If people are depressed and alone, they're more likely to commit suicide than if they feel they can talk about it. Talking about it provides us an opportunity to help them. |
New Mexico has a very high suicide rate. We generally rank in the top five. What's great about this event is people are talking about it. |
People are starved for this kind of service. The level of outreach we have now makes people feel good that they can say, 'I have answers.' It's immediate. You don't need an appointment or insurance. |
What's good about this is it was motivated by the students. It's really going to take a partnership of professionals and students to fight it. Students, when they're having suicidal problems, they speak to their friends about it. It's very difficult for professionals to break into that inner circle. |
When someone has been depressed for a long time and suddenly they seem elated - people around them feel relieved because they're out of their funk. But it's an incredibly important time, because it could be they've made the decision (to kill themselves) and they feel relieved. |