Brain Matters S12.E04: Tide Against Suicide

[00:00:00] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emerg. [00:00:40] Speaker B: It's 6 o' clock and time again for Brain Matters, the official radio show of the UA Counseling Center. We are broadcasting from the campus of the University of Alabama. Good evening, I'm Dr. BJ Guenther and I'm the host of the show along with my colleague and producer Katherine Howell who is absent tonight. We wish her well. She'll be back next week. In case you don't know, this show is about mental and physical health issues that affect college students and in particular UA students. So you can listen to us each Tuesday night at 6pm on 90.7 FM or you can listen online at WVUAFM UA edu. You can also download several apps. I like the MyTuner radio app and you just type in WVUAFM 90.7. It should come up Brain Matters. My logo is a hot pink brain in case you're listening and don't know what the logo is. Also, if you this is, I think this is our fifth, fourth or fifth show for the fall semester. We only do shows in the fall and in the spring. We don't do shows in the summer. So if you have ideas for show topics for future shows, please email those to me@brain mattersradiovuafm ua edu and of course I'll consider using your idea. I say this every week. I don't feel like we can talk about certain subjects enough. I think one of the subjects, the subject we're going to talk about tonight is something that we need to talk about regularly. But we've had shows in the past about depression, stress management, test anxiety, and there's always trends that change. So if you have an idea and you think we've already done it, don't worry about that. Send it to me again. The email address is Brain Matters Radio at wvuafm ua Edu and I love hearing from you guys and considering the show topic. As I mentioned tonight on the show, we're joined. I'm joined because I'm here by myself. I'm joined by three inspiring students from ua, Anna Mitchell, Drake Bennett and Hadley Shields. They're all a part of Tied Against Suicide. It's a powerful student led initiative that's dedicated to raising awareness, fostering open conversations and creating a supportive community around suicide prevention. Anna Drake and Hadley are here to share the important work happening on this campus and probably other campuses too. And talk about the upcoming suicide prevention walk and awareness week. And discuss how we can all play a role in breaking the stigma and supporting one another. And I'm so glad and honored to have you all here. Thank you for being on the show. I know you're busy. [00:03:15] Speaker C: Truly, but it was so much fun to make time. So we're happy to be here. [00:03:19] Speaker B: How busy are you guys? Like give us a look. Give the listeners. I always ask my guests, like usually I have only one guest on, so this might be a little tricky with the three of you on. If I interrupt you, I'm sorry, just ignore me. But I like to ask people to tell the listeners about yourself, like where you're from, what's your major, why you're interested in this topic. And Hadley, you can go first. [00:03:45] Speaker C: Okay. So I'm Hadley Shields. I'm a sophomore at ua. I'm from San Antonio, Texas originally. But I've kind of like moved around towns in Texas my whole life. My major is general business with a minor in environmental science. And I'm involved in student government here on campus and PI Beta Phi and a business fraternity, Delta Sigma PI and of course in tight against suicide. [00:04:06] Speaker B: Yay. My roommate was PI Phi. [00:04:09] Speaker C: Really? [00:04:09] Speaker B: FYI, PI Phi. [00:04:11] Speaker C: I love it so much. [00:04:12] Speaker B: So fi. So fun. Anna, go. [00:04:16] Speaker D: My name is Anna Mitchell. I am from Atlanta, Georgia. I am a sophomore here at Alabama and I'm a nursing major. I currently do not have a minor. Maybe we'll add one soon. Some organizations I'm involved in across campus are Chi Omega New Beta and tied against suicide. I'm working to get connected with other organizations like MedLife, you know, things that benefit my major. [00:04:40] Speaker B: Of course. And what's your major again? [00:04:42] Speaker D: Nursing. [00:04:42] Speaker B: That's what I thought you said. Man, that's tough, you know. And you're from Atlanta? My niece just had a baby indicator, 10 pounds, 2 ounces. You nurse? We didn't expect that. So glad to have you. Thank you. Drake, you're next. [00:05:00] Speaker E: Yeah. So my name is Drake Bennett. I'm a senior this year and I have a double major in psychology and Spanish from Cincinnati, Ohio. My minor is leadership Communications and I'm also in the STEM to MBA program. So after I Graduate with my undergrad. And in this May. In May. I'll graduate in May of next year, hopefully with an mba with a focus area, marketing. [00:05:19] Speaker B: Wow. [00:05:21] Speaker E: On campus. [00:05:22] Speaker B: Sorry, you're giving me a headache with all that. It sounds hard. [00:05:27] Speaker E: It's really fun. It's like fun, hard work. I promise. [00:05:30] Speaker B: And you're from where in Ohio? Where? [00:05:33] Speaker E: I'm from a small town 40 minutes north of Cincinnati called Wilmington, Ohio. [00:05:37] Speaker B: Okay. Okay. Good to have you. I like to hear where students are from and see if I have a connection. I have. I've been to a lot of states, but I have never been to Ohio. Not even flying through that is just weird. I don't think I. Well, now the sidebar. We'll get on the topic in a minute, I promise. Sidebar. Louisville, Kentucky's airport is actually in Cincinnati, right? [00:06:02] Speaker E: It's more like Cincinnati and then like Northern Kentucky. [00:06:05] Speaker B: Okay. It's like maybe I have been there. [00:06:08] Speaker E: Via airport, but it's not in Ohio. The airport is in, like, Newport, Kentucky. Like Northern Kentucky. [00:06:13] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, thank you for being on the show because you all three sound like. I really don't know how much time tied against suicide takes up for you guys. I know this is the critical time of the year because of the walk and because of Suicide Awareness Week. And I've been working here a long time, and I've seen it evolve over the years to become a whole week rather than just the walk, because it used to just be just the walk. And, you know, that was a whole day and a lot of planning for that. And a lot of people were involved and we didn't. To be honest, you might be surprised at this, we didn't have of a lot, whole lot of student involvement. Yeah, it just. I don't know what it was. It just was not a whole lot of student involvement like it is now. I mean, you go to the walk now and it's really packed out there. You know, that's a good thing. And I know for some families who are there because of their loved ones, it's a sad thing too. It can be sad, too. So tell us a little bit about, you know, the walk. Let's talk. Let's go ahead and talk about the suicide walk. What kinds of events are planned for the week? [00:07:28] Speaker E: So for the week leading up to the out of the Darkness walk, we're having multiple tabling and training sessions, like, throughout the week. So starting Monday through