'Pretty overwhelming': Two North Carolina State University students die by suicide within 24 hours
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: Two North Carolina State University students reportedly died by suicide within 24 hours, according to the institution, increasing the total number of student suicides this academic year to seven. One fatality was discovered Wednesday night, April 25, when campus police were hunting for a student who had messaged someone that he intended to terminate his life, according to university spokesman Lauren Barker. The student's body was found in some woods close to Lake Raleigh, as reported by WRAL.
The announcement of the second fatality came Thursday afternoon, April 27 while the pupils were still processing the first death. Barker did not reveal the second student's identity in an email; instead, he only wrote, "Since we spoke, another student was found dead by apparent suicide on campus today." According to Barker, 14 North Carolina State students have died since August due to various causes.
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'Lookout for those around you who might need help'
The incidents, according to university chancellor Randy Woodson, were "heartbreaking," he said in a statement to students on Thursday afternoon. He wrote, "Please take extra care of yourselves, keep an eye out for each other, and be on the lookout for those around you who might need help. Don't be afraid to intervene if you think a friend is struggling, and please don't feel ashamed if you're struggling," pointing students in the direction of helpful options, such as a free teletherapy service and the university counseling facility, as reported by NBC.
'No matter what you're going through'
He further added, "No matter what you're going through, know that you are not alone; your NC State family cares about you, and we are here to support you." According to senior Lilly Wallace, students on campus studying for final exams are feeling uneasy as a result of the losses. "To be honest, it's pretty overwhelming," she added. It feels very helpless," as per reports.
The number of suicides at North Carolina State, which has more than 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students, has been especially high this year, even before the most recent fatalities, as reported by AOL. The task force reports that three pupils usually kill themselves by suicide each year. The task force's recommendations were put into action by North Carolina State in March, a few weeks after the fifth student suicide of the academic year, according to Doneka Scott, vice chancellor and dean of academic and student affairs. One of the partners in this process was The Jed Foundation, an organization which works with schools to improve their mental health support services.
Mental health problems are spreading across the country. College students' levels of hopelessness, anxiety, and suicidality are at an all-time high, according to a recent nationwide poll. According to Scott, the pandemic and social and political unrest in the US have made college students' woes worse, as per reported by NBC.