When the Reality of Suicide Hit My College Classroom
7 Things to Remember When You Feel Overwhelmed
Summer is kicking into gear in Tampa, Florida. Beaches, parties, and fun are supposed to mark summertime here on Florida's Gulf coast.
However, this week another young adult committed suicide. I doubt it will even register across the media landscape as it is far too common.
This time it impacted two students in one of my humanities classes when their friend committed suicide.
Sadly these two survivors are not alone.
According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), the suicide rate among young adults ages 15–24 has tripled since the 1950s. Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college students. (1)
As a college professor, this is horrifying.
I wouldn't dare to conclude what caused this young adult to take their life. It would be foolish and reckless of me to even speculate on the problems swirling in the mind of this young adult.
Yet, I know that feeling overwhelmed is a severe problem on college campuses. I see this every semester. It never fails.
Stress and anxiety in college students are higher than at any time in American history, with over 50% screening positively for stress and anxiety. (2)
For parents, college students, or anyone, we need to be more alert and cope better with the stressors in life before tragedy strikes.
Coping with Feelings of Overwhelm
Feelings of overwhelm can threaten the happiness of anyone. This isn't some vague problem for the other person. It most certainly isn't just a college campus issue.
We all need to be alert for ourselves and those we love. When we take on more than we can handle, our body reacts with elevated stress levels. If a person doesn't deal with a continually elevated level of stress, the body and mind will respond negatively.
There will be a price to pay when we allow stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm to persist unabated.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline publishes 11 Signs to be on the lookout for, and when you see these, intervention is needed. At this point, overwhelm isn't just a rough stretch. It is, literally, a matter of life and death.
Our best course of action is to deal with the stressors before they become life-threatening.
7 Things to Keep in Mind When You Feel Overwhelmed
At times, everyone gets overwhelmed, but that doesn't mean you are a lost cause. Here are seven things to remember when you start feeling overwhelmed:
Your emotions are natural: Feelings of overwhelm are often a sign from your body that it is time to slow down and scale back. You can also control your feelings, so addressing this feeling and replacing it with better ones is possible.
It isn't the end of the world: This is part of life. The good news is that you can stop the feelings of overwhelm by recognizing it for what it is and taking proactive steps to prevent the cycle from happening.
Now is a good time for a brain dump: Overwhelm leaves our minds cluttered. By writing down all of the things, you need to do or feel, you are alleviating some of the mental energy you have had to expend keeping it all in.
Take action instead of wallowing in your thoughts: Action breeds more movement and will propel you out of your feelings of overwhelm. New opportunities will crop up to help you chip away at your project.
Avoiding digital stimulation is the better choice: Getting lost in social media will only leave you feeling worse when you realize you have lost time to work. Notifications can leave you in a constant state of panic. Remember that it is okay to turn off notifications for periods and focus on what you need to get done.
Stepping outside is a good thing: You do not have to tie yourself to a desk and be laser-focused on what needs doing. Give your body the break it deserves to help you reset and recharge.
You have been here before: You have likely felt this way before. It won't last, and you can shorten the timeframe by being proactive.
Consequences of Inaction
My heart breaks for the young adult that committed suicide this week.
I can't fathom the pain this person felt before ending it all. Plus, the devastation to friends and family left behind will last long past that singular decision by a very hurt person to end their life.
Our technological prowess grows exponentially every year, yet, our ability to intellectually and psychologically navigate life's challenges in our modern world seems not to have evolved much.
Still, feelings of overwhelm don't have to stop you from being mentally healthy and productive.
Be alert. Be focused. Apply simple steps.
To some degree, college will always be stressful. It's a new environment, a higher level of academic challenges, and the financial stresses of college can all feel overwhelming, to name just a few things.
Yet, we need to do a better job staying in contact with our young adults to ensure they have an ear to listen to them throughout their college experience.
Making mistakes is part of life. We all have made many of them. Yet, this event has reminded me that sometimes there are no do-overs when it comes to mental health.
Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800–273–8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Interested in receiving more articles, podcasts, or free course material from Dr. Hopkins? Click the button below and you will receive notification via email. Content is always free, and you can cancel anytime.