According to the American Federation for the Prevention of Suicide (AFPS), suicide is the third-leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of 15 and 24, and is the second-leading cause of death - behind only traffic accidents - among college students. In 1998, suicide killed more young adults than AIDS, cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, birth defects, stroke, influenza and chronic lung disease combined. 

• Sadness or Anxiety
• Feeling guilt, helplessness, or hopelessness
• Trouble eating or sleeping
• Withdrawing from friends and/or social activities
• Loss of interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Increased use of alcohol and/or drugs
• Anger
• Excessive irritability
• Excessive impulsivity

• Talking openly about committing suicide
• Talking indirectly about "wanting out" or "ending it all"
• Taking unnecessary or life-threatening risks
• Giving away personal possessions 

Any talk of suicide by a friend, roommate, or loved one should be taken seriously and help should be sought immediately.

If you notice any of the above warning signs in a friend, roommate, or loved one, there are ways that you can be of help. For example, be honest with them and express you concerns, ask them directly about thoughts of suicide, listen to them and provide emotional support, understanding and patience.

There are also a number of resources listed below that are available for individuals who are depressed and/or having thoughts of suicide.

• WISCONSIN Suicide & Crisis Hotlines - Crisis Counselors are waiting for your call.
• MINNESOTA Suicide & Crisis Hotlines - Crisis Counselors are waiting for your call.
• ULifeline - To leverage the anonymity of the Internet and its popularity among young adults, the Jed Foundation has created Ulifeline.org, a Web-based resource that will provide students with a non-threatening and supportive link to their respective college's mental health center as well as important mental health information. Students are able to download information about various mental illnesses, ask questions, make appointments, and seek help anonymously via the Internet, a medium they are comfortable using. 
• The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to funding research, developing prevention initiatives and offering educational programs and conferences for survivors, mental health professionals, physicians and the public. 
• The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit public charity committed to reducing the youth suicide rate and improving the mental health safety net provided to college students nationwide. The Foundation's efforts support a key objective of the Surgeon General's National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, May 2001: by 2005, to increase the proportion of colleges and universities with evidence-based programs designed to address serious young adult distress and prevent suicide.
• Befrienders Worldwide - gives a list of suicide help lines from around the world