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Dear Student,
Your concern is serious and I am grateful that you have reached out for help. This is a move toward life rather than away from life. While I do not know what you are struggling with specifically, I can say that you are not alone in having feelings of needing to end your life. And, it is not uncommon to use alcohol and marijuana to numb the emotional pain. As you probably already realize, these substances do seem to help, at least in the immediacy of the moment, but then ultimately make you feel worse. I want you to know that there is a better way to work through whatever it is that is robbing you of your spirit. The worst thing is to be alone in your struggle. We want to offer you our human presence and our professional expertise to help you get through this. Please give serious consideration to seeking our help in-person immediately. Here is how you can reach us. Our office is the Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC), and we are located in the Campus Life Building, Room 200, the first door on your left at the top of the stairs. The Campus Life Building is located across from the Holmes Student Center at the Northeast corner of the intersection of Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road. Our phone number is 815-753-1206. Our walk in hours are M-F 10am through 4:30pm. You can simply walk in without an appointment and one of our staff will be available for you. We are also available after hours every evening (all night) and all weekend for emergency situations. If you need to speak with a counselor during these times, simply call 815-753-1212 (the university police dispatcher), and say that you want to speak with the on-call counselor, who will return your call. I believe it was a big step for you to write to me. It is time to tap into your courage again and call or come in to speak with one of our counselors. Sincerely, Barb Wired |