Health Center gears up to fight depression

Two years ago, A.J. Arrese was a freshman at Centenary College in New Jersey struggling with an emotional crisis.

The depression he had struggled with since youth was pushed further during his first semester when he and his girlfriend broke up.

One day after classes, he decided he had no other options and he went to his family's garage to take his own life. His suicide attempt was averted by a concerned friend who told his parents and the police. Arrese entered therapy, and today, he is working toward a criminology degree here.

Yesterday, Arrese shared his story as a part of the presentation announcing the University Health Center's Suicide Awareness Health Education and Training project. The conference included panel speakers discussing a wide array of topics, including risk factors for suicide and how others can help those with depression.

The launch of the program comes in the wake of two student deaths on the campus. Freshman Lance Healy, 19, was found dead in his Centreville apartment earlier this month after committing suicide. Another student was found dead in University Courtyards, though police have not confirmed the cause of death.

"I wish they had waited until this conference," Arrese said. "Maybe if they waited, they would have changed their minds."

Nevertheless, Arrese said he hopes his story serves as a cautionary tale.

Suicide is one of the leading cause of death among college students. The American College Health Association's 2007 Health Assessment Survey found that 6.8 percent of students at the university have seriously considered suicide at lease once and 0.8 percent have tried to end their own lives.

However, 90 percent of those that commit suicide are suffering from one or more psychiatric disorders, said psychiatrist and panel speaker Michael Torres. Despite the fact that treatment can substantially reduce the chances of someone committing suicide, Torres said, "We see a very small fraction of the people who can benefit from the treatment."

Arrese said he had never understood his own depression before he entered therapy, telling his doctors after his suicide attempt that he had done it because he was "stressed out."

During the fall semester, he had broken up with his girlfriend, unable to deal with the stress of a long-distance relationship. But the separation was too much. Having moved often with his family as a child, Arrese had trouble forming relationships, and his girlfriend had been one of the few people he could open up to.

The health center's new program is set up to train faculty, staff and students to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, risk factors of suicidal behavior and how to talk to friends about suicide.

"Treatments are effective 80 percent of the time, so if people know the warning signs and are supportive of the person seeking help, the research shows the treatment is effective," said Carrie Martin, the program's coordinator.

Funding for the program came from the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant. The grant provides $75,000 a year for up to three years and is funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Martin said.

newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu