NOCTILUCA October 2017

I n f o r m a t i o n g a t h e r e d f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f S c h o o l P s y c h o l o g i s t s ( N A S P )

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Warning Signs... According to the NASP, in 2013, 17% of high school students in the U.S. considered suicide and 8% actually made an attempt at sui- cide. Youth who consider suicide usually give warning signs; people must know these warning signs to be able to help when another person is in trouble . • Suicidal Threats. These may be direct, such as, “I am going to kill myself,” or indirect, such as, “No one will miss me if I’m gone.” • Suicide Notes. These should never be ignored; they are a serious sign of danger. • Depression. Aperson has a greater risk of suicide if their symptoms of depression include strong notions of hopelessness. • Final Arrangements. In adolescents, saying goodbye to friends, clearing social media profiles, or giving away prized possessions may be warning signs of suicide. • Hurting Oneself. This is a serious warning sign of suicide. • Dramatic Changes inMood, Behavior, Appearance, Thoughts. Close

th Risk Behavior Survey and 2015-2016 Appleton North Youth Risk a survey of 3,995 students. Appleton North’s data is ents and 331 11th grade students.

people will be most likely to notice this. Aperson may be losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, losing sleep, skipping school, or staying further away from friends and family. N ever keep the fact that someone is sui- cidal a secret, and tell an adult ASAP.

Suicide is preventable. By ACTing, you could save a life. A cknowledge that your friend has a problem and how they are feeling is serious. C are: let them know that you care and want to actually help them. T ell a trusted adult: never keep the information a secret.

Mrs.VanDerLoop School Psychologist

Mrs. Nancy Van Der Loop, North’s school psy- chologist is working with Mr. Pynenberg among others in the creation of North’s new initiative,

was Prevention mental health ad- izations, survivors, bers came together to ides. As the sec- among school lth concern that le cause of worker, Mrs. depressed at normal e, 121 people Contributors: m, Adithi Reddy el-Azim S u i c i d e over 44,000 sui- this number con- to understand the icide to help pre- preventable. People suffering l illnesses can get better. o t A l o n e P r e v e n t i o n

Sources of Strength. “The broad goal is really for students to help their peers...we want these students to have a web of sup- port to rely on,” said Mrs. Van Der Loop. “The biggest thing we want to provide is a sense of hope.” The club is currently se- lecting students, a process that should be complete in time for the training date on Oct. 10. Anyone who is struggling with depression or other mental illnesses should know that they are not alone, that teachers and staff members who want

to help, and that there’s no shame in it, according to Mrs. Van der Loop. “Just because they feel like this today, doesn’t mean they’ll feel the same tomorrow.”

The following interview is anAppleton North High School student’s account of losing someone to suicide.

Who have you lost to suicide? A very good friend of mine that I met in class. I realized how down they were on themself, and how disrespectful people were to them. I tried to be their support system. Can you tell me about how you found out that they had died by suicide? I learned the next day from their friends and social media that they had died by suicide. The previous night they messaged me, saying “sorry”. I responded with “for what?” but they never responded. They were gone the next day. What were some emotions you were experiencing when you found out? I harbour a lot of regret that I had not gotten them professional help. I thought my support was enough, but it wasn’t. If there’s people reading this going through the same things as your friend was, is there anything you want them to know? I would tell them not to let one bump end their journey, not to

let one fleeting moment drag them down. Suicide is “a permanent solution to a temporary problem”. Get as- sistance and always know that you are NOT a burden, and your life means some- thing is this world.

If you or anyone you know are having suicidal thoughts, talk to a trusted adult or call 1-800-273-TALK