Youth Suicide Rates Climb in the U.S.

Every day in schools, teachers walk down the halls and hear kids making comments such as, "Well if that dress doesn't fit me I'll just kill myself" or "I know I failed that test. I'm totally going to shoot myself when I see my grade". While most adults can honestly say they wouldn't take that type of a statement seriously, the question is raised as to what the true warning signs are of a suicidal teenager. In the year 2000, suicide was the third leading cause of death amongst children age 10 to age 19. According to SafeYouth.org, more teens die by committing suicide than they do from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.

The issue of suicide amongst teens has been made more public in recent years as the epidemic seems to continue to grow. Teenagers whom many would say were generally happy kids, good students, and active members of their communities are turning up in emergency rooms getting their stomachs pumped of prescription drugs or being treated for what is commonly known as "cutting". Even more disturbing is the number of teens who are succeeding in their suicide attempts, the majority of whom are male and choose to use firearms as a means to end their life. Unfortunately it seems even with increased awareness about the warning signs for suicide that there is no clear means to both educate and prevent suicide in teens.

There are many factors that research shows contribute to a teen's decision to commit suicide. Not least of these is the obvious occurrence of mental health issues. Depression in teens is a major cause of suicide attempts and suicide successes. Many times the warning signs of depression and mental illness are overlooked in teens. Frequently the loss of appetite, excessive lethargy, and appearance of sadness are confused for typical teenaged behavior and associated with growing pains or "teenaged angst". The popular practice of wearing black and acting sullen has made it difficult for schools and families alike to isolate which students are truly a concern. Teens are consistently telling friends they hate themselves and project a negative self image in order to fit in with their peers making it difficult to pinpoint which students are crying out for support. On the other hand, once a student is identified as needing support, the stigma related to seeing a counselor or receiving support for emotional difficulties prevents many students from cooperating or seeking out adult input. The availability of mental health services also keeps many teens from receiving the help they need.

While many suicide attempts may appear fairly innocuous to the untrained eye, repeated attempts no matter how small they may seem, are warning signs that at some point the teen plans to succeed. Previous suicide attempts are a warning sign that should never, under any circumstances, be ignored. Complaints of abuse, physical and/or sexual, in the home should also never be ignored. All school professionals are considered mandated reporters in the case of abuse and many instances of suicide attempts and successful suicides have been linked to abuse in the home that was neither reported nor investigated. While it is indeed necessary to weed out which claims of abuse are false and which are to be taken seriously, adults should always allow authorities to be the ones to make that decision.

Teens who have experienced a stressful event or a loss in their life should be considered at high risk for suicide attempts. Many teens lack the internal resources for handling extreme stress or grief, they lack the skills to decompress from events that adults find themselves able to cope with easily. Likewise, teens who have been exposed to the suicidal behavior of others such as family members, close friends, or peers are considered at high risk for future suicidal behavior.

Many of these risk factors can be reduced by implementing proper interventions. At times the key to preventing suicide is in reducing early risk factors for depression, substance abuse, and aggressive behaviors. This type of intervention works hand in hand with making sure that all necessary mental health supports are in place and readily available for all teens coupled encouraging teens to avail themselves of these services even when they are feeling mentally fit. Offering a confidential screening process in order to identify teens who may be experiencing suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide), depression, or substance abuse also reduces the risk for suicide. Then, once students have been confidentially identified, mental health professionals or school administration have the opportunity to discreetly offer services to those individuals.

In the home, parents must be aware of their teen's surroundings and limit their access to what are considered lethal agents such as firearms and controlled substances. Keeping the lines of communication open in the home is vital at all times, even when your teen is at their best mentally and physically. By maintaining communication and trust, your teen may be more likely to come to you when experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings. Educating yourselves as parents will help you to recognize the warning signs of depression, substance abuse, and other factors that often lead to suicide. Taking the time to monitor media related exposure to suicide also increases the opportunity to prevent suicide in teens. Very often media attitudes toward suicide will cast the act in a light which "normalizes" it and makes teens more apt to consider it as a viable option for relieving stress or depressions.

At the same time, it seems research has shown that many suicide prevention models also normalize the act. Many times lists of warning signs are circulated amongst teens, as are common methods of suicide. As teens are bombarded with information about the risks of suicide, they begin to accept suicide as a common part of their lives and they become desensitized to the act and therefore begin to minimize the consequences of suicide. However, this is not to suggest that suicide prevention programs should be in any way extinguished, just carefully planned and executed to be certain that teens are receiving the right message and the necessary support to regulate depression, anxiety, and any other issue that may otherwise be solved by the finality of suicide.