Suicides at NYU prompt mental health emphasis

Following six deaths at New York University within the past year -- at least four of which were suicides -- mental health has become a greater concern for many university communities.

According to the National Mental Health Association, suicide is second only to accidents as a cause of death among college students, and the third leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 15 to 24.

While Penn has had no recent suicides, NYU officials have actually called Penn for consultation, according to Counseling and Psychological Services Director Ilene Rosenstein.

"After the incidents last year, we certainly took a look at what we could do," NYU spokesman Josh Taylor said.

NYU has recently set up its "Wellness Exchange," which gives students a single access point for connecting with NYU's counseling and crisis services.

It is "a 24/7 hotline that students can call in," Taylor said. "We've received more than 1,000 calls so far this semester."

With all the stresses of college life, having someone to talk to can be invaluable.

"There are things about college life that are ratcheting up the stress level," said Cory Newman, director of Penn's Center for Cognitive Therapy.

According to Newman, there are "multiple factors such as academic demands" and "trying to fit in and find a social niche," especially when coming from a place where a student has a group of friends, and then has to start over socially.

One of NYU's six recent deaths was deemed accidental because the student's blood contained traces of a hallucinogenic drug, and the most recent death of a graduate student in September is still under investigation.

Increased alcohol and illicit drug use in college can also lead to psychological problems, Newman said.

"About one-half of all suicides are related to drugs and alcohol in some way. If you need the bottle of Jack Daniels, that's telling you that in your right mind, you wouldn't do it."

"In the end, existentially speaking, the choice of living and dying is up to the individual," Newman said. "No one can be a guardian angel 24 hours."

But university counseling services can be a valuable life-saving device.

"One of the goals of therapy with a college-age student who is suicidal is to somehow get them to see the larger span of life," Newman said. "It's easy to lose touch with that."

Penn officials say the counseling services benefit a significant portion of campus at one time or another.

"We're very well-utilized," Rosenstein said. "We have the [Reach a Peer] line, which is more of a listening and referral line. CAPS has always had a person on call, even during breaks."

As far as the recent rash of suicide tragedies at NYU, according to Newman, the situation is more sensationalized than it is scientific.

"We really don't know the mechanism as to why there is such a thing as suicide contagion," he said.

"Most students here realize that any student who takes their own life has a different reason," Taylor said, "and they don't group them together."

"Of course there's sadness, students are now looking out for each other more," Taylor added. "It's hard to say there's ever silver lining, but we're happy to see students taking more care of each other."

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