Felix Balderas 
UTRGV – Counseling Director Christopher Albert spoke to KVAQ-TV about the importance of Suicide Prevention Awareness month.
“Some people may think that talking about suicide is a bad thing, that somehow you put ideas into someone’s head who didn’t have them before. Or that suicide represents a moral failing in a person, that they are weak, or that they aren’t good. When we judge people that way, we are less likely to understand and effectively help them,” said Albert.
He mentions that having conversations about suicide sends the message that it’s okay to talk about it, opening the door to getting through deeper issues.
The UTRGV Counseling Center offers multiple resources for students in need, including counseling sessions and training courses like Question Persuade Refer, which helps identify if someone is suicidal and how to address it.
Christopher Marmoleja, Theater Major at UTRGV recalled a personal experience where he had to watch a close friend suffer through suicidal thoughts and he did not know how to address it.
Marmoleja continued to mention that he was unaware that UTRGV offered any such resources for mental health.
“I wish there was a way that there was something we could do to make that more well-known because I didn’t know about that,” said Marmoleja.
For any students going through a difficult time, you can contact the 27/7 Vaquero Crisis hotline at (956)- 665-5555 or contact the counseling center at (956)-665-2574. You can also visit the UTRGV Counseling Center at https://www.utrgv.edu/counseling/services/mental-health-counseling/index.htm for further details about counseling, making appointments, training, and courses.
