Hang in there! You can do it. I believe in you.
“I came across this message of hope today at a drinking fountain on the first floor of Mason Hall. It especially caught my attention and hit home because one of my brother's friends incidentally committed suicide this past Sunday. As you can imagine, it's been quite a rocky week. I really appreciated this note of encouragement and would love to continue to see more of these all around campus,” Anonymous student.
This is an example of a “Message of Hope” and how the initiative impacted an individual student. Since January 2013, over 2,000 messages have been written on tiles and have been spread out on campus.
Suicide - as a word, a thought, a feeling - carries a great amount of stigma and pain. Even if a student is open to seeking help, it may be difficult to speak the word aloud.
On a large campus like ours, students may feel disconnected, isolated or alone, finding it difficult to reach out, or to know where they can turn for support.
- 24% of all UM students have some degree of suicidal ideation, according to UM Student Mental Health Survey
- 35% of students coming into CAPS have thought about or considered suicide, 2011-12 Annual Report .
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students nationwide
According to current research, hope and resiliency appear to be protective factors against emotional distress and stressful life events. Students with high hope or high resiliency report far fewer problems with suicidal ideation, academic distress, social anxiety, hostility, and substance use compared to students with low hope and low resiliency.
Do something, know the warning signs and resources, listen to one another, show concern, and be willing to help. Together, we can all change the story about student suicide at the University of Michigan.
Messages of Hope are spreading throughout campus! To stay connected, please visit and ‘like’ our facebook page, University of Michigan Messages of Hope.