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Half Of College Students Consider Suicide

kds1980

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Apr 3, 2005
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AUSTIN, Texas - More than half of American college students have considered suicide at some points in their lives, a new survey reveals.
The survey, results of which were presented Sunday at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association in Boston, adds to the growing body of evidence that the prevalence of suicidal thoughts is far more widespread among America’s college students than it is among the population in general. By contrast, only 15.3 percent of Americans overall have had such thoughts, the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Survey Initiative reported in February.
The survey, part of a wider-ranging continuing study on student suicidal behaviors being conducted by David Drum, a professor of education psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, questioned 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students at 70 U.S. institutions. The results raise the startling suggestion that suicidal thoughts could be a common experience on par with substance abuse, depression and eating disorders.

The survey defined considering suicide as having at least one episode of suicidal thinking at some point. Slightly more than half of students said they fit that category, which is known as suicide ideation. When researchers asked about more serious episodes, 15 percent said they had “seriously considered” attempting suicide.

5 percent try to kill themselves
More than 5 percent of students said they had actually attempted suicide, which is the second-leading cause of death for college students, compared to its ranking of ninth among the U.S. population at large, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.

Click for related content: 1 in 5 undergrads is constantly stressed

“Relief from emotional or physical pain” was the top reason students cited for suicidal thinking, followed by problems with romantic relationships. A generalized desire to end their lives was next, followed by problems with school or academics.

Suicide warning signs:

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students. Signs to watch for:

— A previous suicide attempt
— Talking about suicide
— Drug or alcohol abuse
— Feeling hopeless or helpless
— Deep depression
— Changes in behavior and personality
— Giving away favorite possessions
— Loss of interest in friends or hobbies

Source: Brown University Psychological Services

The study extrapolated that at an average college with 18,000 undergraduate students, 1,080 of them would seriously contemplate taking their lives in any year, numbers that pose troubling issues for college administrators.
The survey identified growing levels of distress among college students and diminishing resources to handle the consequences. They found that half of students who had had suicidal thoughts never sought counseling or treatment.
“We know only a quarter of suicide patients are our clients, which means 75 percent of them never come through our doors,” said Chris Brownson, director of the Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Texas.
Drum and other researchers said colleges needed a new model, shifting the emphasis from narrowly focused treatments involving suicidal students and a small number of mental health professionals, to one that involved the entire campus in addressing student stresses.
“Suicide is a public mental health issue,” Brownson said. “We need to focus on prevention, building resilience in students and creating communities.”

By Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. NBC affiliate KXAN of Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
 

kds1980

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Isn't it surprising that in people which are living below poverty line and inhumane working condition in India or Asia do not commit suicide and students which are living 100 times better lives than them in
USA consider attempting suicide.
 
Isn't it surprising that in people which are living below poverty line and inhumane working condition in India or Asia do not commit suicide and students which are living 100 times better lives than them in
USA consider attempting suicide.

Good post...except ... i will have to disagree with the interpretation you provide with the data.

contemplating suicide and actually carrying it out are two entirely different things.

Suicide can occur in any country at varying rates...regardless of economic prowess.


This is true for India as well. Indian youngsters had some of the highest suicide rates in the world in 2004.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4846
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3590847.stm
http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/apr/15spec.htm
http://www.suicide.org/indian-teen-suicide-rates.html

The rate of suicide in USA and India varies.
There is also the concern in the data…the fact that suicide in developing countries is significantly under-reported.

Suicide is not linked to economic well-being. If you look at stats and studies conducted by past and present sociologists you will see that suicide rates increase during economic slow-downs and during economic booms. It is best explained by a state of ‘normlessness’ called Anomie. When there is breakdown in social structure, loss of faith in values and order.


Suicide rates in India have been growing ever since economic prosperity started to rise. Perhaps they will stabilize when India experiences some economic stagflation.

We humans are odd creatures, though

why take your own life? when you can take someone else's just by the simple act of marrying them :}{}{}:

cheers
 

pk70

Writer
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Feb 25, 2008
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I was waiting, waiting, here you go
"why take your own life? when you can take someone else's just by the simple act of marrying them"( quote sinister ji)

"There is also the concern in the data…the fact that suicide in developing countries is significantly under-reported."
Absolutely true.

Or may be people love to live more in poverty:shock:
 

Archived_Member_19

(previously amarsanghera, account deactivated at t
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Jun 7, 2006
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good point kds ji

i think another point is that to consider suicide, you must have come to a conclusion and have enough time to consider the option.

knowing india, you hardly get enough time :)
 

kds1980

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Apr 3, 2005
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Suicide is not linked to economic well-being[/


Well I partly agree with this statement.Suicide is also linked with economic well being The large numbers of farmers committing suicide in India are totally linked with their economic well being
 
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