Wednesday, we're having a Messages of Hope tabling, which will be out on the quad by Denny Chimes. We're going to be having 1100 flags set up in the grassy area behind Denny Chimes. It's a great opportunity, and the 1100 flags represents 1100 students who unfortunately died by suicide each year. But it's a very good, like, educational opportunity for our students here on campus, as well as the messages of hope aspect of that. We're going to have, like, a huge poster board set up that people can, like, put messages on. Like messages of inspiration. Like, stay another day. You're doing great. [00:08:06] Speaker B: Like, tomorrow needs you. [00:08:09] Speaker E: Tomorrow needs you. [00:08:09] Speaker D: Yes. [00:08:10] Speaker B: Yeah. I love that. I love that. Anna Hadley, you want to add anything? [00:08:15] Speaker D: I have some QPR trainings as well. I don't know if Drake touched too much on that, but it is question, persuade, and let me pull. I have my slides pulled up so I can get all that correct. [00:08:26] Speaker B: I know this, too, but I'm let you. I usually make an announcement about this, about qpr, because a lot of people don't realize it's question, persuade and refer. [00:08:36] Speaker D: Okay. Yes. So that is where, you know, it's a great opportunity through this week to get educated on the importance of recognizing signs from classmates, roommates, friends, you know, people in your clubs. Especially this week, it's important to educate yourselves on the importance and the warning signs that your loved ones, your friends, your peers might have. And going to these events is strongly encouraged because they're very moving. And it's a really good opportunity to get to meet people who have the same interests as you. And, you know, if you're not very educated in mental health, that's okay. This is. You have a whole week to learn more about it. And we have the events. We have multiple of each event except the walk. [00:09:28] Speaker B: So there's something every day beginning. Beginning. Is it beginning Sunday or Monday? [00:09:35] Speaker D: Sunday, October 12th. [00:09:36] Speaker B: Okay. And then it. It culminates with the walk. [00:09:40] Speaker D: Yes. So it's on the. That following Sunday with the Tuscaloosa out of the Darkness walk. [00:09:46] Speaker B: Wow. Do you partner with if, remember, remember correctly, and I should know this, but do you partner with. Is it the American foundation for Suicide Prevention? Afsp? Did I get that right? [00:09:59] Speaker D: Yes. [00:10:00] Speaker B: Did you already say that? I don't think you said that yet, but I remember them partnering with us because there just wasn't really any other, like I said, organizations. There was. There wasn't a tide against suicide at that point. So AFSP was. And they came from Birmingham, you know, so. Hadley, I'm sorry I'd left you out. Do you have anything else to add as far as what's Going on this week. Coming up on the week of the 12th. [00:10:27] Speaker C: Yeah, we have some super fun events coming up too. That Monday we have Educate and Energize, which is another tabling. We have free energy drinks on the quad just to like, help students kind of get through midterms. I know I always need a bit of like a caffeine hit, especially if I've been up studying really late. And then hopefully people can come. Hopefully. Don't. They don't have any midterms on Thursday or Friday because we have Smash the Stigma pickleball tournament. [00:10:47] Speaker B: Oh my gosh. Gosh. [00:10:48] Speaker D: At 6:30. [00:10:50] Speaker C: So maybe that can be like an unwinding fun, just stress free. It's just a pickleball tournament where teams can sign up and compete. It's just a good, like, mixer event for people to connect and energize. And exercise releases positive hormones. [00:11:03] Speaker B: So that's. That sounds so much fun. Is there a limit to how many people can sign up for that? [00:11:09] Speaker C: I'm not sure. [00:11:10] Speaker D: I don't think so. [00:11:12] Speaker E: Yeah, it's $5 registration per person. It'll be 6:30 8:30 at the rec course. I'm not sure exactly what day it is, but I can pull it up in a second. [00:11:21] Speaker B: That is so cool. Do all of y' all play pickleball? Okay. Thank you. I mean, I'm shocked. I. I'm really. Do you have like, you play pickleball? [00:11:31] Speaker C: I've been playing it since I was really young, so I was like 5 because my dad was a tennis coach. But then it became really trendy all of a sudden. [00:11:37] Speaker B: Well, okay, then your dad and I can relate because I played tennis through high school and at junior college before I transferred here. And I'm a snob when it comes to pickleball. Just sidebar. People who play tennis are kind of like, I don't know, but I think I would like it. But I'm always surprised at how many like, young people are really into pickleball. So I'm excited about this. This tournament does. Do they win anything? Like, whoever wins the tournament, do they get anything, like money or anything? [00:12:07] Speaker E: I don't think you mostly just get like, bragging rights. And you say that you participated in a real. [00:12:12] Speaker B: For some people, that's enough. That's cool. What inspired each of you to get involved with this work? [00:12:26] Speaker E: Okay, I'll go first. When I was in high school, I was involved with an organization called Hope Squad. So when I came down to Alabama from Ohio, I was at the first, like, get on board day in the fall and I saw like the table Student Tidy and Suicide and it reminded me of like Hope Squad back up in Ohio. Like, that's another national organization that works like, specifically with like, not college age students. And then coming down here, I was able to like get involved with another very similar organization here, Student Tidy and Suicide. And it's just been a great opportunity to print awareness around mental health and like, I've had my own struggles with mental health, so it's great to support other students. [00:13:02] Speaker B: But you had a little bit of experience with a group like this, so that's, that's, that's neat that you had the experience because a lot of people just don't know what it's about, you know, might be even scared a little bit afraid to get involved. I don't know, you know, a little intimidated. [00:13:18] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:13:19] Speaker B: What about you, Anna? What inspired you? [00:13:21] Speaker D: I have to be completely honest. I have unfortunately had personal connections to suicide and I have always been raised and told by my parents that it's very important to be kind and to understand what people go through and that nothing is black and white. You never know what someone is struggling with. And one of the people I lost from suicide was truly the happiest kid I have ever known in my life. And it was really unexpected for me personally because from what I saw, it was, you know, he was just a ray of sunshine. And coming out of state to college, being around new people, I knew that I wanted to somehow be involved in something related to mental health from my family member and for my friend. It's just really important for me personally to advocate and to educate