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SIX/The Press/Friday, November 4, 1918 Suicide claims four lives in Cortland By JENNIFER A. BOYLE Copy Editor , Four people in Cortland County, two of . them teenagers, killed themselves this fall. ...- Two Cortland adults also recently committed suicide. Cortland College has had to deal with 10-15 situations that have been life- threatening so far this semester. According to Dr. Anthony Papalia, director of the Counseling Center at the State University of New York College at Cortland, \We are a community in trauma.\ The Counseling Center and the Interfaith Associa- tion of Cortland College responded to the community's crisis by co- sponsoring a presentation, \Stress Suicide and Survival in Young Adult Life,\ Thursday, October 27 in Corey Union. About 30 peo- ple welcomed guest speaker Dr. Joseph Crisafulli, noted writer and researcher on the human condition. Crisafulli has produced two 30 minute television programs for CBS News: \Is Anyone Listen- ing?\ and \Hearing Between the Lines,\ which focus on the issue of teenage and young adult suicide. Crisafulli included \Hear- ing Between the Lines\ in his presentation. It focuses on the youth suicide problem in Central and lower New York State and includes interviews with teens who have attemp- ted suicide and families of suicide victims. Suicide affects every socio- economic bracket. The wealthy, beautiful and athletic teens with 'everything going for them' are just as likely to take their own lives as high school dropouts. Over 180,000 American young adults at- tempt suicide yearly and every hour another desperate teenager's attempt is com- pleted. According to Crisafulli, there is something ''fun- damentally wrong with the fabric of life that results in the symptom of suicide.'' What is so wrong, that leads young people to choose death over life? Crisafulli feels that today's youth are less able to handle disap- pointments. Children have no models of people coping with failure or learning and growing from negative situa- tions. So American culture has spawned suicide as the 'quick fix' method of escape from problems. This reflects the need of most Americans for immediate gratification. Our society generally focuses its energies on achievement, in the hopes that winning material success will bring fulfillment. This does not work, because achievement and fulfillment are incongruent -- achieve- ment is quantitative and f.ulfillment is qualitative. For example, the man who spends his life reviewing his financial status, spending lit- tle time cultivating friend- ships, may have a lot of ex- pensive toys to show off, but no one to share them with. His financial success has secured achievement, but not necessarily fulfillment. Quality of life is immaterial in nature, and is therefore priceless. No amount of money can secure fulfill- ment. People have lost touch with their need for intimacy. Gone are the days when students traveled through high school with the same people, getting to know each of their classmates well. Teenagers were comfortable with each other and cared for one antoher. Today, \Cur- ricul urn comes before students,\ said Crisafulli. Instead of learning to deal with stress, young people learn to focus on the rela- tionship between numbers and achievement. Much em- phasis is placed on securing a spot on the honor role even in elementary school. It gets worse in high school. 'Honors' programs are of- fered to those students who measure up. Students are placed in courses like ad- vanced calculus, physics and computer applications. Then students are faced with col- lege admission requirements which have become more strict with much emphasis placed on SAT scores and grade point averages. \How many activities were you in- volved in?\ ask admission counselors. \What awards did you recieve?\ \What was your rank in your class?\ Standards are high --so that The United States can compete in the world market. Suicide is a much larger crisis in Japan, where stress is so great and competition so intense that suicide is seen in their Uves: drugs abuse, as an acceptable, even noble, physical abuse or the 'death moment to answer the boy's alternative to failure. In fact, of a family' resulting in question, and he never there is a popular spot dubb- divorce. Teens with these brought it up again. Years ed 'suicide grove' where the stresses in their lives often do later, Crisafulli learned that park service is hired to clean not feel comfortable sharing a year after the boy up after the daily suicides. them within their families, or graduated, he jumped out of Intimacy needs have been with anyone else. a window from the ninth pushed aside. People are Three times more girls at- floor of a building in close to fewer people and tempt suicide than boys, Syracuse and died. therefore have limited sup- though boys are three times \Reality tells us,\ said port systems. They concen- more successful at com- Crisafulli, \you may not be trate their energies on too pleting their attempts. Why? able to prevent suicide, no few intimate relationships, \Boy:s are more violent in matter how hard you try.\ sometimes only one. Teens their attemPts , , , said Yet people feel intense guilt that experience the end of Papalia. They generally tend when someone near them love relationships are suscep- to hold in their frustrations commits suicide. \I should tible to suicide, especially if until they are unbearable, have been there,\ they think. they have no other close rela- then \explode. Girls tend These people are also at risk. tionships to fall back on for to talk about their problems They become 50 percent comfort. Very often they will a lot, yet more often come to more likely to try suicide. think \I've given myself the irrational conclusion that These are called 'copy-cat Completely to You You are suicides,' because the cas· es · · · suicide is the only reasonable my life ... now that you don't alternative. Also, girls more are related by personal ties. Want me anymore I have no Suicides are also labeled • often try to overdose on pills, reason to live.\ They forget because it is a more 'copy-cat' when the deaths about the other significant 'cosmetic' way to die. In this occur in close proximity of people in their lives who love case, very often, help comes time, geography, or method. them. Parents, for example. before the pills take effect. Age is an important factor as In fact, \suicide is a selfish According to Papalia, well. The suicides of the two act,\ said Papalia. Suicide freshman used to be the Cortland County youths victims are unaware that they highest risk group at Cort- were labeled 'copy cat'. \impose trauma on people land College, but. this has If we are faced with so- they supposedly love,\ he changed. Freshman still ex- meone in a life-threatening said. The people left perience the same stresses of situation, what should we behind are the real victims of adjusting to college life, but do? Do not leave the person suicide. junior:s are now considered alone. \Listen listen some People do not Com more,\ and talk. It is also a - to be at higher risk, par- municate enough. People are ticularly transfers from com- good idea to change the set- isolated with their feelings of munity colleges away from ting. Most important is to get stress and despair. Teenagers home, and may be even more hep immediately. especially need to share their attached to the family and What is our community feelings because these emo- friends they left behind. doing to combat suicide? tions are not uncommon What are the warning signs Cortland County was recent- among their peers. Feelings of suicidal behavior? If a ly awarded a $69,000 grant to become distorted and blown person exhibits dramatic collect data on suicide. The out of proportion because changes in behavior, goalofthecommitteeheaded many depressed teens think becomes quiet, spends a lot by Dr. Charles Capanzano, they are the 'only ones' feel- of time alone, is moody, Director of Community ing this way. \When we displays inappropriate tears Mental Health Services, is to share,'' said Crisafulli, ''we or laughter, starts to get poor evaluate patterns of suicide realize that we all suffer --it's grades or keeps irregular and minimize the 'copy-cat' part of life ... To be really hours, take notice. However, effect. People and programs human is to deal with life, these behaviors are virtually are being put in place to deal not to escape it.\ synonymous with average with suicide, according to According to Crisafulli, adolescent behavior, so it is Papalia. \We don't teach people to difficult to determine To service Cortland Col- love themselves and that they whether a problem really ex- lege, a 24 hour emergency can heal (from disappoint- ists. This is where friends crisis intervention system has ments).\ Said Papalia: \If been established between the become crucial. \Friends are you value who you are, you much more important than Counseling Center and Cart- can mourn the relationship parents,\ said the mother of land Memorial hospital. and put it into perspective.\ a suicide victim in an inter- Otherwise, personal identity view for \Hearing Between Also, training programs are C get lost 'th the end d permanently in place for an wt e the Lines.'' Friends may relationship. Some teens who d . . residence life staff. Peer lose their identitv at the end spen more time With paten- counselors sponsored by the of a relationship lose their tial suicides, and may be Counseling Center and the lives to suicide -- forever. more aware of problems Interfaith Association are Wh h when they arise. also im_portant in recognizing o are t ese sad, Teachersarealsoinaposi- d Spe at 0 I ? s · 1 · potential problems arising e r e pe P e · ens1 1ve, t1'on to I'dent1\fy potent1'al pro- f · d · d 1· · rom stressful situations. canng an 1 ea lStlc blems. \Teaching means teenagers prone to feelings of listening even more,, said What inadequacy and guilt are at Crisafulli. He recounted the should. we do to combat risk, as well as those who feel story of a young man he stress? \Let yourself feel that listening, caring and sen- taught in high schooL who useful,\ said Crisafulli. Help sitivity are absent from theu someone else in need. relationships. Suicide victims once asked him about \When people know they are Electl .Oll Icon 'tfirom p. 3) are sometimes people who suicide. Crisafulli did not needed they are truly t• have experienced 'soft death' have time at that particular gratified.\ \Regrettably the Bush cam- '-~w~e~' r.;;;e..;n;;.:o;.l:t~ta.=:;lk:;;I~. n;;g:..a.;:b~o;.;u;.;t;;,;:j;.;;;u;;.;st;.;..._~B~u-s\\:'h-sa\\:'i\\:'d~t\:\\h-a~t -::W~il~lis~H':\. o-r-- _....;.;.~M\'e_an_w\\lh~i\:\le- -s-ta_n __ .., Dukakis concedes the race is tough. The latest CBS/New York Times poll shows him falling 13 points behind, 51 percent to 38 percent. The governor admits he has dif- ficulty comminicating his deep feelings about issues. But he told the \Nightline\ audience: \I'm going to do my very best to go to [voters] with a good strong, positive message about the future of this coun- try, and about the difference it will make if Mike Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen are elected president and vice-president of the United States.\ Dukakis's first political task, however, is to knock the highriding Bush campaign off ballance. His aim: Raise doubts about Bush. Charge the vice- president with lying. Accuse the Republicans of running a dirty campaign. Mark Gearan, a Dukakis aide, calls Bush's tactics \nasty amd says: paign is based on rumor, in- ton, a Massachussetts inmate ding his ground. On the cam- nuendo, lies, and distortion. verbal excesses. These are serving a life term, \raped and paign trail this week, the vice- His campaign has questioned clear instances of distortion-- m• 1 rdered again\ while on a president defended his charge Michael Du kak is's from the furlough program, to furlough. that Duka kis had opposed the partiotism ... It hasfressed the gun control, to defense posi- Dukakis notes that Mr. Hor- Grenada mission. l ·ssue of h1\s menta health. tions.'' h' ton w Ile on escape from \A Republican United Dukakis counterattacked furlough, did not commit States senator made remarks this week with a series of murder. about Kitty Dukakis burning papers detailing what they call the American flag, and [Bush] \Bush's lies and distortions.\ said nothing to disavow it,\ he A Bush TV ad charges that says. \The co-chairman of the Dukakis \has opposed virtual- Bush campaign, John Sununu, ly every defense system we went on TV to state that he developed.'' had seen reports that Senator Bentsen used influence to get his son into the National Guard, but could never substantiate it.\ Bush's campaign is characterized by ''wild charges with reckless disregard for the truth,\ Mr. Gearan says. \In the past few weeks, they've commenced an adver- tising campaign that clearly distorts the governor's record. Dukakis responds that he supports the B-2 Stealth bomber, the Trident 2 missile, the advanced cruise missile, the YF 22A/23A advanced tactical fighter, the SSN -71 Seawolf attack submarine, and \Many others.\ A Bush ad says Dukakis \criticized our rescue missions to Grenada, and our strike on Libya.'' Dukakis denies both claims. Bush said Dukakis \presided over a state that lost 26,000 jobs since 1983. \ Bush ap- parently meant to say \manufacturing jobs.\ Dukakis counters that since 1983, 407,800 jobs !lave been added in Massachusetts. Does such arguing over facts help Dukakis? His aides say yes, though some political analysts suggest that it focuses even more attentionon issues like prison furloughs and Dukakis's defense positions - right where Bush wants it. Mark Gooden, a Bush aide, also counters that \Dukakis's opposition to the Stealth, the MX missile, and many pro- grams is well documented. He supported a nuclear freeze. And when you back a freeze, you freeze everything in the present position. You cannot back freeze and say you back [new weapons].\ Larry Hugick, and analyst at the Gallup Organization, says Dtikakis's strategy of attacking Bush is a long shot. It might in- crease public unhappiness with Bush. Mr. Hugick wonders why, if Bush has run a campaign of \fear and smear'' for the past two mon- ths, did it tak.e Dukakis so long to react?
