THE
Daily
MISSISSIPPIAN theDMonline.com
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Volume 112, No. 4
Campus organizations educate, inform during Suicide Prevention Month ASHLYNN PAYNE
E
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ach September, mental health professionals and organizations recognize National Suicide Prevention Month. This month is dedicated to making strides in breaking the stigma surrounding suicide and encouraging those struggling with mental health issues to make the often tough decision to ask for help. Because suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college students, it is especially important to provide people with more information about the issue. Clinical Supervisor and Director of the Psychological Services Center Kristin Austin believes that having a designated Suicide Prevention Month makes it easier to talk about suicide and its forewarnings. “Suicide Prevention Month helps inform everyone about potential warning signs in their friends,
family and colleagues that should be taken seriously as well as reduce the stigma of seeking treatment when a person is struggling and contemplating suicide,” Austin said. “It’s important for everyone to know how to ask about suicide in a caring, nonjudgmental way, how to keep people safe, what resources are available and when to get help.” A major aspect of this month is making sure people are able to recognize when it is time to seek help, whether it be for themselves or others. “Signs that someone may be struggling with their mental health include withdrawal from activities they typically enjoy, increased irritability and a change in their typical functioning like drinking more, sleeping more or less, not spending time with friends and family or a drop in grades,” Austin said. It is recommended to seek out additional support when previous coping strategies no longer work or when symptoms persist and affect everyday life. Director of the University Counsel-
UM students in Morocco safe after earthquake
PHOTO CREDIT: ADOBE STOCK / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ERIN FOLEY
ing Center Juawice McCormick elaborated on the opportunity Suicide Prevention Month provides. “This month is an ongoing opportunity to remind us all that we matter, that help is available for all and that there are other solutions to our problems, other ways to manage and heal from the pain we are experiencing,” McCormick said. Both the PSC and UCC provide therapeutic counseling for a variety of mental health concerns. The PSC allows graduate students in clinical training to provide supervised counseling for a sliding fee based on income, and the UCC provides up to eight free counseling sessions. Clients have the choice of a graduate student or a licensed counselor. In addition to learning about the warning signs of suicidal ideation, there are other ways people can get involved in Suicide Prevention Month. UCC and
SEE SUICIDE PREVENTION PAGE 2
Artists weigh in on WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike
VIOLET JIRA
PALEIF RASPBERRY
All four University of Mississippi students currently studying abroad in Morocco are safe and accounted for after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region last Friday, killing and injuring thousands. According to Blair White, senior international officer and director of study abroad, their safety was confirmed almost immediately. “We have four UM students in Morocco right now studying in the Arabic Capstone Year program in Meknes, Morocco. All four are safe and accounted for,” she said. Situated in northern Morocco, Meknes is the country’s sixth-largest city. It was not impacted by Friday’s deadly quake, though many in the city were both shaken and on high alert in anticipation of possible aftershocks. “We have a robust emergency response and wonderful Arabic Flagship partners both on campus and off campus who reported their safety almost immediately,” White said. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Al Haouz region, where it is estimated by the Moroccan government that 60% of the population was killed by the natural disaster. Current estimates place the earthquake’s death toll at just shy of 3,000. More than 5,000 have been in-
Due to an unresolved disagreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers regarding better working conditions and payment, the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike beginning May 2. Two months later on July 14, the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists aligned themselves with WGA and their goals by joining the picket lines.
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PHOTO COURTESY: MOSA’AB ELSHAMY / AP PHOTO
Moroccan boys, Rayan and Ali walk amidst the rubble of their home in Ijjoukak village on Sept. 9. jured, and many remain unaccounted for. Currently, there is only one student from Morocco studying at the University of Mississippi. The Office of Global Engagement has reached out to them to offer support and assistance. University of Mississippi students
SEE MOROCCO PAGE 4
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike has meant a pause in work for many professional writers and actors with the aim of securing, among other things, better pay rates. At the University of Mississippi, where the next generation of professionals are trained and educated through UM’s Theatre and Film department, the strike has given students and professors alike an opportunity to think more deeply about their industry.
SEE SAG-AFTRA PAGE 5
LINE LEAP The LineLeap App promises a smoother bar-going experience for Oxford residents, but it remains unclear whether or not local bars are buying in. SEE PAGE 3
CIRCLE & SQUARE Circle and Square Brewing Company, Oxford’s first microbrewery, opened on Aug. 30 at 100 Depot Street. SEE PAGE 3