people on the importance of educating yourself on suicide and, you know, the warning signs, you know, the resources you have locally even if you're not on a college campus. But I think Student Taught Against Suicide was like the perfect organization for me to join. I just love everything that we're about and the support within the group is incredible. And we have great people encouraging us to be better and to keep learning more about mental health. [00:14:47] Speaker B: That's wonderful. Well said about how many people are involved with. It's S T A S, right? [00:14:53] Speaker D: Yes, sorry, I answer that. I don't know it off the top of my head. [00:14:57] Speaker E: We have 24 students involved, as well as a PhD advisor student. Her name is Kendall May. She's incredible. And then we also have a current student who's, she's doing her master's of social work. So it's about 25 people total, counting like two grad students. [00:15:12] Speaker B: That's that's huge. Hadley, I didn't skip you. What inspired you to be involved with tied against suicide? [00:15:19] Speaker C: Sadly, the same as Anna. It was kind of two instances. I remember losing a family member to suicide when I was really young and just not really like understanding kind of the ins and outs or like, like Anna said, kind of recognizing signs or being able to understand and being so young, kind of very feeling like out of touch with everything that was happening or even having any experience with the word itself. And then later on in high school, losing a really dear friend right before going into college and just kind of feeling like motivated by that in a way to push for something that like the name of the pig ball tournament says, like to smash the stigma that is around, like suicide. And just the way that people are almost like either can make such a joke about it or are so fearful to talk about it. [00:16:04] Speaker B: Yes. And that was my next question is do you, three of you, do you think people are afraid to talk about it even still? [00:16:11] Speaker C: I mean, I just think that it can be like, really uncomfortable for some people or it's been desensitized to them through just how much like the media swarms us with every day or how like, people joke about it a lot. I think that it can kind of become desensitized. So when it's brought up, it's kind of brushed off. I think the reason I wanted to join was to join a group of people that really pushed an incentive forward, like a mission to like, put the joke away from it and bring more serious and impactful light to it. [00:16:40] Speaker B: Yeah, that's wonderful. That's wonderful. Let's take our first break and then when we come back, you both, Anna and Hadley, you both mentioned signs, warning signs. Can we talk about that when we come back? Absolutely. And also if you're willing to take an email question, let's go that route, too. So we'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7 the Capstone. [00:17:10] Speaker E: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa. [00:17:13] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:17:51] Speaker B: Hey, you're Back listening to Brain Matters on 90.7, the Capstone. I'm BJ Guenther. We're talking tonight with three students who are instrumental in the organization tied against suicide, which we've never had anybody from tied against suicide on the show before. And I'm just so honored that y' all took the time to be on with me and to talk about, like, some of the hard stuff, you know, like, some people just can't talk about it, or they don't know what to say, and it can be scary. It really can be scary. And I know I'm on the other end. I'm on the counseling end, so I can sit here and say, I don't know how common it is. Maybe y' all have the statistics in front of you, but it's high. I will say it's high. How many students we have who come in who have had those thoughts. Now that just because you have the thoughts doesn't mean you're going to take action. But who had the thoughts, suicidal thoughts. So I don't know the percentage, but. And you don't need to say that. But when we left off before the break, Hadley and Anna and Drake are my guests tonight. They mentioned the signs. So can you give us some warning signs that are common? [00:19:08] Speaker D: Yes. One that I personally had seen was a lot of it seemed like drowsiness, you know, tired, not motivated. The biggest thing was, you know, if your friend is not going to class and you know that they're going through a hard time or they're not wanting to hang out with their friends, not wanting to go to football games, you know, do anything social, I would say that's a very big warning sign. [00:19:30] Speaker B: Like isolating. [00:19:31] Speaker D: Yeah, absolutely. And it's important to, you know, check on them if they start isolating themselves. [00:19:40] Speaker B: Headley. [00:19:41] Speaker C: One that I had noticed a lot that's kind of like on the flip side of that. And it's interesting because you can think that only, like, detachment is the main sign, but kind of like extreme highs and lows as associated with mood swings, feeling. Feeling, like, really overly energized one day or then, like Anna said, being super drowsy or doing, like, very risky things. Kind of associated with that. [00:20:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:03] Speaker C: Kind of more of like a nihilistic approach to their actions. Definitely be one of the factors as well. [00:20:09] Speaker B: Yes. [00:20:10] Speaker E: Drake basically going off of what Anna and Hadley have both already said is, like, especially towards, like, if they have, like, a plan in place already, the person might become very happy. They might start doing a lot of stuff. Like just, just randomly out of the blue. And that's a really important thing to look out for, especially in your friends, because you can reach out to them, be like, hey, you've done a full 180. Like, are you doing okay? Like, can I help you anymore? Like, are you truly doing okay? It's important to reach out and ask. [00:20:40] Speaker B: I agree, and I think too, and maybe y' all can back me up on this. I think when people say they're going to do it, you need to take them seriously because, you know, I think a lot of people just blow it off. Like, like, I guess it was Hadley said it. Some people think it's like a joke or they don't know what. Maybe they don't know what to do and it scares them, but they just ignore it. I think that's very dangerous because if somebody says they're going to do it, yes, there may be consequences, you know, being made to go to the counseling center or something like that, but it's better to be safe than sorry, you know, and ignore somebody who is telling you they are going to kill themselves. So what kinds of. How do you think these events, like y' all are doing for the next week? How do you think it impacts the overall university community? [00:21:38] Speaker C: Well, one thing I think that it does is like, I always hear clubs talking about how they try to make a really big campus feel smaller. And I think that just simply like hosting these events, especially with a tone of suicidal awareness, even if it was like outside of that, just having events with