{"id":136991,"date":"2023-09-08T10:14:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T14:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=136991"},"modified":"2025-06-25T12:11:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T16:11:31","slug":"ucf-cares-you-are-not-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-cares-you-are-not-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Cares: You Are Not Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, but it is also one of the most preventable.<\/p>\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 48,000 people died by suicide in the United States in 2021 \u2014 the equivalent of one death every 11 minutes.<\/p>\n

The onset of mental health issues is typically found in individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 \u2014 the age range of most college students. Coupling that with the stress of a full class schedule, being away from home and trying to balance a social life could be overwhelming for anyone.<\/p>\n

At Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, we want our students, faculty and staff to know that they are not alone and that there are resources available to help.<\/p>\n

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need immediate help, always call 911. The\u00a0National Suicide Hotline<\/strong>\u00a0is also available 24\/7\/365 by dialing 988. The Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Counseling and Psychological Services Crisis Line is available 24\/7\/365 as well by dialing 407-823-2811.<\/p>\n

Field of Memories<\/h2>\n

The Field of Memories \u2014 Be Aware Show You Care Flag Exhibit is a powerful and poignant visual display representing the 1,100 suicides that occur on college campuses throughout \u00a0the United States each year. Members of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ community can participate by personalizing a flag to show their support or honor a memory of someone lost to suicide.<\/p>\n

Please join us Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Reflecting Pond to help us raise awareness and spread a message of hope and healing. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ President Alexander N. and First Lady Melinda Cartwright will be in attendance, along with several health and wellness campus partners to support the exhibit.<\/p>\n

There will also be an exhibit at the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Downtown campus, between DPAC and the Paramore Garage, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 13.<\/p>\n

QPR Suicide Prevention Training<\/h2>\n

Keeping Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ safe is a big job, and it takes all of us looking out for one another.<\/p>\n

QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer \u2014 the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, those trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis, how to interrupt the crisis and how to refer someone to proper care.<\/p>\n

Some warning signs include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n