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Latwell Nyangu-Youth Interactive Writer

There is a gloomy cloud that is hovering and plucking our fellow students from us.

Student suicide is becoming a reality in these modern times and I thought of discussing it, as this is something that needs to be addressed. Being a student is not easy as it comes with a lot of drains.

For students, it is imperative to realise that suicide is not a way out. It only devastates not only their own, but many other lives too. There is help available out there! There are counsellors, psychologists and even special friends who are more than willing to help you cope with challenges.

Loneliness and stress combined, can slowly lead to depression.

I hope you also have the same questions as me, where are our fellow students going, why are they going alone?

Many questions have been flocking my head, why, why, why are our fellow students taking their own lives? Is there anything attractive about killing oneself?

As I ponder over such dark moments following a rise in suicides among students, I felt there is need to ascertain what is affecting students at a time we are not prepared for sad moments, worse still from killing self.

I also discovered that college is a time of transition and many students are living away from home for the first time and have less access to support from family and friends.

Along with increased freedom and independence, students face greater stress from a variety of sources such as increased academic demands, adjusting to a new environment, and developing a new support system.

College life also provides an opportunity to experiment with alcohol and other drugs, which may compound problems with mood and increase the risk for suicide.

The empathic way of solving the problems should be the foundation of the peaceful classroom where the student learns to take responsibility for their actions.

Recent surveys have indicated that some college students reported being diagnosed with a depressive disorder, many within the last year.

According to some reports, it is believed that over 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder, typically a depressive disorder or substance abuse disorder. 

Men are especially at risk of suicide.

And college age males are regarded to be four to six times more likely to die by suicide than females. Women are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide using non lethal means than men, studies indicate.

It seems fellow students who are attempting suicide often feel like there is no other option.

Hear me well fellow students, as for me, dying is not an option.

I have also discovered that parents who have not been able to achieve success in life pin their hopes on their son or daughter to fulfil their dreams, but even if one cannot achieve this, suicide should not be considered as it is not at all a solution.

These parents expect their child to score very high and pressurise them to choose the profession of their choice even if it is not of interest to the student.

Most of the students who are committing suicide for whatever reasons show signs of depression before committing suicide.

Friends, relatives of these fellow students should be alert to note the changes taking place in behaviour and take him or her for counselling before it is too late.

Romantic relationships  gone wrong, have also seen some students taking their lives.

Some fail to appreciate that even after a hopeless relationship which ends in a breakup,  there will always be love again.

It will just take time — after all, the sun always shines after the darkness, you just have to be patient.

Some don’t know the opportunity and pure potential they are born with; and failure in one arena is not failure everywhere..

When students’ and their parents’ expectations regarding performance (mostly academic) don’t meet, some have gone and  committed suicide.

And trust me these are among the students who work their whole nervous system off to do well in exams but don’t succeed.

It is true that students face challenges and that some may feel like they will never be able to achieve what they set out to do.

Universities these days are difficult to handle, with finances, socialising, attending class, assignments and exams.

Then they have to worry about their other problems such as family, relationships and jobs to support themselves while they are in school.

It’s a lot for some students, and many students give up, not necessarily in the form of suicide.

What they don’t know is that they don’t always have to follow the path that they set for themselves. It’s okay to do things differently if it doesn’t work out. 

Try other things.

There is a very dark side to exams as well, many students cannot handle it and commit suicide.

Unhealthy competition, child abuse, peer pressure, romantic relationships, and poor time management leading to last minute academic pressure seems to be the major causes of stress among teenagers, a study has said.

It is important that parents and teachers make an effort to understand the calibre and the abilities of their children.

To simply compel them and blame them for their poor performance in academics is only going to add on to their miseries. 

This will make them suffer in silence and force them to feel lonely.