When students knock on the door of the adviser at the Students’ Union (Sit) at NTNU in Ålesund, she must be told that they may be harboring very dark thoughts. – We don’t go around the grain. We ask directly if they have suicidal thoughts if this is suspected, says Susanne Bjørge Rem. Every month she and the other advisers find that one of the students answers yes to the question. In her pocket, Rem has a note, which reminds her of the first aid rules for suicide. Most recently, two weeks ago, her colleague used the note. This note is used by Susanne Bjørge Rem. It is an aid to detect the risk of suicide. Rem has gone through a course at Vivat. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Accompanying the student to the emergency room If her task is to be compared to arriving first at an accident site and starting CPR, the most important thing she can do is to keep the patient safe. – It may be to follow them to the emergency room. Or, with their consent, contact family or friends who can be with them, so that you are sure that nothing happens, says Rem. The municipality also has an emergency outpatient team that can assist. What help one needs depends on how far the thoughts have come. For example, does the student have a planned time, place and method? – Most people have not come so far that they have thought about how they want to do it, says Rem. Do you dare to ask if someone is having suicidal thoughts? Yes, it’s difficult, but I’ll do it No, professionals have to take care of it I’ve never thought about it before Show result Exam pressure The demand for counselors at the student association has been significantly greater in recent years from students who struggle mentally. There is also a lot of pressure with a waiting list at their psychologist service. Exam pressure and fear of not passing the course is one of the recurring themes. Others struggle with the transition from living at home to moving into a dormitory, they may have broken relationships, financial worries or worries about the future. Rem feels that the students with suicidal thoughts are relieved to be asked the question and that they can finally tell their story to those who have a duty of confidentiality. Advice if you are worried about someone with suicidal thoughts Dare and care and take the initiative to talk about it Ask directly if the person has suicidal thoughts without blaming or judging Listening, daring to speak and showing support can seem protective. Try to get an impression of how urgent the situation is. It is decisive for who you should contact. (Source: Helsenorge) Lost a fellow student Surveys show that one in three students suffer psychologically. In a health and well-being survey, 5 per cent of students answer that they have tried to take their own life, while 23 per cent have had suicidal thoughts. Mia Dietel is a bioengineering student in Ålesund and she thinks it is good that the counselors are busy with suicide prevention. – It is a problem that needs to be talked about more. Maybe it’s more taboo than it should have been, says Dietel. She herself remembers what it was like to move to a new city without knowing a single person. – The first week was a bit scary, but luckily I quickly got used to it. The exam was also scary, says Dietel. Nora Solhaug and Mia Dietel wrote notes during World Mental Health Day stating who they would like to spend more time on. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Bjørn Erik Bjøringsøy is a student and communications officer in the student parliament in Ålesund. He feels that many people have a hard time, and that study time can be experienced as stressful. It doesn’t go well for everyone. – This spring we also experienced losing one of our students to suicide. It is important that we do everything we can to prevent it from happening again, says Bjøringsøy. Bjørn Eric Bjøringsøy studies biology at NTNU in Ålesund. He believes it is important that the students look out for each other. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Do you need someone to talk to? If you need someone to talk to, you can use one of these low-threshold services: Mental Health Helpline: Call 116 123 or write to sidetmedord.no. Press 2 for parent support and press 3 for the student telephone on the same number. Mental Health Youth: Chat service at www.mhu.no, open every day at 18-21. The service is aimed at young adults (18-35 years). Kirkens SOS: Call 22 40 00 40 or write to soschat.no or meldinger.kirkens-sos.no. Cross on the neck: Call 800 333 21 or write to korspaahalsen.rodekors.no. The service is offered by the Red Cross and is for you under 18 years of age. Advice on eating disorders: See the website nettros.no. They have both a chat service and a telephone line. Acute suicide risk? Call 113 when it is urgent and your life is at stake. Call the emergency room on tel. 116117 for immediate assistance. Gambling addiction Norway: Call 4770200 or write to [email protected]. More info: https://www.spillpendending.no. Helpline: Help in connection with money or computer games. Call 800 800 40 or chat on hjevilijn.no. You can also talk to your GP. Published 14.10.2024, at 21.24
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Susanne Bjørge Rem is an advisor at NTNU in Ålesund and asks students about suicide – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
