Reply to UPenn's Head of counseling and psychological services commits suicide

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "UPenn's Head of counseling and psychological services commits suicide "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]I worked in a similar role at another well regarded university with a very competitive and high achieving population. While in that role I felt suicidal for the first time. The responsibility is massive, the expectations are unrealistic, you are caught between parents, students, faculty, staff and administration. The academic environment as a whole is not healthy. There is constant pressure on students and faculty to produce, over achieve, be better than everyone else is just not healthy. Most schools have a tragic year at some point, that is mostly fluke. Not all suicide is preventable. I think my school was pretty supportive overall but the responsibilities of my role, the barriers I was up against and the devastating toll it took on my mental health and physical health made me walk away. No role or status or salary is worth losing yourselves. I am still recovering my health and putting my life back together after what that role took from me.

There needs to be much better clarity as to what the role of an institution is in providing health care. And then it needs to be funded to meet that scope and expectation.

I have met Dr Eells at ACHA conferences although I do not know him. Like most who end up dying from suicide there were a multitude of factors likely at play and more than likely a underlying mental illness. However from my experience and that of my colleagues, these roles are extremely high stress and soul crushing.

My condolences to his colleagues, his team, his family and the students he worked with. This will be hard time for all of them.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics