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Posts tagged ‘suicide’

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Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder

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The diagnosis of “borderline personality disorder” unfortunately carries with it much stigma. A “personality disorder” may carry negative connotations and the term “borderline” can conjure an image of an unstable person precariously straddling an imaginary line of what would be considered a “normal,” stable personality. BPD is a mental health issue just like anxiety and depression, yet it does not receive the same level of recognition.

Eight to 10 percent of those with the disorder commit suicide, which is a rate 50 times higher than in the general population. More than 70 percent of individuals with BPD will attempt suicide at least once, with rates peaking in individuals in their 20s and 30s.

Because of the dangerous consequences of BPD, it is important to increase understanding and encourage those with symptoms to seek therapeutic help, particularly in the vulnerable young adult population.

See how to recognize symptoms in my article appearing in The Hullabaloo.

More Information:

Personality Disorders Institute

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Colleges in Crisis: let’s talk about young adult mental health

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The Tulane community has suffered several tragedies during the Fall 2014 semester, highlighting the need for awareness and advocacy for mental health issues on campus. Tulane isn’t alone in this mental health crisis. Colleges across the country struggle to meet the needs of their students and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. In order for us to come together as a community, we must talk about the unique mental health challenges college students face. Students must feel empowered to discuss mental health issues, while supporting and encouraging their peers to seek help when they need it.

See my article in The Hullabaloo to learn more about college mental health.

More Resources for College Mental Health:

Active Minds

The Jed Foundation

ULifeLine.org

National Institute of Mental Health

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Sexual Assaults: The Silent Epidemic on College Campus

Sexual Assault

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College students are particularly vulnerable to sexual assaults, with 19 percent of college women having experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college. Often called the “silent epidemic” on college campuses, sexual assaults are the most underreported crime, with 95 percent of attacks being unreported. These type of assaults take serious emotional tolls, with rape survivors being 13 times more likely to attempt suicide than people who have not been victimized. To learn more about the emotional tolls of sexual assaults and resources Tulane offers for survivors, check out my latest article in The Tulane Hullabaloo.

Tulane provides tools to cope with sexual assault

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How to recognize warning signs of suicide in college

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Suicide is the second-largest leading cause of death on college campuses, with approximately 1,100 students dying by suicide every year. Click my latest column below to learn more about suicide in college students, the risk factors and warning signs, and knowing how and when to seek support. Although the answer to preventing these tragedies is complicated, it can certainly start with educating ourselves about this tragic mental health issue.

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Self-injury is common and treatable in college

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As a psychiatry resident working in New Orleans, I have the opportunity to treat a wide range of interesting people. I also have the great opportunity to work with college students when they show up to the Tulane emergency room in crisis. Something that I often see in these students and other young adults is a pattern of self-injury.

What may seem strange or scary to some, is a daily impulse for others. Check out my latest column in The HullabalooScreen Shot 2013-11-14 at 7.36.10 PM