people that are safe and understanding and just genuinely want to bring light to the campus, just build a sense of community. And that's something that we as people especially, like, I mean, we're all out of state students and a lot of the campus is. And even for in states, just people trying to find a community and a community of people that really care, I think can really just help bring people together as well as spreading awareness. [00:22:20] Speaker B: And you don't feel so left out to, like, if you've had a family member die by suicide, then you, you do have that sense of community. Because I think for some people, they have somebody to talk to really, because their friends just really sometimes just don't understand you just, you know, they just don't understand. They can't relate. So let's. Can I ask you. This is the email question. Okay. And it's kind of, let's say a little bit of what I already asked you, but not. It's a little more detail. What is the most rewarding Thing about serving on the Tide Against Suicide board or being in Tide Against Suicide, what's so rewarding about it? Drake. Okay, so from now on. Sorry, that's my mistake. You're good. [00:23:13] Speaker E: Don't worry. I would say from my experiences, this is my second year being a board member. So the out of the Darkness walk last year, it was incredibly powerful and rewarding to see how many people showed up to be there for something that's like so close to so many people. I think we had like nearly around 2,000 people show up last year. Like students and community members and like just like the absolute, like there's a sense of unity that you had. Being there is like something that. Like, not necessarily that. I'm looking forward to having that sense of unity again. Such a very sad topic. [00:23:46] Speaker B: But. But it feels like your work. There's like there's. There's. Your work is meaningful. How about you, Hadley? [00:23:56] Speaker C: I think. Well, actually, I never thought this would really happen, but for our. We have something called the Blue Button initiative. [00:24:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:24:02] Speaker C: Which is where we go through training for referrals. And I remember thinking that. And we got these blue button pins that we could put on our bags. And I remember after my classes, a student came up to me and I didn't know this was like truly going to happen. Like being prepared and genuinely was. I was able to sit down with them after class, just on a bench outside. [00:24:20] Speaker B: Wow. [00:24:21] Speaker C: Have a conversation with them, give them a card and be able to refer them. So. And I felt really prepared in that moment. And I just, like, it almost makes me emotional because I never thought that, like, I would be able to be that person for somebody without even knowing their name. I know being able to really help them. And to me that was just the most rewarding thing ever. [00:24:41] Speaker B: It was so impactful and man, it took a lot of courage. Courage for that person to ask you, you know. [00:24:47] Speaker C: Yeah, definitely. And I applaud for that immensely. And that was just for me, like the most rewarding thing possible. I was so happy they felt safe enough to talk to me. [00:24:55] Speaker B: And you know what? Even though that one person came up to you and wanted to talk, you really, if having that button, you don't know how many people it's affected. Really. No way. You know, no way to know necessarily. That's cool. [00:25:07] Speaker C: There are people there on campus that are safe because it's so easy to feel so alone, especially if you don't know a ton of people because there are so many people on campus. But kind having a way to identify that I think is super. [00:25:19] Speaker B: Yeah. Anna, how about you? [00:25:22] Speaker D: I had a similar experience having the blue button. First, I'll go into how I felt when I walked into the training last year, and I just saw so many people. And, you know, it was a presentation style pretty late in the evening, and I think it was on a Monday or Tuesday. But I just remember being, like, really surprised that a lot of people took the time out of their days to come educate themselves. And hearing all of our counselors talk and the police who volunteered to talk about the resources we have here on campus and people taking notes and writing things down, that was really rewarding to me because it shows that the counseling center we work with and all of the hard work, work that goes on behind these doors in this presentation, people were actually listening and utilizing the resources provided. And having that blue button on my backpack last year, I remember so many people just being like, what's that button for? [00:26:23] Speaker B: Like, what does it mean? [00:26:24] Speaker D: And I just went on and on about mental health and how important it is to be a listening ear, if you're willing to be. And, you know, to educate yourself on how to talk to people who are struggling. And. And it's just been so rewarding being able to be kind of an outlet for someone who you don't know. Just like Hadley said, it's just really rewarding to feel that your work and your time that you put into this is actually being appreciated by people and people are using the resources we provide. [00:26:59] Speaker B: Yeah. Because I feel like all of us have been touched by suicide at some point, whether it's a family member or not, whether it's somebody in the public eye, even, you know, a friend of a friend or a friend, you know, you can all speak to that you just did in your introductions. Hadley, did you raise your hand? [00:27:20] Speaker C: No. [00:27:21] Speaker B: Did I miss you? Are there. Is there going to be a speaker at the walk this year? Some years there are speakers. Do you know what I'm talking about? [00:27:32] Speaker E: We're not entirely sure yet this year. Last year, we had one of our board members do a little brief, like, talk, and I assume that'll probably be the same case again this year. I'm not entirely sure about that, though. [00:27:42] Speaker B: It usually is. Everyone I've ever been to, and I've been to most all of them, there's usually somebody that volunteers to speak about a personal, you know, story, and it's very powerful for most people and helpful, so. And helpful for the person who's actually doing the speaking, too. So let's see. I've Got another email question. Sorry, there's several. So we might take some of these off the. Just off the cuff. Let's see. Okay. How can I support a friend experiencing mental health issues while also caring for myself? Catching you off guard a little bit. Sorry, Anna. You want to try? [00:28:33] Speaker D: Yeah. So it's always important to make sure that you put yourself first in any situation. Physically and mentally. You are, you know, you are all you have physically. You control your brain, you control all of that, what you think, what you do. But it's also really important to support your friends who are struggling, either by, you know, calling them and just talking about it. Even not talking about it helps. Talking about what you did in your day, going out with them, going to dinner, going to watch a movie, just