Suicidal students not alone

By Umaymah Rashid
The Collegian

An estimated 1,100 suicides a year occur on campuses across the United States, and some colleges are barring potentially suicidal students from the dorm as a result. Although Fresno State does not have a similar policy, suicide and depression are still an issue.

“Some campuses have a policy where they have the student go to the doctor and get a release before they are allowed to return,” Gera Gechter said, a coordinator for psychological services. “We don’t do that, we treat each student on an individual basis.”

One school that attempted to evict a suicidal student from the dorms was Hunter College in New York.

In 2004, a student swallowed a large amount of Tylenol then called 911 for help. After being treated and released, the student was not allowed to return to her dorm room except to collect her belongings.

Hunter College has now abandoned its suicide policy as part of the settlement with the student, who also was awarded $65,000 after claiming in a lawsuit that her eviction from the dorms violated a federal law which protects disabled people from discrimination.

Gechter, a licensed psychologist at the health center, believes there are better ways to handle suicidal students. Gechter has been at Fresno State for 22 years and has yet to encounter a suicide in the dorms and believes prevention is what works.

“We try to catch students before they get to the stage of being isolated and suicidal,” she said. “They don’t have to feel suicidal to come here, they don’t have to feel out of control. We would rather they come before they get to that stage.”

Other students also believe there are better ways to deal with suicidal students.

“I don’t think it’s right to kick them out permanently,” freshman Matt Perrodin said. “They should get counseling and be able to come back.”

Being able to recognize the symptoms of someone who is depressed or suicidal is key to preventing suicides on and off campus, Gechter said.

The health center provides training to resident advisers, staff and faculty to help them recognize a student who may be depressed or considering suicide.

“We watch for people who may seem a little more quiet and withdrawn, don’t enjoy the things they used to, sleep a lot,” Gechter said. “Those are just some of the signs.”

Some of the other signs that may indicate depression and suicidal feelings include change in appetite, long periods of nervousness, “feeling empty,” and feelings of worthlessness.

Freshman Edrina Odom also says she would be able to recognize the symptoms and help a suicidal student.

“I would tell them to seek help,” Odom said. “If they had friends, I would get their friends to help them.”

Informing students about their options is the most helpful way to assist students, Gechter said.

“We try to make counseling as accessible as possible,” she said. According to Gechter, Fresno State has a good success rate when it comes to preventing suicide.

Some of the success is due to an unofficial policy of faculty, staff and resident advisers physically walking a student suspected of being suicidal or depressed to the health center.

“A lot of students don’t go on their own, we encourage professors to walk students over,” Gechter said. “We have had a department chair walk a student over.”

Ultimately, students need to know where to go for help and what resources are available to them, Gechter said.

“They should come here and seek help, we have counselors that would love to help,” she said. “They owe it to themselves to explore other options.”

Comment on this story in the News forum >>