Protecting mental health on Middle Tennessee’s college campuses

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Multiple college campuses across Middle Tennessee have lost students to suicide, prompting conversations about mental health among students.

At least three students died by suicide at three different universities in Middle Tennessee last week, prompting Volunteer Behavioral Health ( VBH ) to send crisis workers to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and Tennessee Tech University (TTU).

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Last Monday, MTSU student Serenity Birdsong died by suicide. Thursday, a Vanderbilt student passed away on campus near the 25th Avenue garage. The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed the student died by suicide. On Saturday, TTU confirmed that a student died "from self-inflicted harm." The university held a moment of silence at their homecoming game in honor of the student.

"The pressures that are during the college-age years are really tremendous, with the expectations that are put on them by family members, by friends and even by themselves," VBH senior vice president of operations, Nathan Miller, said.

If you are contemplating self harm, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day.

Miller said that VBH workers would provide additional counseling services to students and staff at MTSU and TTU as they process the loss in their communities.

While every case is different, according to the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network , lifestyle changes during college years such as sleep deprivation and substance abuse could contribute to the rise of mental health concerns in young people. Miller added that fear about the possibility of failure, academic and social pressures and social media can also be drivers to mental health issues.

"Exercise. Eat right. Sleep right and don't put too much pressure on yourself," Miller said. "That's one of the big things from the beginning. A lot of times college students are working, they're going to school. They're trying to balance all these things at once."

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.