined to commit suicide, give indications before they actually act on these problems.   Friends and family need to be aware of the signs, which are similar to those of depression.   When people turn eighteen they are not automatically ready to go out into the world alone.   Many are ready, but obviously many are not.   Students getting ready to go to college need to be educated on the options and support available to them.   High school guidance counselors need to prepare young people for what they need to expect in college.   They need to understand it is a big change from high school and the changes are not always good.   Parents need to prepare students for the laundry and cleaning up after themselves as well as for the adjustment to being responsible for oneself.   The more prepared students are, when they enter college, the better they will be able to handle the challenges college presents.   There is no way to prevent suicide altogether, but preparation and watching for signs will hopefully save a number of them.American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, (2007), Retrieved June 4, 2007 from,AFSP: Facts and Figures: National StatisticsHorn, Wade F. and Keough, C. New Teen Book, (1999) Des Moines, Iowa:Better Homes and Gardens BooksKolehmainen, Janet, and Handerk, S. Teen Suicide,(1986) Minneapolis:Lerner PublicationsRivera, Roberto, â€Å"Moods and Worldviews: Suicide on Campus†, Boundless Webzine,Retrieved June 11, 2007 from boundless.org/2000/features/a0000271.htmlUnited States Naval Academy, College and Suicide- Just the facts, RetrievedJune 11, 2007 from, MDC Suicide College Facts