hanging out at someone's house. There are many ways to support your friends. Communication, being a shoulder to cry on. As for me, since we do know what there is on campus that can help mental health, I think as for me, if I had a friend struggling and they were listing the reasons why, I can maybe think back to what resources we have here and what I think might be best fit for them. But all in all, just encouraging your friend, supporting them, and letting them know that, you know, it. It doesn't always hurt this bad. It doesn't always stink. You know, things get better. You got to. To push through the difficult times as much as hard as it is. But, you know, that's what your friends and family are for. They're people for you to lean on, and they're there to help support you through hard things. [00:30:07] Speaker B: That's right. One of the. When I'm talking to students who, who have or are suicidal, you know, sometimes they will say it doesn't matter, or they'll say nobody cares. Or they'll say, I don't want to be a burden anymore. And, you know, I'm sitting there knowing if their loved ones knew they were telling me this, they would be shocked. So what do the next question. You kind of touched on this a little bit. And I'll let Hadley and Drake answer this one. How should. What if you have a friend who is having suicidal thoughts? And I know the answer to this, but people who are listening need to know this too. They're having suicidal thoughts, but they don't want. Want you to tell anyone or to get therapy. What would you do? [00:30:56] Speaker C: I mean, honestly, like as college students here at ua, like, we're not certified therapists. And I think that if you truly care about your friend, you'd refer them to Someone you would tell their family if you had a contact, especially because, I mean, just out of care. And I think that. I mean, I know myself, if I didn't refer, I would beat myself up if they actually acted on something. And I just think that it's so important, like, even if your friend would be upset at you for a while, that if you truly think they're gonna act on something, if their mental health is really declining, like, you need to say something you need to do. [00:31:26] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:31:26] Speaker C: Even if it's really uncomfortable. [00:31:28] Speaker B: Definitely. Definitely. I mean, I've had students get really mad at me because I've had to make a referral to the hospital. Let's just face it. But then come back after that and thank me, and they realize, you know, what I had to do. And as far as I've even recommended sometimes that people come with their friends if they're afraid to come to the counseling center, you know, alone to bring your friend or come with your friend and sit with them. And we've had that happen many times. We've even had professors come over here, you know, and bring students that they were concerned about. Drake, did you want to add anything to that? I didn't mean to leave you out. [00:32:08] Speaker E: No, I was going to say, like, if they're actively in a crisis, it's better to, like, call 911 or UAPD in that moment to get them the resources. Because you're out there. Have somebody mad at you for a few years. [00:32:18] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:32:19] Speaker E: Not have someone for a few years. [00:32:20] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. If they're actively suicidal, you have to do that. Yeah, that's always good advice. How aware do you think students on campus are about the warning signs that we talked about? You got any idea? [00:32:37] Speaker C: I mean, I think it's kind of dependent on who you ask, but I think that in a lot of students, cases, I mean, there are so many people that are just so incredibly busy and possibly caught up in their own head that they're so stressed and running around in their minds racing. There's so much going on that it's kind of harder for them to recognize. And I feel like I keep touching back on this, but especially in, like, my age group, it's become so joked about, too. So I think that some certain signs or people are reaching out for help can kind of just be, like, pushed back or just in such a big space. It's easy for people to just kind of, like, still feel isolated and really themselves and then kind of, like, lose connection, especially when they're just getting here and Are like still forming connection. [00:33:19] Speaker B: How do y' all are more in the trenches than I am? That's what I call it. How do you feel like we as a campus are doing? As far as I remember, several years ago, many years ago, I felt more connected with like the RAs or the community directors in the residence halls than I do now. I don't. It's. Maybe it's just because we've grown so much. I don't. I don't know. But I feel like they were kind of in tune with their residents more. I don't know if that's true because like I said, I'm really not in the trenches as much as I used to be. What do y' all think about that? [00:34:01] Speaker D: I think that it could be very difficult for any authority figure here to recognize certain things just because there's so many people. You know, if you have a smaller class, that's one thing. But if you're in a lecture hall with 100 plus kids and you're failing a test, there's probably a bunch of other kids failing the test and they're sitting through a lecture not personally connecting with you, but I do think roles people enrolls like an ra, I think that's a great person to speak to on campus. They're close by, you can knock on their door. You know, you have all of their contact information because they reach out to you during move in. And you know, if something were to happen, your RA is most likely going to be there before anything and they have access to all of the resources that we do and they might be more educated on, you know, where to refer them or you know, who to. [00:35:00] Speaker B: Talk to, how to get help. Basically. [00:35:04] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:35:04] Speaker B: Hadley or Drake, do y' all want to add anything to that? [00:35:08] Speaker E: I was going to say, like, I think the counseling center themselves are doing a great job of trying to be as accessible as possible to students. Students especially with like the recent addition, like the embedded therapists in the colleges, like, it's just like they're trying to be like, as accessible as possible without, like just, you know, pulling students essentially, like to get them help that they need. [00:35:29] Speaker B: It's gotta help. It's gotta help to spread the love, you know, a little bit more, make it, like you said, more easily accessible. I think it's really changed things. It's like. And I don't know, honestly, I don't know if they're doing that in other. On other campuses. I don't really keep up with that as much. Probably Greg, who's our executive director, does. But I'm sure other schools have organizations, like, tied against suicide. I'm positive they do. So that's pretty neat. I don't know how often you actually meet with those other organizations on other college campuses. Do y' all ever have any, like, big conferences or anything like that? It'd be neat. I