By Julie Mana-Ay

News Editor

  Suicide is one of the leading causes of student deaths among colleges and universities. 

  This is the second suicide The Runner Newspaper has reported on in the past 2 years.  

  Jai Bornstein, a 19-year-old transgender CSU Bakersfield student, was found dead at Hart Park on Dec. 31, 2016. 

  Although it’s unknown as to why Bornstein died, her death was ruled as a suicide. 

  Back in October 2014, another student, Los Ortiz died from suicide. 

  Bornstein’s death is a reminder that suicide is a constant predator of our youth. 

 According to the 2015 California Health Interview Survey, 12.8 percent of both women and men thought about committing suicide between the ages 18-30 attending some college while the rest of the 87.9 percent of women and men never thought about suicide. 

  Training Director and counselor at the Counseling Center Janet Millar said most people who think about suicide don’t think of it as harm. 

  “Who wants to hear that? Who wants to hear their sister say they want to kill themselves? But we need to. Because the people that are thinking about dying are thinking that way because they think that nobody cares,” said Millar. 

  Millar mentions suicide happens because people feel like they don’t have any way out. People who feel suicidal have common feelings. 

  Interim Associate Dean of Arts and Humanities Debra Jackson said there are many things people can do to help others in times of need. 

  “You could let them know that you will listen to them and don’t be afraid to ask them if they are going to hurt themselves. And if they said yes, ask them if they have a plan,” Jackson said. 

  Jackson advises people to communicate with their friends and be their support. 

  “They feel helpless, they feel hopeless, they feel like there’s no solution to what they’re going through and that it won’t get better,” she said.

  When people feel suicidal, they feel like suicide is the only solution to stop the pain from continuing. 

  “Continuing to live means continuing to face whatever is distressing you,” said Jackson. “It might feel hopeless right now, but their may be ways it can get better.”

   Jackson mentions the philosophy as to why people turn to suicide. 

  “Some misconceptions people have about suicidal people is that if someone has been depressed for a long time, and then suddenly seem really happy, that’s often a clue that they’ve finally decided they want to commit suicide,” said Jackson. “Because when you feel hopeless and like things are never going to get better and you finally have a plan to hurt yourself, finally you have a solution and it eases up some of those emotions because it’s going to end soon.” 

  Associate Professor of the Social Work department said the faculty at CSUB have made huge strides trying to promote acceptance among other students. 

  “We are a safe zone campus. The more education you can give people about the fact that there are supportive people,” said McCleary. 

  Both Millar and Jackson recommend students to visit the counseling center if they feel distressed. 

  The Counseling Center offers a crisis intervention hotline that students can reach if they are suffering from distress and the campus is closed.

  The Counseling Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, which is located in the Student Health Center. 

  The Crisis Counselor phone number is 661-654-3366.