Iowa students use backpacks to focus attention on suicides

IOWA CITY - Many students crossing the Pentacrest on the University of Iowa campus slowed Tuesday to view a sea of brightly colored backpacks, representing the 1,100 college-age students who commit suicide each year.

'If you break your arm and go to the doctor, no one looks at you funny,” said Brandon Doman, who is part of the nationwide Send Silence Packing campaign. 'When the issue of mental illness arises, that becomes a different story. We're trying to break that stigma.”

Multiple backpacks had personal stories and photos attached to them, chronicling those who had suffered mental illness and either overcame or succumbed to the pressure of suicide.

While the lack of discussion surrounding mental illness is an issue, Kyra Wilson, president of the student organization Active Minds, which held the event,said many times those in need don't know where to turn for help.

'In Iowa City there are a lot of wonderful services, the biggest problem is just utilizing them,” said Wilson, a UI senior. 'There is not an awareness there if (the services) are not being accessed.”

This is the first time Active Minds has put on the Send Silence Packing campaign, which is a nationwide event that comes to roughly 40 college campuses each year. Funding for the event came from the $290,000 national Garrett Lee Smith College Suicide Prevention grant, which will last for three years and aims to help raise awareness about suicide and the preventive measures that can be taken.

Besides allowing this event to take place, Keri Neblett, community intervention director at the Johnson County Crisis Center, said the grant also brings together colleges within the university that may not have otherwise connected with suicide prevention. 'I think it's great that we received the grant, because the college is doing a great job communicating with other colleges,” Neblett said. 'The (Henry B. Tippie) College of Business is talking about suicide prevention, the (Carver) College of Medicine is talking about it. People who normally wouldn't be talking about this are now in the conversation.”

Kiley Richards, a graduate student in the UI School of Social Work and a volunteer for the event, said there still are many steps to take when it comes to addressing mental illness.

'There's still a huge stigma of people not wanting to admit they feel depressed because they don't want to feel isolated or judgment from their friends,” Richards said. 'There's still a long way to go to raise awareness. This just goes to show people out there that they're not alone.”