If you or someone you know is in need of immediate assistance related to suicide or self-harm, please call 988 or go to the nearest Emergency Room. If it is not an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741.
College is a time for growth, exploration, and a lot of change—but it can also be a time where you may experience a lot of difficult challenges. Sometimes when we are struggling, we may have thoughts of death or suicide. Roughly 10% of college students have seriously considered suicide in the last twelve months and at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, it’s nearly 15%. We also know that these percentages can be even higher for marginalized populations. Self-harm can also be an indication that someone is experiencing significant emotional or psychological distress.
RESOURCES
If thoughts of suicide or self-harm is something you are experiencing, please know that you are not alone and there is support available.
The (1-800-273-8255) provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 150 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.
C (text HOME to 741741) serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support via a medium people already use and trust: text. For people of color, text STEVE to 741741 to connect with a counselor who is also a person of color.
. The JED Foundation is the nation’s leading non-profit organization that protects emotioal health and prevents suicide for young adults. The Mental Health Resource Center offers many resources for learning more about mental health and how to have a conversation with a friend.
(1-877-565-8860) is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive. The hotline is staffed by trans identified individuals.
(1-866-488-7386; text START to 678678) is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people.
91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center is a hub of resources for people of all sex, gender, sexual, and asexual identities and strives to provide a space that is safe and inclusive. The Center is a place for 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s queer people and queer persons of color to relax with people who will not only accept you, but also do what we can to help you develop holistically throughout your time at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, in the spirit of our university’s Jesuit underpinnings.
Tips on How to Help a Friend. When we’re in need of support or connection, the first place most of us turn is to family and friends. If you have friends who have come to you for support, we've got tips to help you with those conversations.
APPS
Check out the following apps that are available to help you develop skills to navigate suicide and self-harm, but not treat it. On-campus and off-campus resources are also available to help support you with any concerns you may have in this area.
Buddhify is here to help you bring more calm, clarity and kindness to all parts of your life. Whether you're looking to reduce stress and anxiety, or get a better night's sleep, Buddhify has easy-to-follow guided meditations to bring mindfulness to all parts of your life, with exercises for whatever you're doing and wherever you are. $2.99 on Android and $4.99 on iTunes.
Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm including: ‘Distract' helps in learning self-control; ‘Comfort' helps you care rather than harm; 'Express yourself' gets those feelings out in a different way; ‘Release' provides safe alternatives to self-injury; and ‘Breathe' to help calm and get back in control. Free on Android and iTunes.
MY3. With MY3, you define your network and your plan to stay safe. With MY3 you can be prepared to help yourself and reach out to others when you are having thoughts of suicide. Remember: there is hope and a life to look forward to, even in your darkest moments. MY3 can help you get through your most difficult times. Free on Android and iTunes.
What’s Up. What’s Up is an amazing free app that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and more. Use the positive and negative habit tracker to maintain your good habits, and break those that are counterproductive. We particularly love the “Get Grounded” page, which contains over 100 different questions to pinpoint what you’re feeling, and the “Thinking Patterns” page, which teaches you how to stop negative internal monologues. Free on Android and iTunes.