Studies conducted across north america are revealing that the trials and strains experienced by students make them particularly susceptible to stress and depression.

The transition to post-secondary studies is an overwhelming one, considering the change inherent in your new surroundings and the fatigue that will set in as a result of your workload and schedule.

According to Dr. Darlene Elliott- Faust, a Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist with a private practice in London, students beginning post-secondary study can be at risk for being overwhelmed by the adjustment and can slip into a spiral of negativity.

"You're away from home, family and contacts, and you fi nd out, 'This isn't really want I want to study, it's so expensive, I don't like this,'" she explained. "'I'm not doing very well, I'm disappointing myself, I'm disappointing my family, my life is going to suck, what do I do now?'

It becomes totally depressive." In a 2006 survey conducted by David Drum, a Professor of Education Psychology at the University of Texas in Austin, just over half of the 26,000 students polled indicated that they had at some point considered suicide.

The students, surveyed from some 70 schools in the United States, indicated that they had experienced 'suicide ideation' — the act of considering suicide — in at least one episode in their lives. Further, 15 per cent of the students surveyed indicated having seriously considered it, while fi ve per cent had actually attempted to end their lives.

According to Statistics Canada, in the same year we saw 416 young Canadians aged 15 to 24 lost to suicide — 331 men and 85 women a cross Canada. In contrast to the general population, suicide is the second leading cause of death among students. According to Drum's survey, "relief from emotional and physical pain" is the leading reason cited for the act, followed in no specifi c order by problems with romantic relationships, school or academics or just a general desire to end their lives.

Elliott-Faust elaborated on the feeling, and described it as a kind of tunnel vision. "When someone is depressed, their thinking is very limited and it's very hard to problem-solve or look at things from a different perspective."

"Most people who attempt to kill themselves actually don't want to die, they just want the problem to stop," she explained. "Whether that problem is, 'My life doesn't seem to be going in a very good direction,' or 'Someone that I really care about doesn't want to be with me anymore,' it's more to end what's causing them terrible emotional pain."

So how do you protect the people that you care about? What can you do for your friends to ensure they aren't suffering these types of silent pain and sadness? A lot, according to Elliott-Faust.

"Let's say you've got a friend who's not hanging out with you anymore, and looks very unkempt and just says, 'I can't be bothered, I don't want to do anything anymore,'" she said. "Go to their house, or have them over to your house — just make sure it's quiet, that there's a place to talk — and ask them openended questions. 'What's going on? I'm worried.'"

Death, and especially suicide, is an intensely private and diffi cult subject for people to speak about. It's important to create a sense of calm and privacy and invest the time it takes into your friend. How many times have you been upset about something just to hear a friend say, "You know, you can talk to me anytime," and then not come through on their word?

In many cases, you may have a perspective into your friend's behaviour that no one else does — you have a unique ability to offer help where few might notice help is needed. So take the time you need to address your concerns, and keep in mind that you may have to push gently for a return of honesty.

And if you are truly concerned that your friend may take steps to hurt him- or herself, don't be afraid to be direct and speak about what's on your mind. As diffi cult as it may seem, experts agree that talking about suicide does not increase the likelihood that an individual will act on their suicidal feelings.

"There's a tremendous release for all of us when we're able to say that hidden thing and the other person can hear it," concurred Elliott-Faust. "As a true friend, or as a true caring individual, just trust your gut feeling."

"And the worst that can happen is that you're wrong, and what you've communicated to that person is, 'I care enough about you to make sure that you're safe.' And who doesn't want to know that? What one of us doesn't want to know that another person cares about us, or that our friends really care about us?"

If you would like to get help for a friend, or for yourself, there are resources available here in London to do so. Counselling and Accessibility Services on campus, located in F2010, has counselors on staff to assist in any situation where personal counselling may be needed. You can also reach them by phone at 519-452-4282.

For situations of a more urgent nature, contact the London Distress Centre at 519-667-6711 or the London Mental Health Crisis Service at 519-433- 2023. Both numbers are available 24 hours and will offer guidance or aid in crisis. And if the situation demands, you can get help at an emergency room at any hospital in the city — specialists are on hand, and admission into the hospital is available when needed.