Mickelle Bisbee – Staff Writer
In the brisk chill of the night, students and other members of the community stood around in a circle at Simpson’s Plaza, tealight candles in hand, to remember those loved ones who died by suicide, those struggling and those who are seeking help.
“As our candles light the darkness, I ask that we take a moment of silence,” said Amanda Matthews, campus suicide prevention coordinator.
Some students and community members closed their eyes, all taking the moment of silence for their own personal reasons. Sniffs and quiet sobs circulated around the group before people turned their electric candles off one by one as they departed into the night.
“I had a friend who tried to kill herself about a year ago,” Hannah Thomas, a freshman in college, said that depression ran in her family.
Among college students in 2012, undergraduates and graduates, 7.1-7.7 percent of students throughout the United States had seriously contemplated suicide, 0.6-1.2 percent of students attempted suicide, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC).
This past week has been the National Suicide Prevention Week, and the University of Wyoming set up events to spread awareness and help for students.
Before the candlelighting in Simpson Plaza, students and community members watched a short documentary at Half Acre which focused on six college students around the U.S. who shared the period of their lives where they contemplated suicide, mental health and self-harm, and reached out to receive help.
“I personally like this video because it shows there are many different avenues of getting help,” said Matthews.
The documentary explored healthy ways to release locked up feelings, such as a healthy diet and exercise, journaling and utilizing the school’s mental health services.
A second video afterwards was an expert commentary for not only those struggling, but for those who notice others struggling, including faculty, staff, peers and friends. The individual in the video said that when you see a sign of someone struggling, it is all right to ask if they are okay.
Some symptoms can include, but are not limited to, hopelessness, loneliness, isolation, anger, impulsivity, low energy, poor coping mechanisms and thoughts of being a burden, according to SPRC.
This documentary and candlelighting is not the end of the Wellness Center’s events for suicide prevention. Upcoming events include Gatekeepers Training on Sept. 18 where students can gain knowledge on how to identify those at risk, Big Sky Mindfulness Workshops from at 3:30-4:50 p.m. Sept. 30 to Oct. 21 in Half Acre Room 117 to help find other ways of dealing with stress and creating better life satisfaction and more.
Those who are struggling and needing help having many resources at the university, including the Counseling Center, the Wellness Center, SAFE Project, Student Health and others. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.
“Suicide can be a difficult topic to talk about, but we are all here for you,” Matthews said.
