College and Suicide - It Wasn't Always That Way

 Arlana Miller, a cheerleader, is dead. She was 19 years old. And her death is yet another suicide, while attending college. That's so soon after suicides of college athletes Katie Meyer and Sarah Shulze. 

Miller did leave a long note. She attributed this decision to a long history of suicidal ideation and since entering Southern University and A&M College a struggle with school work, COVID, and an injury to the ACL ligament. But we know so little about suicide that we assume that she only put together a narrative that would hang together for herself.  Did she really understand the forces driving her to take her own life? We don't know. 

What we do know is that, according to Governors State University, suicide is the third leading cause of death among college students. In a survey, 10.3% of students admitted that in the last 12 months they had seriously considered taking their own lives. 

Also what we know is that back in our boomer college years suicide was not common. A classmate in our graduating class of 500 at Henry Snyder High School, Jersey City, New Jersey, did take his life during his freshman year at a New York university. That was talked about a lot because is was rare. Somehow the rest of us managed to get through the four years. That was even though most of us had been first-generation college students. Coming home for holidays had been rough.

Interestingly, it was primarily after college that we started falling apart emotionally. But there weren't suicides. Not then. We were the first Therapy Generation. Maybe that "saved" us? Currently, of course, activist students are lobbying for more mental health services on campus. They might be focused on a tool that can buy time when the distressed can sort out.

The Samaritans is a free, confidential, 24/7 service for those in emotional upheaval. On the line are caring listeners. Give it a try - 212-673-3000.