Katelyn Moorman – Staff Writer
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students, affecting 4.25 – 6.5 per 100,000 students, according to Jennifer Lockman and Heather Servaty-Seib’s article, “College student suicidal ideation: Perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and meaning made of stress”. Lockman and Servaty-Seib said suicidal ideation is an important factor in a student’s decision to commit suicide and is thus “a significant public health concern for college youth”. Students with suicidal ideation may experience states of perceived unwantedness and lack of belonging. In a national survey of college students in the United States, an estimated 18% of undergraduate students seriously consider and think about suicide. Lockman and Servaty-Seib said a “greater understanding of college student suicide risk and protective factors is imperative”.
The Gatekeepers Training Program at the University of Wyoming aims to reduce suicide rates by educating people on suicide and suicide prevention. Amanda Matthews, Campus Suicide Prevention Coordinator, said that everyone benefits from Gatekeeper Training.
“Even if you haven’t been directly impacted or influenced by suicide or suicidal ideations yourself, [Gatekeeper Training] teaches you how to reach out to anyone exhibiting warning or risk factors, and you learn how to get them help,” said Mathews.
During training sessions, Matthews said she and Dr. Julio Brionez co-facilitate the trainings. Matthews said they talk “about what active listening is and how to have empathetic conversations with people” and teaching participants how to make connections with people struggling with suicidal ideations. It is important to make sure the person knows they are safe. Participants will look at case-studies and go through different scenarios that might happen on campus. They will role-play scenarios so participants “can practice having those difficult conversations,” and practicing using appropriate language centered around suicide. Matthews said a successful training session is one in which participants “are fully engaged and participate.” The program is worth it “even if there is just one more person out there who is willing to step up and have this conversation”.
According to the Wyoming Department of Health, the suicide rate in Wyoming is consistently higher than the rate for the United States. The Wyoming suicide rate in 2017 was 27.1 per 100,000, while the national rate was 14.5 per 100,000. In Wyoming, “one person dies by suicide every two days”. Men are at a higher risk of suicide while women are at a higher risk of self-harm in Wyoming, with 40.7 per 100,000 men death by suicide and 48.5 per 100,000 women self-harming in 2018. The Wyoming Injury and Violence Prevention Program hosts Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention across the state and provides technical assistance to local communities.
Gatekeepers Training is available on campus every month. The session lasts two hours, and every participant receives a certificate which they can put on their resume. The next Gatekeepers Training will be Oct. 16 from 10a.m. to 12p.m. in the Union, room 202, and Nov. 12 from 3 to 5p.m. in Knight Hall, room 244.
Free hotlines are open 24/7 for those in need of support:
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
- Text “WYO” to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line
- For the Laramie Suicide Prevention Hotline, Call or Text: 307-977-7777
