Youth suicide involves a complex interaction between background personal and family factors, emotional state and a significant life event. Youths are particularly vulnerable during the adolescent years.
Many people think that when a kid talks about suicide, they just want attention and should be ignored. But any talk of suicide should be taken seriously.
Stress
During adolescence, youth experience a lot of change and transition in their lives. This can lead to increased stress and anxiety levels.
This stress can lead to suicide. Some warning signs of suicidal thinking include a sudden or dramatic change in a child’s personality or eating and sleeping habits, giving away prized possessions, preoccupation with death, and depression. Other indicators can be a history of suicide attempts, getting into trouble at school or work and being in conflict with family members or friends.
Most existing research examining the relationship between life stress and adolescent suicidality uses cross-sectional designs that rely on self-reports of lifetime exposures. However, ideation-to-action theories suggest that proximal life stressors are more important predictors of suicide attempters than are general stressors from past lifetimes.
Depression
Depression is a leading cause of youth suicide, and the condition can be exacerbated by various environmental stressors, such as academic pressure, excessive alcohol consumption, the loss of a valued relationship or frequent changes in residence. Family problems and conflicts can also exacerbate suicidal feelings, particularly in the case of teens who feel misunderstood or devalued by their parents.
Researchers have found that a feeling of low social support can increase suicide risk, as has the presence of an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, and substance abuse. In addition, comorbidity of mental disorders significantly increases suicide risk.
Anxiety
Many people think that teens who talk about hurting themselves or killing themselves are just seeking attention and should be ignored. However, the reality is that any talk about suicide is a serious warning sign that something is wrong and they need to get help.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition that youth experience. If untreated, they can lead to a comorbid disorder such as depression or psychosis.
Family issues such as a single parent status, divorce, domestic violence and poor communication within the family have also been linked to suicide among youths.
Relationships
The suicide risk of youth is significantly reduced by good relationships with adults. This includes parental, family members, friends, school teachers and counselors, coaches and extracurricular activity leaders, community service professionals and so forth.
Teens who talk about suicide should be taken seriously. They should not be dismissed as “attention seeking.”
Important life events can also increase the risk of suicide, especially those that involve loss or change. This could include relationship break-ups, death of friends or family members, and changes in a teen’s role in their community.
Sexual Abuse
The trauma of sexual abuse has been linked with suicidal behavior in a few studies. Sansonnet-Hayden et al, for example, found that depression and suicidal ideation were significantly more prevalent in adolescents with PTSD+S than those without it.
They also found that core types of childhood abuse were associated with suicide attempts, and this was particularly true for community samples and studies with lower methodological quality. Severity and age of onset of sexual abuse were found to be associated with suicide attempt frequency. Dissociative experiences were found to mediate this relationship.
Mental Health Issues
Adolescents with mental health conditions such as mood disorders and substance abuse are at high risk of suicide. These conditions can also contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
In many cases, suicide among youth involves a combination of factors, including mood and substance abuse, family issues, a history of trauma, and social/environmental stressors. Research shows that adolescents who live in humanitarian and fragile settings, who face stigma and discrimination and those who are in early or forced marriages tend to have more suicide risk factors.
It is important to recognize warning signs that a teen may be contemplating suicide, such as acting impulsively or wishing to hurt themselves. It’s also essential to remove access to weapons or other means of self-harm.
Trauma
Trauma is an overwhelming experience that can lead to symptoms like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms can also be triggered by events like car accidents, medical procedures and childhood abuse. Whether the trauma is recent or long-lasting, a person can recover with the help of therapy and support from family and friends.
Studies suggest that suicide in adolescents is often the result of a combination of risk factors and precipitating circumstances. Policies that promote mental health and social connection and reduce access to lethal means may be effective in reducing suicides.