Content warning: this story includes mentions of suicide and mental illness.
On a large campus, students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison struggle with mental health issues and are overwhelmed with a myriad of institutional mental health resources provided by University Health Services.
That’s where two student organizations, Badger Support Network and the Association for Suicide Prevention UW Chapter step up, tackling suicide prevention peer-to-peer to destigmatize mental health.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college students. Each year, there are approximately 1,100 suicides on college campuses. With COVID-19 exacerbating an already existing mental health crisis, the Biden-Harris administration announced a $200 million plan to fund the suicide prevention hotline and provide resources for schools in May 2023.
On the UW-Madison campus, 12% of students struggle with suicide ideation per year, with 8% of students seriously considering an attempt, according to the Badger Support Network. Forty-three percent of students screen positive for depression, according to UHS Interim Mental Health director Ellen Marks.
Badger Support Network and AFSP-UW spoke to The Daily Cardinal about the need for early intervention in those struggling.
Each semester, the Badger Support Network trains students in mental health care and suicide prevention, including the RRR method — Recognize, Respond and Refer — with the assistance of UHS. The first step, recognizing, relies on student advocates to notice any troubling changes in behavior and actions. Before referring to a professional, advocates are trained to check in with the student and ask for their permission to share personal details.
Members Mia Braico and Megan Klinger stressed the importance of early intervention.
“We have trained peer facilitators that have weekly meetings, which fosters a sense of stability which promotes advocating for yourself and offers a vulnerable, open space for students to come and connect with one another,” Klinger said. “Obviously, we are not professionals. So we need the support of UHS to kind of give us those baseline skills and how to approach mental health topics.”
Students also face unique struggles, creating a disconnect between professionals. Age, status and marginalized identities can alienate students from licensed mental health programs.
That’s where students connecting each other with trained professionals is crucial, UHS Interim Director of Mental Health Services Ellen Marks said.
UHS launched a new clinically moderated online peer-to-peer mental health community called Togetherall last year. Roughly three quarters of UW-Madison students polled by UHS would talk to a peer if they were struggling with their mental health, Marks said.
Mental health care is not a one-size-fits-all, Marks said. Marks works closely with the Badger Support Network and AFSP-UW, which “strengthens” her work.
“Sometimes they need education, sometimes they need connection, sometimes they need a supportive peer or a supportive person who's not a clinician to meet them where they're at,” Marks said. “The work that students are doing across campus also plays a really important role. It feels great to work on a team that awesome.”
Even without providing professional care, creating a community is crucial for raising awareness and providing support for suicide prevention. Social connectedness is an important factor for suicide prevention in teenagers and young adults, according to the University of Oregon.
“It’s comforting to have people that maybe relate to your experience or understand it, and I think having people around you that can relate and understand really make a difference in mental health,” AFSP-UW President Olivia Sutor said.
Students can also develop more relevant methods of outreach to peers, Sutor said.
Each April, AFSP-UW holds an Out of the Darkness Walk to fundraise for suicide prevention. Walkers can wear different colored beads to symbolize how suicide has impacted their life, why they’re at the walk and create connections with people going through similar experiences, Sutor said.
Strength between student members
In addressing suicide risks on campus, the Badger Support Network and AFSP-UW have also forged close connections between its members.
“As a freshman in a really big university, I was kind of struggling to find my own community,” Braico said. “BSN led me to that community, and I've stayed ever since because it's been so fun to meet new people, find that support, do community events and, of course, allocate for mental health in the bigger picture.”
In addition to the peer-to-peer connection students gain in these organizations, they acknowledge the impact their work has on campus.
“It's really rewarding personally — as well as helping other people — but it's rewarding personally to be able to make a difference on campus and see the change start to aspire and maybe make a trend where we can make a difference in mental health,” Sutor said.
From walks to weekly meetings to clinical education, students are shaping a stronger future for mental health on campus.
Students suffering from suicidal thoughts can receive 24/7 mental health care from the UHS crisis line by calling 608-265-5600 (option 9) or the national crisis lifeline at 988.
Bryna Goeking is an arts editor for The Daily Cardinal. She also reports on campus news. Follow her on Twitter @BrynaGoeking.
