Intervention

How to Help

There are a few ways that you can address someone you believe may be having a difficult time or thinking about suicide.

• Express care and concern – Contrary to messages about ‘minding your own business’ it is important to create a community of caring by expressing that you care and are concerned about someone.
• Discuss specific behaviors – The person who is feeling down may not realize their demeanor is noticeable to others. When you express concern, let the person know what you have noticed without blaming or shaming them. (Ex: “I noticed the past few times we’ve all gone to the Pit together as a group, you stay behind and rarely eat. You seem sad a lot, too. I’m concerned about you and wanted to see if you wanted to talk.”)
• Know options for help – The Counseling Center, Chaplain’s Office, Dean of Students CARE Case Management, Intercultural Center, LGBTQ Center, and Women’s Center all have staff members who are there to help students. The Office of Academic Advising is available for students whose stressors are focused on an academic class. You can suggest these resources as a source of support and/or offer to walk there with the person you’re concerned about.

Not everyone feels comfortable with directly confronting a person they feel is having trouble. If you feel unsure of what to say or how to go about approaching the conversation, there are other ways to address the situation.

• Describe your concerns to your RA, who is trained to handle situations with residents.
• Call or visit the Counseling Center to consult with a licensed mental health professional, who can help you brainstorm how to talk to the person or help you manage your own stress surrounding the situation.
• Consult with another staff member who can provide options for campus resources.

Counseling Center Appointments

The Counseling Center offers same-day scheduling appointments daily on a first-come, first serve basis. Urgent appointments are available for students who may be at an elevated mental health risk. If you are in crisis whether you have an appointment or not, the Counseling Center will make accommodations for you to be seen as quickly as possible.

Just call us: 336.758.5273. During normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm), calling this number will connect you with our front desk staff who can help you with scheduling an appointment with a clinician. After-hours, on weekends, and during university closings, this number will connect you with a crisis counselor-on-call.

Emergency Room/Hospital Visit

If a person has made an attempt at suicide the most appropriate option to physically and medically stabilize them is going to the hospital. Once the person has been medically attended to, options for mental health treatment in an outpatient setting can be explored.