think it'd be neat. But so to share ideas, you know. So Hadley, didn't mean to leave you out. You got anything else to add about that? [00:36:23] Speaker C: My RA was like my best friend last year. She helped me with all my homework and stuff, and we never had any of those emotional conversations, but I felt really supportive for her. We had her over for breakfast one morning. I remember she was really. I loved her so much. So I felt like she especially did an amazing job. And she texted me at the start of this year, too, just saying that she's here if I needed anything. [00:36:43] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. Yes. [00:36:44] Speaker C: She set the bar so high. She was amazing. [00:36:47] Speaker B: I miss that. I miss having a connection with the RAs like we had because they would invite us over to do outreaches at night. And, you know, you really felt like more of a part of the campus than I do right now, to be honest. But, you know, let's take another break and then we've got a couple of more email questions and then I've got some more questions to wrap up. So we'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7. The capstone. [00:37:23] Speaker E: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa. [00:37:26] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:38:03] Speaker B: Hey your welcome back listening to brain matters on 19.7 the Capstone. I'm Dr. B.J. guenther. We're talking tonight with Hadley Shields, Anna Mitchell and Drake Bennett. I had to look at yalls names to remember your last names. Three UA students who are involved with Tide Against Suicide, an organization to promote awareness really of suicide and suicide prevention. And we've got an upcoming week, the Suicide Awareness Week, starting on Sunday the 12th. And it will culminate in the out of the Darkness walk. And Drake, is that the. Would you Say, is that the biggest event or the most important? Maybe I should have asked it that way. Is that the most important event of the week? [00:38:49] Speaker E: I would say that's also the most important event of our fall semester on Alabama's campus. Like, not even just that week. It's one of the best things you can possibly do. [00:38:58] Speaker B: People really turn out for it. Is there another walk in the spring? [00:39:02] Speaker E: No, we do a separate event called recharge week around midterms to try to keep students motivated to finish off the. [00:39:09] Speaker B: School year strong in the spring. [00:39:10] Speaker E: Yes, ma'. [00:39:11] Speaker B: Am. Yeah. Yeah. I was thinking we. We. There was a time. There was a year that we had one in the fall and one in the spring, but I might have made that up, but I thought we did. What if. What areas on campus? This is an email question, you guys. What areas on campus is tied against suicide trying to reach that may not have been reached before? That's an interesting question. Okay. [00:39:40] Speaker E: Okay. So each year, we always have a big issue of trying to get access to the freshmen because, like, a lot of them are out of state students. They're not, like, involved yet on campus. They're not aware of all the research resources around them to support them, help them get through the four stressful years of college that they are for many people. But I say like freshmen, and then. [00:40:01] Speaker B: Do you feel like you've made headway doing that? [00:40:05] Speaker E: I feel like every year we do better headway than we did the year before. We always learn new things about how to get involved with them, whether it be through, like, how you were Talking about earlier RAs, the resident advisors, and then just, like, better tabling locations. Like, every year, we start realizing, oh, more students walk, for example, over by Shelby Quad than they do by the student center. So we'll just, like, change stuff around to try to meet the needs of the students and support them as best we can. [00:40:30] Speaker B: Anna, can you think of anything? I don't want to leave y' all out, so I don't want to put you on the spot either, so we'll see how it goes. [00:40:38] Speaker D: Can you just repeat the question one more time? [00:40:40] Speaker B: What areas on campus is tied against suicide trying to reach that may not have been reached out to before? [00:40:48] Speaker D: I am not on the outreach committee, so I'm not super educated on this, but I agree with Drake. I actually joined Stoss as a freshman, but that is also because two girls in my sorority were in it, and they talked about it all the time. And I knew that that was an organization I wanted to be a part of. So I think, you know, if I didn't meet those girls or know how they got into Stoss, I probably would have also had more of a difficult time learning more about Stoss and the resources we have here on campus. So I think freshmen is a good answer. [00:41:24] Speaker B: Do you know any. Have you got any ideas and any of y' all can answer this of what resources we need? What are some more resources we need on this campus? Do you can. Have you researched that at all or talked to other people outside of ua? You know, who you feel like we need to do that? That. [00:41:46] Speaker C: I think one thing, I'm also involved in the. The CHAM center, the Greek, like, Safe Sisters program. And so I actually did a presentation for my sorority this past year. So I think kind of going along with resources like that, having like the embedded therapist. Oh, my God. Almost like embedded kind of people within different organizations, especially Greek life, that have kind of have that kind of training, I think that would be amazing in a way. So especially within, especially organizations like that, because they are so large, kind of having someone designated that is trained and going along with that. What Anna was saying, how, like, why. Who I think we need to reach is people in Greek life. And also I am actually on the outreach committee. And so we always attempt to push our Instagram and all of our informational posts about events, especially as far advanced before they happen as possible, so people can kind of plan ahead for them. [00:42:37] Speaker D: Instead of just a day or two. [00:42:38] Speaker C: Before, but just kind of the people within each of our networks on our social medias being able to push certain events out and then our connections can see them and then really want to get involved with Stoss as well. [00:42:49] Speaker B: That's a good idea. What, Drake, what do you do if it is inclement weather and it rains? Of course, it never rains here anymore. So for the out of the darkness walk, what's the backup plan in case it does rain for people listening? [00:43:04] Speaker E: As far as I'm aware, we're still going to have an event that. That Sunday to support support to people as we can. There's not necessarily like a huge backup plan of just canceling. It is like we'll definitely have something going, so it's still worth coming to the student center. [00:43:18] Speaker B: I'm trying to think over the years if we've ever had to cancel one, and I do not remember having to cancel one. But that's kind of unusual because usually it rains a lot in the fall, but this. This fall it's not. We need more rain, but