Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Emergencies
On this page:
How to Seek Help
I Live...
to find hope in each day;
to breathe through my moments of despair;
to hear one other and be heard by another;
to see the beauty surrounding ugliness;
to trust that, as the semicolon tells,
my story is not over.
The semicolon used in the word 'Live' is used in recognition of project semicolon which is “dedicated to presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction, and self-injury.” The movement began in 2013 and uses a semicolon as its symbol because “a semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life.” The slogan "Stay Strong; Love Endlessly; Change Lives" sums up the project’s mission in supporting those struggling and encouraging them to seek the help that they deserve.
There are times when stressors or trauma can overpower our ability to cope and manage. This can lead us to feel that there are no options available and we may consider suicide. It is common for people to have thoughts of suicide at some time in their life. Research shows that 1 in 10 college students report having thoughts about suicide at some time during the previous year. If you are having thoughts of suicide, please reach out now.
If you are at immediate risk of hurting yourself or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Campus Resources
- Raider Cares is Counseling and Wellness Services’ 24-hour crisis phone service. The Raider Cares line is staffed by off-site mental health professionals providing emotional support, assistance, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention to current Wright State University students experiencing emotional distress. Call Raider Cares at 937-775-4567.
- University Police at 937-775-2111 or 911
- Counseling and Wellness Services Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 p.m. at 937-775-3407. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to accompany another student to Counseling and Wellness Services if they are experiencing a mental health emergency and this would facilitate their meeting with a counselor.
National Resources
- The National Suicide Prevention hotline is: 988
- Trevor Project (LGBTQ): 1-866-488-7386
- You can text with the Crisis Text Line that offers 24 hours, 7 days per week text contact with trained crisis counselors. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting "LISTEN" to 741-741.
- The Ohio Crisis Text Line can be accessed by texting “4hope” to 741741. This text line offers 24/7 text contact with trained counselors.
Self-Help
Visit the Self-Help section of the website for additional mental health information and resources.
Additional Resources
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- The Jed Foundation
- Choosing to Live (1996) by Tomas Ellis and Cory F. Newman: For individuals who are at high risk of suicide and their families
- Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide (2011) by Kay Redfield Jamison: Written by a suicide survivor.
How to Help Someone Who May Be Suicidal
There is no single cause for suicide. Suicidal behavior is typically related to a person's feeling overwhelmed by one or more life stressors. Often, people contemplating suicide struggle with clinical depression, anxiety, and/or substance use problems. Often these conditions are undiagnosed and untreated and thus increase the likelihood that suicidal ideation will become suicidal behavior.
It only takes a minute to help prevent suicide.
1. Recognize the Signs
Warning signs for suicide can vary by person and situation, so a friend in distress may have some, all, or none of these warning signs. If you feel like something may be wrong, trust your gut and talk to them or find help.
- Talking about feelings of hopelessness, isolation, and being a burden to others, feeling trapped and/or wanting to kill themselves
- Using statements like “Everyone would be better off without me,” “I can’t take (the pain) any longer,” or “You won’t have to worry about me anymore”
- Making threats of suicide
- Withdrawing from typical activities and/or isolating from family and friends
- Acting recklessly
- Increased substance use (alcohol or/and drug)
- Giving away important possessions and/or saying goodbyes
- Asking about how to get lethal means (pills or a weapon, etc) or searching for methods of suicide (for example, online search for suicide methods)
- A history of previous suicide attempts or a family history of suicide attempts
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Feelings of depression, anxiety, irritability, rage, and/or humiliation
- Serious chronic health problems
- Multiple negative life stressors (for example, death, divorce, job loss, academic failure, a relationship ending)
2. Ask the Questions
If you are concerned that your friend may be thinking about suicide, asking these questions with compassion is a safe way for you to open the door for conversation. You might be worried that asking questions this directly could make a situation worse, but that is a myth.
- Are you considering suicide?
- Do you have a plan to take your life?
- Have you tried to kill yourself before?
Starting the Conversation:
If you are concerned about a friend’s change in behavior or mood, it’s okay to talk to them about it. You may be nervous, but there are techniques you can use to make it easier. Try following this conversation pattern:
I Care. You are my friend and I CARE about you.
I See. I SEE that you are struggling right now.
I Feel. I FEEL worried about you.
I Want. I WANT to connect you with someone who can help.
I Will. I WILL walk over to Counseling and Wellness Services with you.
Other conversation starters include:
- “You seem really down; is everything okay?”
- “I’ve noticed you’ve been missing classes lately; can we go somewhere and talk?”
- “You don’t seem like yourself and I’m worried about you; what’s going on?”
3. Know the Resources
Be aware of your limits as a caregiver. Seeking professional help when you know there’s a problem or believe there may be a problem can save a life. Your friend does not have to face this alone and neither do you. There are people here who want to help.
If you are at immediate risk of hurting yourself or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
