Two out of three students who suffer from depression never seek help.
That statistic, from the film The Truth About Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College is exactly what the Student Wellness Team tried to change for the better during this week's National Suicide Prevention Week. Sept. 10 through Sept. 14., UB recognizes the national event with a week of workshops, film screenings and other events sponsored by the Student Wellness Team.
"On Monday over 100 students stopped by (the) Strengths Screening and Comfort-Kit-Making session," said Sharon Mitchell, director of UB Counseling Services. "Oftentimes, students focus too much on what is wrong with them and not enough on what is right with them."
Mitchell explained how students were able to make "comfort kits" at the workshop, where they could create a safe object to help them when they are feeling down. Students placed objects in the kit that bring them comfort, such as a picture of a loved one and favorite poems.
Workshops were held both for students currently suffering from depression and for others to teach them to recognize the warning signs of suicide.
"I believe that increasing one's knowledge and skill in suicide prevention is something the entire campus should do," Mitchell said.
The film screening and discussion workshop on Tuesday night was organized and run by psychologist Amana Carvalho and Melinda Zampogna, a suicide prevention graduate assistant.
"Our biggest intention was to talk about the issue of suicide and to let students know what counseling services offers for this," Carvalho said.
Films shown told the stories of both survivors of suicide attempts and the personal testaments of those who had lost loved ones to suicide.
Above all, Mitchell said that depression and feelings of sadness or other signs of regression should be taken seriously and never belittled. According to the film, when students seek help, 80 percent of the time treatment is a success and students are able to recover.
Those who believe a friend might be suffering from depression should be aware of behavioral changes such as falling grades, feelings of hopelessness, isolation and increased drug and alcohol use. These behaviors are serious signs of depression.
Students attending this week's workshops found the activities to be especially helpful. Jason Gomez, a freshman English major, noticed flyers for the event and decided to attend.
"I wanted to see what this workshop had to offer," Gomez said "and what I could do to help other people."
Kristen Palmeri, a grad student who is studying social work also attended the event.
"I think it was great for the people who attended," Palmeri said. "The faculty should come up to the plate and reach out to students to help them."
Palmeri said that from personal experience, she knows that depression affects a lot of people, and not just those suffering from it. She feels the suicide workshops are beneficial to all students and feels it is important to give people training and expertise in this issue.
Mitchell said that the counseling services partner with academic programs to infuse wellness awareness and to put on programs that reduce stigma to increase a sense of community and social support.
For more information about suicide prevention students can contact the counseling center at 645-2720 or go to 120 Richmond. UB also has a 24-hour crisis hotline at 834-3131. Students can also visit their website at wellness.buffalo.edu/ubwell.