not on that Sunday. How about for that Sunday? [00:43:38] Speaker C: Cannot manifest the rain for that Sunday. [00:43:40] Speaker B: No, no, please, no. How about if someone is listening right now and they feel hopeless or scared, like, what's one thing they need to know? [00:43:50] Speaker E: I would say to them, like, you're definitely not a burden. Like, no matter what you're going through right now, there are people out there that care for you. Like, truly, deeply care for you and love you. And like, please reach out to them. Like, reach out to the Instagram even and like, we'll get you connected with people that you need to be connected with. There's a ton of people out there for you. [00:44:10] Speaker B: Even if you have questions and you don't want to be recognized at first, that's okay too. [00:44:17] Speaker C: I would just say, like one of my favorite quotes is, like, you're doing better than you think. I think it's so easy to put pressure on people that feel like they're not like just people pressure on themselves that they're not doing enough or that they could be doing so much more they're slacking behind is just letting people know that they're so, so, so, so, so loved by so many people. And there's just so many am going to be happening in their future. And every day you wake up is such an amazing accomplishment. And even just with that, you're doing better than you think. [00:44:48] Speaker B: What do you think keeps people from reaching out? [00:44:53] Speaker D: I think that there's a lot of stigma and stereotypes like Hadley touched on a couple of times about people not taking it seriously or saying it's, you know, not thinking it's serious because it's has just become such a widespread joke, like some kind of cruel joke in our age group. And I think a lot of people also, particularly males, I think that they feel that they can't be weak or that it makes them weak to reach out for help or, you know, that they'll be name called by their friends or a lot of people too also just don't like the attention of it. They don't. They don't want to go talk to a therapist. They don't want a friend to console them and, you know, harp on mental health. A lot of them are just really wanting to suffer in silence. And if there is one thing you take away from this show today is do not ever suffer in silence, it is there is someone out there anywhere who will listen to you and they would rather listen to you than lose you. So if you are suffering, talk to a loved one, talk to friend, family, go to a counseling center or you know, just, just find someone to help support you. [00:46:10] Speaker B: Do people still use. Do students still use crisis text line? [00:46:15] Speaker E: Yeah, the 741741 number. [00:46:18] Speaker B: Yeah. I just hadn't heard, you know, I've got the card right here and I talk to students about it. I just haven't heard many people talking about that anymore. We did a show when that first came out years ago on our campus, but I just hadn't heard many people talk about it. And it's a good resource if you, you know, if you want to go that route. Because I think some people, I think they're scared they're going to get in trouble for some reason, like, you know, or they're embarrassed that their parents are going to find out, or sometimes I think they're afraid we're going to put them in the hospital. That's the first thing some people will say. And that's not necessarily true. It depends. It really depends. Depends on a lot of factors. But reaching out to somebody is the most important thing. And like Anna said, do not suffer in silence because that is just. You don't have to. There's people who care and are willing to listen, like you guys and me. How about. I don't know if we have another break. Let's take another break and when we come back, I want to talk some more about closing thoughts and your ideas on some things I have to ask. So we'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7 the capstone. [00:47:39] Speaker E: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa. [00:47:42] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:48:20] Speaker B: Hey, you're back listening to brain matters on 90.7 the Capstone. I'm BJ Gunther. We're talking tonight about suicide awareness and prevention. We've got a week coming up. October 12th, and then it ends that Sunday, which will be the 19th with an out of the darkness walk which is progressively gotten more attention and more attendance throughout the year since I've been here at the counseling center. Who all? And my guests tonight are three of UA students, Drake, Hadley and Anna, who all is participating on campus, is it? Who else is sponsoring the walk? I'll say it that way. Drake. Go. [00:49:07] Speaker E: Okay. So for the walk itself, student tied against suicide, we usually partner with the American foundation for Suicide Prevention and all the proceeds from that go directly to them. It supports the Alabama chapter in suicide prevention in the state of Alabama. There's not any specific groups that sponsor it per se, but especially student government. I know they'll be having a table there. The Belonging and Wellness Committee. I'm on that, so. Or blinds Cabinet. Sorry. We'll be supporting the, like, students like to feel belonged and well on campus and then the counseling center. And just like, local resources is like, it's just a great opportunity to come and learn about, like, what's in the Tuscaloosa community, like, western Alabama itself. [00:49:48] Speaker D: Anna, I think. Yeah, we have, like he said, not a lot of sponsors, but we have a lot of support from local. The local community, our counselors on campus. We have so many people that are hopefully going to show up. [00:50:06] Speaker B: Oh, they will. [00:50:08] Speaker D: And a lot of. There's just, like Drake said a while ago, unity too. And unfortunately, we are coming together for a very sad event. But it is important for all of us to stick together because we are all, you know, promoting the same thing and we all want the same thing to come out of it. [00:50:26] Speaker B: That's right. Handley, you want to wrap it up? Yeah. [00:50:30] Speaker C: Already been making plans with all my friends to come, so if they don't show up, I'm going to be very upset. And also next week, especially during my stories chapter, I'm going to attempt to promote it to everybody and say that everyone should come because it really is, like Anna was saying, for such a worthy cause. And I know so many people in my life and in my circle of friends have all been affected by suicide, which is so, so, so incredibly sad. But it really brings everyone together for a cause that is so worth and. [00:50:58] Speaker B: Acting on, I think. Tell everybody. Is there a procedure? Do you have to check in and sign up when you get there, if I remember correctly? I think you do. Is that true? [00:51:09] Speaker D: Yes. So we have a QR code. We have a PowerPoint for suicide awareness Week, and the QR code is on there. And I'm pretty sure we'll be posting that on our Instagram. And you can pre register, which is that, or you can sign up when you get there. So it's pretty open, you know, pretty easy. Pressure to register right away, though. [00:51:30] Speaker