How to Prevent Youth Suicide

If you suspect that a teen has suicidal feelings, thoughts or behaviors, seek help right away. Remove any lethal materials from their environment and contact a mental health professional for evaluation.

There are risk factors that make a youth more likely to commit suicide and protective factors that reduce the risk. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.

Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescents. It is associated with a greater likelihood of suicide attempts and death. Depression is a treatable disorder and should be taken seriously. Talk to your child’s family physician, school counselor or a mood disorders program affiliated with a university or medical school.

Warning signs of suicidal behavior include talking about or planning to kill yourself, a change in sleep patterns and eating habits, giving away valuable possessions and withdrawing from friends and family. Depression can be caused by a number of factors such as abuse, violence at school or in the community, or the death of a loved one. It can also run in the family.

Anxiety

Children and adolescents with anxiety can become depressed and may have suicidal thoughts. Anxiety also can affect the way they think about their relationships with others. They might feel as if they aren’t accepted or that their lives are burdensome to others.

A child or adolescent who has thoughts of suicide should be evaluated by a mental health professional. This is especially true if the person has access to means of self-harm, has recently lost a friend or family member, or is experiencing other significant stressors.

Some kids who talk about killing themselves might be dismissed as overly dramatic or a cry for attention. This isn’t true, and these warning signs should be taken seriously.

Other Psychiatric Disorders

Many children and teens experience strong feelings of sadness, confusion and anger. In some cases, these feelings turn into suicidal thoughts. When psychiatric comorbidity is involved, the suicide rate in children and adolescents is even higher.

The adolescent years are by nature vulnerable to mental health problems. They are constantly confronted with new and changing challenges in several domains at the same time (such as academic difficulties, living situation or peer group). Conflicts with parents also play a crucial role in youth suicide. These factors are exacerbated by a number of specific risk factors such as mood disorders, personality characteristics and genetic loading.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is any use of drugs or alcohol. Substance abuse is linked to many health and social problems including gang involvement, violent crime, poverty, homicide, poor school performance, family problems, and juvenile justice involvement.

Youth who have suicidal thoughts or behavior are more likely to have substance abuse or dependence than youth who do not. In addition, some substances increase the risk of suicide attempts such as opiates (like heroin) and stimulants (like cocaine or some medicines used to treat ADHD, like methylphenidate or Ritalin).

CDC’s analysis of YRBSS and SCAHS data shows that youth with suicidal behaviors are more likely to have drug abuse/dependence than youth who don’t have suicidal behaviors.

Violence

A suicide attempt can be the result of a sudden crisis or ongoing stress. Family and school conflict, relationship problems, bullying or sexual orientation issues can all contribute to suicidal thinking and actions.

Youth with certain mental health conditions are at higher risk for suicide. For example, depression is the leading cause of suicide for teens and young adults. Those with bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders are also at greater risk for suicide.

The suicide rate has risen faster than the homicide rate among teens and young adults in the US over the past two decades. Psychologists are trying to understand the underlying reasons for these trends.

Family Issues

Young people often commit suicide impulsively as a response to acute psychosocial stressors. They can use a variety of methods including hanging, running into traffic and poisoning themselves with prescription drugs. They are more likely to attempt or succeed at suicide in rural areas because of the relative ease with which they can obtain lethal means such as firearms.

If a youth tells you that they are thinking of suicide, it is important to get them help immediately. This can include a referral for an acute evaluation by a mental health professional. It’s also helpful to keep the person connected to supportive friends and family.