World Suicide Prevention Day comes around every year on 10 September. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), its purpose is “to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.”
At university, it is possible for one’s mental health to deteriorate and take a backseat with academic obligations being prioritised. As a result, it is important that we recognise suicide prevention day in the context of higher education, especially with the recent surge of high profile suicides.
Suicidal ideation is the constant preoccupation with suicidal thoughts and it is a common symptom of Bipolar Disorder and Depression. It is explained as feelings of drowning in life without seeing a way out.
“I explained it to my psychologist once that, it’s like I am drowning just beneath the surface and every time something happens to just push [me] down further,” says M.K. Phillips (24), a final-year BA Humanities student at Stellenbosch University (SU).
“You think you are breaking through the surface and bam, you find yourself right back down under. So, I figured it’s best to talk about it,” says Vee Young* (23), another former Matie who does not wish to be named. “I should talk about my depression,” she says. “So friends know when I post something about suicide not to reply with laughing faces.”
Phillips has been going to therapy regularly since 2014 when she was diagnosed with type two Bipolar Disorder. “A therapeutic process can also sometimes indicate when more urgent steps are needed (medication, hospitalization, etc),” says Dr Munita Dunn-Coetzee, director of the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD).
The crisis sticker distributed by the CSCD containing the emergency line number. PHOTO: Bonita Williams
“Individuals experience challenges (trauma-related, relationship difficulties, substance abuse, etc) and a therapeutic process assists the individual to work through these challenges in order to become whole again,” Dunn-Coetzee adds.
“I know relapse is inevitable, this thing is life-altering, but I’ve been surviving this long,” Phillips says about recovery. Young* agrees, saying that when she relapsed in early 2018, the ideation returned.
On the process of relearning to live after years of suicidal ideation Phillips says, “You have to start scheduling your life in order to take your medication on time.” Adding, “I used to think about suicide as an out-way more before my diagnosis, now I am learning to live.”
![A client walking through the gates of the CSCD for an appointment with one of the psychologists, “I am better now. Therapy helps, the SSVO [Afrikaans for CSCD] helped,” says the student. PHOTO: Bonita Williams](https://i0.wp.com/www.smfnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/IMG_20180605_132138.jpg?resize=635%2C872&ssl=1)
A client walking through the gates of the CSCD for an appointment with one of the psychologists, “I am better now. Therapy helps, the SSVO [Afrikaans for CSCD] helped,” says the student. PHOTO: Bonita Williams
“I have been going through my own process of unlearning the urge to die,” Phillips admits. “Holding yourself together is boring, healing is mundane work, and you miss the drama. Healing is putting your life back together brick by brick. It is falling short and getting back up daily or on some days even hourly.”
*Names have been changed at the request of sources due to the delicate nature of this subject.
Infographic with resources:
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