Kaisha Wells, Dylan Scheffler, Jake Richardson
This illness isn’t contagious, it isn’t caught from bacteria, it affects more than 25% of college students, according to Chadron State College, it hits you when you least expect it. DMACC has many students are struggling with mental illness and don’t know how to get help. There are several ways a student can get help on campus. It may take some reaching out; a lot of students go to a friend about a suicide before they think about telling an adult. You could be the difference in someone’s’ and their families’ life.
Suicide is a serious issue throughout the world, especially for college students, but suicide is the No. 2 leading cause of death in young adults today. Suicide with young adults is common when it comes to the adult life with college, students often do not tell others or seek help if they are feeling depression or facing problems in life. In fact, every 1 in 12 college students plan a suicide. According to the Neumann school, depression affects more than 19 million American adults that are 18+ years of age each year. In the United States, almost 4,000 people from the age of 15-24 die by suicide each year. There are many ways to cope with mental illness and depression or thinking about suicide. There are people out there to help all over, just a phone call away or an appointment away. In the society we live in, we have more people willing to help than we think.
Here at DMACC, we have many ways to access the counselors or website has all the counseling information and the different numbers to reach the counselors. The counseling offices are located past the quarter center right by the front office. You can set up an appointment with a counselor of your choice by signing into the computer in the front office. If you are not
comfortable with doing all of this in person you can set up an appointment online through the DMACC counseling page. Des Moines community college believes that it is important to reach out and ask for help here we have experienced counselors who are willing to help you through your hard times, keeping things in and not talking to someone about your problems can potentially affect you as a person and the things you do in life. Our counselors are here to help not because they have to but because they care about us individually as a person and they believe the choices we make now will affect our entire future. There are many ways to take action and reach out to someone for help and the counselors here at DMACC are a tool to help. If you would like to reach out anonymously the Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-TALK. If you are a student at DMACC Boone campus contact Rita Davenport at 515-433-5030 rldavenport@dmacc.edu she is always available to help.
Reach out to students who are in need of help. Be careful not to force anything on to them, according to Bouvard from the Friends for Mental Health organization, says that their illness could affect their behavior and to not take anything personal for that reason. It is a very touchy subject. If the situation could be dangerous it is important to contact someone immediately. Mental illness is something that should not be taken lightly.
If you are the one struggling, know that it is okay to get help. There are people out there who want to help you and do a very good job at that.