not again

Last fall, 5 NYU students committed suicide. These were separate, unrelated incidents, and they occurred just at the beginning of the school year. These students all died by jumping from high places. (Actually one of the deaths was deemed unintentional, as the student was high on hallucinogens at the time). Today I found out that a student died last week after feeling ill and calling 911. He was taken to hospital and died shortly thereafter. And now, I just heard that a sixth student has died, another jumping suicide.

I don't know what to think anymore. I went to NYU for 4 years, during which I never heard of a single suicide, let alone 5 inside of a year. I can't imagine the level of hopelessness and desperation a person must be feeling in order to actually go through with a suicide. I only pray that learning of these deaths will somehow encourage others to seek help before they go to such an extreme.

Then I get angry. While some people die in unavoidable accidents, others take it upon themselves to end their own lives. Coming so soon after my friend's cousin fell into a coma because of the car accident she was in, it makes me mad to think that these kids didn't have to die. They could have gotten help, they would have had support here. One thing NYU does is provide tons of counseling services, face to face and over the phone. I know nothing is ever that simple, but it's so frustrating to know that there are resources and people who want to help, and instead they end up having to console the school community after a suicide.