Suicide Prevention on the College Campus
My son, Adam Szychowski was a senior at the University of Connecticut when died by suicide.
Adam (2nd from left) with his best friends.
He was 23. His suicide took place during the winter mid-semester break. Adam had achieved 20 credits in the fall semester, and had made dean’s list. It was his best semester ever.
He was one of only a few students who remained on campus. He loved his apartment, and the independence of living there, and it was only a 30 minute ride to his father’s home. I had wanted him to come to Florida and spend his break with me, but he insisted that he had too much work.
There were bits of information that I did not have at the time. Adam’s stellar performance was in part due to his prescription of Ritalin. He was not only taking Ritalin, but he was taking it in excessive doses, and at times paired with alcohol. Little by little during the fall semester, he had begun to unravel mentally even as he excelled academically. Lack of sleep played a role in his unraveling.
As I look at what happened to Adam, I realize that what I have now learned could have helped me to intercede before Adam felt he had no options. He had painted himself into a corner, and he felt he had only one option.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has an initiative that is focused on suicide prevention on the college campus.
Please follow the link below and support the AFSP in their efforts to prevent college student suicide.
AFSP: College Student Depression and Suicide
