Kenya Johnson
Staff Writer
Sept. 8, 2013 is a day many at Jackson State University will remember. It was the day JSU lost one of its own. It was the day James Shearer, a senior political science major and Iraqi war veteran, took his own life.
The JSU NAACP and RUF took a moment on Sept. 11 to remember Shearer and to provide information to students on suicide awareness. Every 13 minutes someone commits suicide in America. That is 110 deaths a day and around 40,000 a year.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death of young adults between the ages of 18-24. Yet, it is also 100 percent preventable according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Studies show that the most effective way to prevent suicide is through education and awareness, therefore the whole month of September is dedicated to providing information about suicide prevention with Sept. 10 designated as Suicide Awareness Day.
In an article published by SAMHSA.gov, young adults between the ages of 18-25 were more likely than adults ages 26-49 to have more serious thoughts about committing suicide. Another study done by students at Emory University showed that one in ten college students have made plans to commit suicide and there are more than a thousand suicide attempts carried out each year on college campuses.
Some JSU students believe suicide awareness and prevention should be stressed on college campuses.
“It needs to be advocated way more,” said Bryanne Delgado, a freshman business major from Memphis, Tenn. “Young adults go through so many things because we are trying to adapt to being an adult and also move out of the mindset of being kids, it can be really stressful on us.”
Alle Gammon, a freshman computer science major from Memphis, Tenn., also believes there needs to be more awareness about the issue.
“There should be more ways to break down social barriers for people so that they will feel more comfortable talking about emotional unstableness,” said Gammon.
Everyone plays a role in suicide prevention. Knowing and being able to identify the signs of someone who is on the verge of committing suicide can save thousands of lives a year. The following are symptoms of suicidal behavior listed on Suicideispreventable.org :
•Sudden mood changes or depression
•Increase in Drug or Alcohol abuse
•Reckless behavior or changes in sleeping habits
•Feeling hopeless, desperate, or trapped
•Talking about wanting die or commit suicide.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-TALK. Also, students at Jackson State can contact the Latasha Norman Center for Counseling and Disability Services at (601)-979-0374 for more information about on-campus counseling.
Remember, life is important. Suicide is never the answer.
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