B: What's the Instagram account? Anybody? Sorry. [00:51:37] Speaker C: You're so good. It's tied against suicide. All one word. [00:51:41] Speaker B: Got it at. What about. Is there a website or is it just. You just go to the ua, the University of Alabama website and then type in the search window tied against suicide. It comes up. [00:51:54] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:51:55] Speaker B: Okay. What do you think listeners should take away from the conversation today? What do you want them to. What's one thing? I'm going to put you each on the spot again. Drake, what's one thing? [00:52:09] Speaker E: I would definitely say, like, please come to the out of the darkness walk. It's a great opportunity to meet a ton of like local people that are important. Like, care deeply about this cause as well and like just gain awareness of the resources and then have that sense of unity. And like just what I said earlier. [00:52:25] Speaker B: So I think it me, I think it means something to the people who will be there who have lost friends and loved ones. Hadley. [00:52:37] Speaker C: I think just for people to take with them that suicide really is a serious topic that affects a lot of people. And if you're struggling or if you know anyone that's struggling to reach out and really try to be a support for someone, or even if you don't know that they're struggling, just make sure to check in on your friends. [00:52:55] Speaker D: Try Anna, believe it with same thing as Hadley. Always, always check on your friends, even if it annoys them. It is so important to check on your friends, your family, honestly, just anyone you speak to when you have the opportunity. This saw week is going to be such a great opportunity for people to come together and become more educated. So I encourage everyone to come. And one message I would, would I want everyone to take away is you are loved and to not suffer in silence ever. There is someone who will listen and you always have some form of support behind you. [00:53:33] Speaker B: So. Okay, this is a thank you. This is a personal question. Last thing, I'll end with this. How do each of you take care of your own mental health while helping others? That's hard. Drake, we'll start back with you. [00:53:47] Speaker E: I'll say like, as a psychology major, like, you're around a lot of like very deep, like discussions sometimes. [00:53:54] Speaker B: Yes. [00:53:54] Speaker E: And like the way that I personally take care of myself is I absolutely love the Spotify app on my phone. [00:54:01] Speaker B: Oh my gosh. [00:54:01] Speaker E: The amount of music I listen to in a week has gone up tremendously. [00:54:05] Speaker B: It's bad. I was just listening to vintage Halloween radio. It's crazy. Yeah, that's good. I like that. Hadley, what do you do? [00:54:15] Speaker C: Oh my gosh. I, I try to pick up like little hobbies or just kind of things to get excited about. I've really gotten back into painting recently. Eating a lot and also just. I don't know. My roommates are very spontaneous, so we'll try to do little weekend trips when we can. So just keeping myself moving and usually I. One of my favorite sayings recently is that depression can't hit a moving target. So just trying to keep up my movement and my activities whenever I possibly can can helps me, like, grounded. [00:54:43] Speaker B: I love it. And I love your nails, too, for those listening. They're red and white polka dots, and they're adorable. One hand is the crimson and one hand is white with the polka dot. They're adorable nails. Thank you. Anna, what do you do? [00:54:59] Speaker D: I do a couple of things, but my main. My main goal when I am struggling or to, you know, prevent that is just keeping busy. You know, spending a lot of time doing schoolwork, but also making sure that I take breaks and make time for things I like to do. Also, like Hadley, I like to pick up random hobbies, kind of like seasonal ones, like during winter. I love baking and you know who. [00:55:24] Speaker B: Yuka. [00:55:24] Speaker D: It's so much fun. And it really is important to put yourself first and to just enjoy every little thing in life and to cherish everything because you never know, you know, what's going to happen or. [00:55:39] Speaker B: Or what people are going through. Like you mentioned before, other people are. [00:55:43] Speaker D: Just because, you know, you're happy and you're having a great time and you're managing your stress and, you know, being in college, maintaining a relatively stable mental health. There are so many people on this campus that struggle and they go unseen because a lot of them don't feel comfortable speaking out. [00:56:01] Speaker B: That's right. That's right. We gotta make it a little more comfortable for people to talk. And, you know, it sounds like a counseling cliche, but it's a balance that's hard to do for some people. It really is. And you guys sound like you're doing it. You might not feel like it, but I appreciate you being on today. I know this took some time, and you don't have much time, so I appreciate it. I think what you're doing is very worthwhile. And I think you'll see that on the 19th in the. In the. At the walk, because hopefully there'll be more people than even last year, more than 2,000 people. I mean, with our enrollment up to 42,000. Come on. There's gonna be more people there. So thank you so much. I appreciate it. I'm gonna make a few little announcements and then we'll go. As always, I want to say that our shows are recorded and podcasted. And on The Apple Podcast, audioboom.com and Voices UA Edu. Just type in Brain Matters and you'll find some of our past shows. There's also a link to Voices UA EDU on our Counseling Center's website, and that's Counseling UA Edu. And as always, I want to thank the people who made the show possible. Our executive director here at the counseling center, Dr. Greg Vanderwerk, my producer and my colleague, Katherine Howell. She'll be back next week. She's not here today. My colleagues at the counseling center and the WVUA staff who edits the show, Gareth Garner. He's wonderful. And of course, my guest tonight, Anna Mitchell, Drake Bennett and Hadley Shields are great. Don't forget, we're on next week. Join us again. The topic's gonna be balancing justice and Compassion, defending students with mental Health health challenges. And we're going to have the public defender for Tuscaloosa County. So that should be an interesting, fascinating show. We've never done anything like that before. So be back here with us, same time, same place. Thanks for listening. Have a good night. [00:58:04] Speaker A: This show was not intended as a substitute for professional counseling. Further, the views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the show hosts, their guests are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Alabama, its officers or trustees. Any views, opinions or conclusions shared on the show do not create a relationship between the host or any guest and any listener, and such a relationship should never be inferred. If you feel you're in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, please contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.