How to Become a Gatekeeper

This article contains mentions of suicide. 

By Alizah Ali

We all go through a crisis. It might vary from person to person, but it happens to everyone. It’s normal.  

Sometimes, though, people can’t deal with it. Life becomes too hard to bear. Living becomes difficult, and opting out seems like the better option. About 8-10% of college students are at risk of suicide, and half of them are not getting the help that they need. 

Terrier’s Connect is an initiative which teaches students and faculty how to help students who are at risk. They teach you how to identify someone who is at risk, what the warning signs are, how to identify a Tier 1 (immediate action) warning sign versus a Tier 2 (non-immediate, however concerning) warning sign. They help you understand how it feels to be misunderstood, and how great it can be when someone understands you.  

They teach you how to ask the big question: Are you thinking of committing suicide? And they teach you the appropriate steps to take when someone says yes. They provide you with a list of resources to contact, too.  

Hopefully, these situations are not part of your life. But they are part of life, and it helps to be prepared. Again, crisis is normal and we never know when it’s going to happen to us or anyone else, nor how they will react to it. It helps to know what to do when someone isn’t okay, and maybe, like me, you’ll feel better equipped to deal with the situation if it arises. 

Will you be joining a community of Gatekeepers? 

• Boston University
• mental health
• prevention
• Suicide
• Support