Teen suicides - Understanding and prevention
Teen suicide is a big concern. Despite the fact that there are warning signs and that there are organizations waiting for resources that can help prevent many of these deaths, suicide rates in teens continue to rise. During the pandemic suicides across all age groups went up. It is one of the most common causes of death in teens. Boys are more likely to successfully commit suicide and girls think about it and make more attempts. With better understanding and more discussion, there is more chance of successful prevention. Giving access to things like a mental health toolkit can help too.
What is behind teens wanting to end their lives?
Many children and teens who think about or attempt to end their lives have a mental health disorder. Often that is depression. However not every youth who considers suicide are also depressed, and not all depressed teens think about killing themselves. But if more resources and funding went into mental health treatment, and it became easier to get teens into getting the help they need, that would help a lot.
With younger youths, suicide tends to be an impulsive thing, not something they have planned. They are angry, sad, confused or such and just act. 60% of youth suicides are done with a gun and that is connected to that reacting in the moment, grabbing a firearm that is not put away properly, and taking their lives. With teens, there are feelings of loss, pressure, stress, loneliness, self-doubt, and more and suicide seems like a solution to ending that pain. You can take advantage of a behavioral health toolkit to help spot typical signs and behaviors.
Risk factors and warning signs
Here are some of the risk factors and warning signs for child and teen suicide;
- Being bullied either at school, in the community or online
- Having a family history of suicide
- Having access to firearms
- Being exposed to violence
- Abuse at home - see how a mental health toolkit can help
- Being aggressive and impulsive
- Being disruptive
- Having feelings of helplessness and everything being hopeless
- Being rejected
- Losing someone
- Making statements about wanting to be dead jh
- Being withdrawn from people
- Not taking part in things they once were happy to do
- Changes in sleep and eating
- Having a decline in how they are performing at school
- Giving away things they own
- Being overly interested in death
Talking with children and teens about suicidal thoughts
A lot of people are not comfortable talking about suicide and even are worried that it makes a teen think about doing it. This is not the case. Communication is always a good thing and it can only ever help. Are they feeling depressed? Do they think about hurting themselves or killing themselves? Have they ever thought about either thing? Give them assurance, love, support and avoid being negative or critical of them. You can use the behavioral health toolkit to help guide you. It is always advisable to be safe and get help rather than dismissing it.
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