As I stepped onto the train platform, I thought about everything I was leaving behind. I thought about my family and how much I meant to them. I thought about my friends and how they might miss me. At the end of the day, I was still standing on that platform because I felt like the world would be better off without me. After I decided not to jump, I reflected on how much I truly have to live for. I have a job, a support network, and a college education. I have passions and dreams. Most importantly, I have a future where I could make all of my dreams come true. Thanks to the fact that I didn’t end my life that day.
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, with Sept. 7 to Sept. 13 being National Suicide Prevention Week in the United States. During this week, it’s important to remember that college students are not immune to mental health issues. As a matter of fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that one in four students have a diagnosable mental illness. These are not low numbers. One may think that because we know how mental illnesses affect students, colleges would be able to provide adequate resources for their students. However, this isn’t always the case. Nineteen percent of college counseling directors who were surveyed by the American Psychological Association feel that the psychiatric services provided by their colleges are not sufficient. That’s nearly one in five college counseling directors who feel that their students aren’t receiving enough services.
SUNY Oneonta provides services, but not enough to meet my growing needs. I need to see a therapist off-campus because the counselors on campus are suited to treat short-term issues. While I’m thankful for the support groups that are offered on campus (and I do belong to one of them), I need to go out of my way to get the care I need because I can’t see a therapist one-on-one for an extended period of time on campus. While I have found a way around this issue, those who are afraid to seek help in the first place may not feel comfortable going that far out of their way. If you’re on your parents’ insurance, seeing a therapist off-campus would cause your parents to know that you are seeking help. This is a risk that some students might not be willing to take. There needs to be an easy, risk-free way for students to get the help they need.
As college students, we can do something about this issue. If we feel that our college cannot provide the programs and services we need to succeed, we can advocate for them. While budgets are always an obstacle, we can show college officials just how important it is to provide proper mental health services. Budgets can surely be adjusted to meet the needs of the students.
In the meantime, it’s important to realize that we exist for a reason. We are in college for a reason. In college, we learn how to become better leaders, citizens, and overall, better people. We learn to embrace who we are and we learn to embrace others. Everyone has a purpose, especially at school. Are you passionate about animal welfare? Do you express yourself through the arts? No matter what your passions and goals are, you make the world a better place just by having those passions and goals. You are the only person in the world with your unique set of skills and interests. The world needs you to make it a better place. We need people like you at your school, in your community, and on this planet.
