As a recent Alum of UMBC, I was deeply saddened to learn that UMBC senior, Salmaan Sultan, committed suicide Friday night. While I did not know Salmaan personally, my heart goes out to his family, as well as all of those who knew and loved him. I am so sorry for your loss.
For those of you who had not yet heard, this is The Baltimore Sun's story.
Research shows that "suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students in the U.S." (1). While I'm sure you all have been heard the statistics about suicide, numbers can never convey the pain suffered by those who are touched by the loss of a loved one to suicide. I'm sure that Salmaan's death will have a deep and far reaching effect on our community and beyond. I hope that we can learn and grow from this terrible loss. I urge my fellow UMBC students, alumni, and faculty to become involved in suicide prevention. You can make a difference.
If you or someone you know needs help or is dealing with suicidal thoughts, there are many resources available to you. Here are a few:
UMBC Counseling Services:
Baltimore Crisis Response:
University of Maryland Help Center (College Park, Maryland)
301-314-HELP (4357)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Article and photo courtesy of The Baltimore Sun. Thanks to Dr. Kelber-Kaye.
1. Wilcox, H. C., Arria, A. M., Caldeira, K. M., Vincent, K. B., Pinchevsky, G. M., & O'rady, K. E. (2010). Prevalence and predictors of persistent suicide ideation, plans, and attempts during college. Journal of Affective Disorders, 127(1-3), 287-294.
