Counseling & Psychological Services

Are you having thoughts about suicide?

You are not alone. Many people consider suicide as a way to escape the pain and suffering in their life, but suicide is a permanent solution to what may be a temporary problem. Please reach out. There is help.

• Reach out to friends and family. Many people feel immediate relief just from having shared their story.
• Reach out to someone trained to assist. Talking with a counselor can often help you to find alternative ways to address problems so that suicide no longer feels like the only option.
• The counseling services at AppState’s Counseling Center are free for students. Call to schedule an Initial Consultation so that you can be connected with a counselor and/or other resources to assist you.
• If you need to talk to someone immediately and it is after business hours, the National Suicide Hotline is available by dialing (988) or you can connect to Lifeline Chat Services (opens in a new tab).
• If suicidal thoughts have become so intense that you fear you may act on them, please come to the Counseling Center anytime Monday - Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm and let our front desk know you are experiencing an emergency and a counselor will meet with you as soon as possible.
• If it is after 5:00pm or on the weekend and you are having intense suicidal thoughts, please call the Counseling Center at (828)262-3180 and select the option to speak with the counselor on call.
• To hear stories of others who have been affected by thoughts or acts of suicide visit the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. (opens in a new or attemptsurvivors.com (opens in a new tab).

Concerned about a friend?

• According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, as of 2012, about 8% of college students (undergraduates and graduates) report that they have seriously considered suicide.
• Most people who make a suicide attempt have shared with at least one person that they are really struggling.
• If someone you know is talking about suicide, take them seriously and seek help. Do not make promises about keeping suicide talk confidential.
• Reach out for help from a trained professional. Protecting someone’s life is more important than protecting a secret.
• If you are not sure how deeply your friend is hurting, ASK. Ask them directly if things are so bad that they are thinking of killing themselves. While it may seem to be a hard thing to ask, imagine how difficult it is to tell someone that you are thinking of suicide.
• Make it easier for them – ask directly.
• Also ask a trained professional for more information. The counselors at the Counseling Center are available for consultations in which you can get more information about how to help a friend.
• Some problems are too big to carry alone. Suicide is one of them. Let us help you.

Signs that a friend may be thinking about suicide

• A change in typical patterns like eating, sleeping, or hanging out with friends.
• Some people will do things to try to numb their painful feelings such as drinking more alcohol, using drugs, or engaging in more risky behaviors.
• People contemplating suicide may make statements like, “I can’t go on", “I just wish I could disappear", or “I wish I wouldn’t wake up".
• They may engage in behaviors like giving away prized possessions or writing goodbye letters.

If you are seeing these signs, encourage your friend to come to the Counseling Center for a mental health check up. If your friend will not come to the Counseling Center but continues to act or talk in ways that suggest he or she might be at risk for suicide, please call us so we can give you more individualized help.