September is dedicated to suicide awareness and serves as a time to remember the estimated 1,100 college students who take their lives each year.

On Sept. 22, a “Suicide Prevention Awareness” event was held in the USU Ballroom, where students listened to speakers Susan Writer and Joyce Bruggeman; the presenters spoke about how suicide can be prevented, and students stood up to share their own stories of survival.

A survey conducted across college campuses stated that 54 percent of students have been found with an overwhelming amount of anxiety from the past 12 months, and 34 percent are diagnosed with depression and find it difficult to function.

The awareness event included a display of 1,100 pinwheels in front of the USU, representing the victims of suicide from this past year. Suicide touched this campus a week and a half ago, when a 24-year-old Escondido man, who was not a student, took his own life near the parking structure.

Campus police offered no further information about the Sept. 17 incident.

“Suicide is a permanent solution, to a temporary state of feeling. I say feeling and not a problem, because no problem is permanent,” said Writer. “There’s hope with treatments, and treatments can be hard work but completely worth it in the end. Because every breath in, and every breath out is a gift.”

Writer currently works at Aurora Behavioral Health Care in San Diego and has been contracted therapist for 15 years, specializing with those suffering from various types of mental illness and substance abuse.

“Depression looks different on everyone, and can cause different feelings. I have had patients come in and tell me they have no appetite, they’re always hungry, they can’t sleep, they sleep too much and find it difficult to get out of bed. Everyone reacts differently,” Writer said.

Event Coordinator and Mental Health Educator Cheryl Berry said, “Find the words to start a conversation with someone. Let them know you’re there for them. It’s important to remember to connect to help and encourage someone, communicate in order to reduce the stigma and show your care.”

Joyce Bruggeman, Executive Director of her own non-profit organization in San Diego, Survivors of Suicide Loss, started her project when her husband committed suicide eight years ago.

“My husband struggled for 12 years, and was a survivor of a suicide loss in his family,” said Bruggeman. “His own father took his life when he was young. But eight years ago, he ended up taking his life. It was never an openly-discussed topic in the family. Everyone just hid from the event that happened.”

Bruggeman’s non-profit organization has eight different locations in San Diego and offers 13 free monthly meetings. She makes it a point that, regardless of whatever situation students find themselves in, there are services and people all around that are willing to help day and night.

“We have 2,500 suicide survivors in San Diego. From hopeless to hopeful, we want everyone to have the opportunity to be able to access our services,” said Bruggeman.

If students or someone close to them is struggling with the slightest thought of taking their life, please contact the San Diego Crisis Line (888) 724-7240 or contact Survivors of Suicide Loss (619) 482-0297.

“If we don’t pay attention and we aren’t looking out, we aren’t seeing people, and if we can’t see it, then we can’t help it. Suicide is a heavy subject, but not a heavy day to overcome it,” Writer said.