A vigil for suicide awareness will be held today at Shippensburg University’s Ceddia Union Building (CUB) in recognition of September’s National Suicide Prevention and Awareness month and those who have committed or attempted suicide.
The vigil will begin at 8 p.m. in the CUB Amphitheater or in its rain location of Naugle Hall’s multipurpose room.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, said Carl Archut Jr., the Seavers Hall residence director and a coordinator of the event. Students with suicidal thoughts have the highest rate of untreated depression, Archut said, including SU students. However, the ratio of attempts to completed suicides is 10 to one, with four in five young adults showing clear warning signs of suicidal thoughts beforehand, according to Mental Health America. The organization also said that more lives are lost to suicide in a year than to any other cause except cancer and heart disease.
All students, faculty and staff attending the vigil are encouraged to wear yellow clothing in commemoration of Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day and to support the cause. During the vigil, those attending will discuss how to prevent suicide, and how it affects all of our lives.
Anyone with additional questions can contact Alex Honsberger at mccurd@ship.edu.
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