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William & Mary suicide was 17th since 1968

Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg) - 8/27/2014

Aug. 26--WILLIAMSBURG -- Each year 4,600 young lives are lost to suicide. A 21-year-old rising senior at the College of William and Mary is among the most recent.

Peter Godshall of Chadds Ford, Pa. was found dead Monday near the Crim Dell Bridge on campus, according to an e-mail from Ginger Ambler, vice president of Student Affairs. His death was an apparent suicide.

It's the second student death reported by the college this month. Rising senior Steven Tran died Aug. 4 at his home in Lincoln, Neb., according to a release from the college. His cause of death was not released.

Suicide has been at the forefront in recent weeks since actor and comedian Robin Williams took his own life. He suffered from depression and addiction, and had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Christy Letsom, chair of the Virginia Suicide Prevention Coalition, said college students ages 18-24 are in a time of transition which can be stressful and easily exacerbated. The snowball effect comes into play, she said, with stress, financial concerns, relationship issues, mental health concerns and even lack of sleep piling up and potentially leading to suicidal thoughts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24. A fact sheet from the Campus Suicide Prevention Center notes suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, adding that more teens and young adults die by suicide than all other medical conditions combined.

Nationally, suicide is the cause of death for 10 in every 100,000 young people ages 15-24, William and Mary spokesman Brian Whitson said. Since 1968 a total of 17 W&M students have committed suicide.

"Suicide is unique to each individual," Letsom said. "What makes one person feel like suicide is an answer to their problems may not even be on someone else's radar."

Anya Shaffer, suicide prevention coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health, said knowing the warning signs and how to talk with someone about suicide and direct them to resources are the best tools available. She said having those resources at the ready is crucial when assisting a person in crisis. She encouraged keeping a card with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on it, along with the contact information of local mental health professionals.

"All you can do is be knowledgeable about the suicide," she said. "Asking someone directly if they are thinking about suicide and not beating around the bush, is a very hard question to ask, especially if the answer is yes."

Letsom said mental health issues and other concerns that cause stress can expose an existing vulnerability in a person. Kelly Crace, associate vice-president for health and wellness, said the onset of mental health conditions often occurs during the college years.

"It's important to have the full continuum of resources available, not only prevention but intervention," he said.

Shaffer said having resources like counseling available to students is essential. Letsom said college students, who are often away from home for the first time, typically lack structure and family support, so concerning behaviors a loved one might address can go unnoticed in a college setting.

About 7 percent of all college students have seriously considered suicide, according to the 2009 Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed 8,590 students at 15 campuses.

However, just being enrolled in college has a "protective effect" on students, according to the fact sheet from the Campus Suicide Prevention Center. It notes college students ages 18-24 are at half the risk of their peers who aren't enrolled.

Crace said national studies have helped professionals learn what promotes resilience and well-being and improve mental health resources. A three-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which began in the 2012-13 academic year, has allowed William and May to build its prevention and intervention resources.

In the final year of the grant, Crace said sustainability is the focus. Crace said addressing the topic of resilience early on in a student's academic career can help them manage the issues they face as they transition into and out of college.

Incoming students undergo online training on substance abuse and healthy relationships, which is followed up on campus with programs about depression, anxiety and suicide prevention, Crace said. He said that baseline understanding will help William and Mary develop programs that delve deeper into those issues.

Among the recent developments at the college are the annual quick screening at the Student Health Center, which provides physicians with basic information about a students mental health, and the Tribe Rides program, which gives students rides to their therapy or counseling sessions.

More -- If someone you know is in crisis, they can seek help 24 hours a day by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Robertson can be reached at 757-345-2342.

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(c)2014 The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Va.)

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