On March 25th, 2021, Fairfield University's Counseling and Psychological Services will host a candlelight vigil at 7pm near the Stag Statue. The vigil will provide a space for our community to show their support to those who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, and remember those we have lost.
To support this work, here are several books, articles, and other resources that speak to suicide prevention. If you are interested in finding additional resources beyond those listed below, please feel free to reach out to us at research@fairfield.edu or use our 24/7 chat service.
Books:
O’Connor, R., & Pirkis, J. (2016). The international handbook of suicide prevention (2nd ed.). Wiley.
"Presents a series of readings that consider the individual and societal factors that lead to suicide, it addresses ways these factors may be mitigated, and presents the most up-to-date evidence for effective suicide prevention approaches." -- Publisher description
Bertini, K. (2016). Suicide prevention. Praeger.
"This book provides details in recognizing the warning signs of someone who may be suicidal and specific steps in how to intervene and prevent a suicide. Written specifically for mature high school students and college-aged individuals, Suicide Prevention will enable readers to understand why someone may be suicidal. It also empowers readers to give a suicidal individual hope and explains how to get that person help." -- Publisher description
Lamis, D., & Lester, D. (2011). Understanding and Preventing College Student Suicide. Charles C Thomas.
"Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among college students in the United States. This complex issue on college campuses is often overlooked, and this book combines the efforts from several leaders in the field of suicidology in an attempt to grasp a better understanding of college student suicide." -- Publisher description
Articles:
Zalsman, G., Hawton, K., Wasserman, D., Heeringen, K. van, Arensman, E., Sarchiapone, M., Carli, V., Höschl, C., Barzilay, R., Balazs, J., Purebl, G., Kahn, J. P., Sáiz, P. A., Lipsicas, C. B., Bobes, J., Cozman, D., Hegerl, U., & Zohar, J. (2016). Suicide prevention strategies revisited: 10-year systematic review. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(7), 646–659. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30030-X
"Many countries are developing suicide prevention strategies for which up-to-date, high-quality evidence is required. We present updated evidence for the effectiveness of suicide prevention interventions since 2005." -- Author abstract
Catanzarite, J. & Robinson, M. (2013). Peer education in campus suicide prevention. New Directions for Student Services, 2013(141), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.20039.
"Explores the need and effectiveness of using peer educators to help address mental health issues on college campuses. The implementation process of a mental health peer education program at a large research institution, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, is discussed." -- Author abstract
Hogan, M.F. & Grumet, J.G. (2016). Suicide prevention: An emerging priority for health care. Health Affairs, 35(6), 1084–1090. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1672
"This article examines the feasibility of improving suicide prevention in health care settings. In particular, we consider Zero Suicide, a model for better identification and treatment of patients at risk for suicide. The approach incorporates new tools for screening, treatment, and support; it has been deployed with promising results in behavioral health programs and primary care settings. Broader adoption of improved suicide prevention care may be an effective strategy for reducing deaths by suicide." -- Author abstract
Schwartz, V. (2017). Suicide among college students: Risk and approaches to prevention and management. Psychiatric Annals, 47(8), 406–411. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20170706-01
"College campuses are a unique set-ting for the delivery of mental health care. Approximately 20 million people attend institutions of higher educa-tion in the United States. There has been growing recognition in recent years that a community/public health approach to suicide prevention on college campuses can be effective. Psychiatrists can play an important role in supporting suicide prevention on college campuses." -- Author abstract
Other Resources:
SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education)
Shareable Resources on Suicide Prevention, National Institute of Mental Health
Suicide Prevention Resources, Center for Disease Control
If you need help, or know someone who does, please contact these resources to save a life:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255.
Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential.