Counselor offers advice for coping with suicide

By Kyle Scherwinski • November 4, 2009 • Category: Lead Story, News

Signs of Depression

Emotional Symptoms:
Sadness, anxiety, guilt, anger, mood swings, helplessness, hopelessness

Physical Symptoms:
Sleeping too much or too little, overeating or loss of appetite, constipation, weight loss or gain

Behavioral Symptoms:
Crying for no apparent reason; withdrawal from others and new situations; getting angry easily; being unmotivated; loss of interest in one’s physical appearance and/or activities which were once of interest; turning to alcohol or drugs

Thought/Perceptions:
Feelings of being a failure; criticizing oneself frequently; disappointment; blaming oneself for unfortunate happenings; being pessimistic about the future

Source: University Counseling Services

People who were close to a person who died by suicide have options to help them deal with grief.

“It is important that they have others they can reach out to, including family, friends, religious or spiritual supports or counselors,” Deirdre Dalsing, UW-Platteville counselor said. “They need to be provided the opportunity to talk about what has happened and the reality of it all.”

Dalsing said loved ones need to talk about the death, even though it may be difficult.

“They may struggle to keep their emotions in check, feel agitated and unfocused,” Dalsing said.

People who are close to an individual who has killed himself or herself should not feel responsible for not seeing the warning signs, Dalsing said.

“Those closest to the individual who has killed themselves will deal with a unique sense of grief, which is confounded by the questions of ‘why’, ‘what could I have done’, ‘why didn’t I see it coming,’” Dalsing said.

Dalsing encouraged anyone who is having trouble coping with death to visit Counseling Services. Counseling Services has five counselors on staff who are available from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Wednesdays, a counselor is available until 8 p.m.

Besides Counseling Services, students can speak with their advisers, Student Affairs administrators, Dean of Students Rich Egley and Student Health Services. Also, students can call 24-hour crisis hot lines. The number for Unified Counseling Services is 1-800-362-5717 and the Suicide Crisis Line is 1-800-784-2433. Both numbers are free and confidential.