Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in teens. Research shows that school-based, community-based and primary care centered interventions are associated with significant reductions in suicide risk.
Signs that a young person may be considering suicide include talking about or drawing pictures of death and/or suicidal behavior. Other warning signs are changes in sleeping habits, weight loss or sudden withdrawal from social activity.
Depression
Depression is one of the most common risk factors for suicide among youth. It can be caused by many different things including: family problems, abuse, lack of support from friends and peers and being involved in a deviant peer group.
Youth with depression can also be at risk for suicidal behaviors if they have access to weapons or drugs. They may feel overwhelmed by stress, such as a family crisis, an argument with parents or the death of a close friend.
Researchers have found that teen suicide rates are related to the amount of hopelessness and helplessness they feel. However, the research is limited and often based on small samples, making the results difficult to generalize.
Affluence
Wealth is not a protection against mental health problems or suicide. In fact, affluent youth have been found to be at greater risk of suicide than their low-income counterparts.
Affluent youth may attempt to cope with depression by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. They may also try to hide their troubles by not talking about them.
It is important for adults to take warning signs seriously when teens say they want to hurt themselves or kill themselves. They should not be dismissed as attention-seeking behavior and ignored. Instead, they should be encouraged to seek help. Often, young people who contemplate suicide are grateful to those who intervene on their behalf.
Family Issues
Threats of suicide or thoughts and behaviors of self-harm should always be taken seriously and assessed by a trained mental health clinician. Adolescents should have access to community-based and faith-based programs that provide peer support, positive coping skills and a strong sense of connectedness (Healthy People 2030, 2024).
Children and teenagers who are at risk for suicide might experience warning signs such as a decrease in activities they enjoy, a change in sleep or eating patterns, expressing a desire to be alone, giving away possessions or displaying intense sadness or irritability. A history of depression or anxiety, a family history of suicide or previous suicide attempts are also risk factors.
Mental Illness
Many youth suicides involve a mental illness, such as depression. It is important for teens to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
Teens are very vulnerable to a number of risk factors, including impulsivity. They also need to be able to express their emotions and problems without being judged.
Other risk factors include family conflicts and violence, the death of a loved one, access to guns or other means of suicide, school problems and relationship break-ups. Research has shown that helping teenagers imagine their future in a realistic way lays the groundwork for hope. This is called future thinking. It is one of the most promising areas for improving adaptive qualities of suicidal teenagers.
Drug Abuse
Substance abuse can lead to a variety of problems for youth. They may experience a loss of social skills, depression or anxiety and may be at greater risk of being involved with drugs or alcohol. They may also be at increased risk of injury from drug-related accidents and diseases or have difficulty obtaining a job because of their drug-related behavior.
One study found that lifetime use of multiple substances was directly associated with suicide attempt in adolescents. This finding was bolstered by the fact that depressive symptoms linked to substance abuse also led to suicide attempt. This link is especially strong for adolescents who are involved with gangs or other criminal activities, which can lead to involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Violence
Having a strong support system and the ability to solve problems in non-violent ways are important in preventing youth suicide. Kids who are able to talk through their problems with family and friends are less likely to think about hurting themselves.
Adolescents who report early exposure to emotional violence such as being made to feel unwanted or humiliated by their parents are more likely to consider suicide than those who have not, according to research from three countries. The researchers used data from the Violence Against Children Surveys.
Concurrent experiences of sexual violence and physical fighting significantly increase suicidal behaviors among ideators, a finding consistent with the problem behavior theory of suicide pathways.