9/8 Entry

I think the most important piece of information from this week's DB was the section about
"How You Can Help". This section provided a lot of advice about what to do if a friend or student approaches you regarding suicide. Page 155 says, "Your role is not to counsel them through this crisis, but to be a good listener- use your active listening skills. Don't rush to judgement. Keep in mind that suicide isn't the problem. It's the perceived solution to what seems to be an unsolvable problem." Upon reading the material I think this was one of the most vital excerpts from the passage. More than anything, a friend/student just wants to be listened to. Listening to the friend will help reveal what the underlying issue are. Although counseling seems like the responsible option, it may actually worsen the distress.

I was most affected by suicide and loss this summer when a friend of mine Corinne Peters whose life was ended by her own mother, Jayne Peters who later shot herself. Ms. Peters, the mayor and longtime resident of Coppell, was always generous and welcoming-- I never expected such an unfortunate end for her and Corinne. I had known Corinne for about seven years through school and other activities. She was always a bright girl. The last time I spoke to her, we were both expressing our excitement for being future longhorns together in the fall. Unfortunately, Corinne was never given the opportunity to be a student here. On July 13 2010, Corinne Peters was shot in the head prior to her mother committing suicide. After experiencing such a tragedy, the only thing that ran through my mind for weeks was, "Why didn't anyone notice something was wrong". It was later revealed, the Peters were experiencing financial debt and Mayor Peter resorted to stealing almost $5,000 from the city of Coppell. After reading all the facts, I'm certain this heartbreak was more than preventable. If the family sought help or just looked to someone to talk to, such a loss could have been avoided. Corinne could have been able to experience college with her friends. Ms. Peters would still be the respected mayor that she is loved for. This literature on suicide definitely taught me to do MY best to assure no friend, student or peer of mind is forced to make such a decision of ending a life.

Another vital piece of information I got from this week's reading was the study taken about sleep deprivation. I'll admit, I have found myself saying, "sleep is for the weak" to justify my numerous all-nighters. It definitely startled me when the study said, "lack of sleep elevates activity in the emotional centers of the brain most closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression" (p 175). I have been guilty of the five hour sleep schedules, especially on the nights of excessive school work, or  during the weekend nights. But this study has shown that a regular sleep schedule is crucial, especially for young adults. For the sake of ones health and psychological wellbeing, an adequate amount of rest should be a high priority.