By: Justin Shuler `20, Staff Writer
Pizza and Prevention is an opportunity to learn about suicide prevention while enjoying free pizza.
The 50-50 Peer Helpers will host a suicide prevention presentation in the Blair Music Center conference room, on Monday, Nov. 11 from noon to 1 p.m. Students who attend will learn about warning signs, actions that can be taken and a basic overview of Question-Persuade-Refer training. This will give students the steps necessary to help another person if they believe that a person is in a crisis or having suicidal thoughts.
“One in twelve college students have a suicide plan,” Dr. Stevie Falk, director of counseling, said. “If you think about that, it’s pretty scary. When we have these suicide awareness days, some people think that since they are not suicidal then it doesn’t affect them, but it does. It affects everyone.”
Students should be aware of how to help themselves and others around them. The students are the ones who can truly make a difference and need to be able to recognize when others are in distress. Those who attend will learn to ask questions to others and how to get those in need into treatment. People have to understand that they do not have to go through hard times alone and it is okay to talk about what they are going through.
“If you go to something, like the Pizza and Prevention, you might get a little bit more comfortable with the topic and you will know that you should say something,” Falk said. “It is difficult to get someone to professionals and you could bridge that gap.”
People who support those in need also need to know that they are not alone either because they could be putting a lot on themselves too. This is a great opportunity for students to gain more knowledge to help someone in the future. People having suicidal thoughts is an ongoing problem and the more people who can understand the issue, the better the chances are of prevention.