Auburn University group promotes suicide prevention

Auburn University has several groups and departments on campus that work to educate people on topics regarding mental health awareness, including suicide, which is the second-leading cause of death among traditionally-aged college students.

One of the groups on campus is Active Minds, a chapter of a national organization dedicated to starting and continuing the conversation about mental health on college campuses.

The organization provides education and information about topics having to do with mental health and wellness.

Dr. Dustin Johnson, advisor of Active Minds at Auburn University as well as a licensed psychologist and an assesment coordinator for Auburn University Student Counseling Services, said the chapter has been in existence for three years.

"The Auburn University chapter of Active Minds was started in 2013 by an Auburn student who had been grieving the loss of his best friend to suicide," Johnson said. "He recognized that the stigma that surrounded talking about mental health concerns was detrimental to his friend getting help, and he wanted to use his grief as a means to create positive change on our campus. As a result, he formed the chapter and had been able to easily recruit other students, as well as Auburn faculty and staff, who also wanted to end stigma about talking about mental health concerns on the campus."

Johnson said more than 500 students, faculty and staff follow the group on social media, and a core group of 30 to 40 students is regularly involved with the group.

The organization does various awareness events throughout the year to promote suicide prevention.

Johnson said the chapter will host an Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk Sunday, Oct. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the green space in front of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Last year, the walk raised more than $23,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The group also hosted an event last spring called "Send Silence Packing," which featured a display of 1,100 backpacks that represented every life lost due to the death of a college student by suicide in the United States each year.

Johnson offered advice to people who have a friend or loved one struggling with thoughts of suicide.

"First, do not worry about asking the question, 'Are you having thoughts of suicide?'" Johnson said. "That question does not increase the risk that a person will act on those thoughts."

Johnson said people should try to empathize to their friend or family member as best as they can.

"You may have not experienced suicidal thoughts, but everyone has experienced a disruption to their mental health," Johnson said. "Thus, use the feelings from that to try and connect with the person to whom you are speaking. Also, know that the large majority of people who have suicidal thoughts do not attempt suicide, but you may have to ask if the person you are talking to if they are thinking of acting on the thoughts they are having."

If the person needs immediate help, call 911 or take the person to the local emergency department.

More information about the chapter is available on its pages on Twitter and Facebook.