Mood disorders, substance abuse, and aggressive or disruptive behaviors increase the risk of suicide in teens. So do family or relationship conflicts, particularly those that involve bullying, separation, divorce or the loss of loved ones.
Some kids talk about suicide to get attention, but any mention of the idea is serious and needs to be taken seriously. The protective factors that lower a teen’s suicide risk include strong connections with friends and family, good problem-solving skills, and access to appropriate health care.
Depression
Depression is a mental illness and it can lead to thoughts of suicide. It can be caused by a variety of things such as: loss of a job, rejection, drug use or a family crisis like divorce.
The most common sign of depression is a change in sleeping and eating habits, a lack of interest in activities and a negative outlook on life. Other signs are a preoccupation with death and frequent complaints about physical symptoms such as stomachaches or headaches.
If a youth is showing signs of depression, it is important to talk with them and make sure they do not have access to any lethal objects or substances. Also, it is important to find a therapist that is familiar with teen depression.
Addiction
Often, youths with addiction or mental health issues are at high risk of suicide. A large percentage of people with mental health conditions will also experience substance use disorder (SUD).
Using a community sample of youth, researchers looked at various patterns of drug and cigarette use. They then analyzed the results in logistical regression analyses. The results showed that higher levels of drug abuse/dependence and cigarette use were significantly associated with suicide attempt, even after controlling for depression.
If you know someone who has a substance use disorder, help them get treatment. Do not engage in lectures, threats or bribes; these can cause them to hide their substance abuse from you and increase shame, isolation and relapse.
Mental Health Issues
Mental illness involves changes in emotion, thinking and behavior that can cause distress and impair a person’s ability to function. It is just as real and serious as other medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
Kids who are adrift in life, or have experienced trauma and loss due to violence, poverty, discrimination and/or separation from family members due to death, divorce, incarceration and deportation are at higher risk for suicide. They also often experience psychiatric issues such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.
These mood disorders can increase a youth’s risk for self-harm by making them more impulsive, which can lead to drug abuse and other dangerous behaviors. They may even hear voices (auditory hallucinations) that tell them to hurt themselves or kill themselves.
Family Issues
Youth suicide affects families every day. It can be triggered by immediate or long-term stress, such as the death of a friend or family member, the breakup of a relationship, a bullying incident or ongoing substance abuse. Psychiatric disorders can also lead to youth suicide, especially mood disorders and conditions that cause hallucinations or delusions such as schizophrenia.
Relationship issues are a factor in many youth suicides. Conflicts with parents or other family members, a boy or girl friend and disciplinary problems in school are common. They can be exacerbated by a lack of positive role models and by exposure to negative stereotypes.
Social Issues
During adolescence, youths must cope with many important and significant changes in their lives. These include school, relationships, peer group and living situations. Interpersonal losses, such as relationship breakups and death of friends, are often found in suicide cases of young people (31). Conflicts with parents are common in youth suicide, as are physical or psychiatric abuse (31).
Other risks include being in unstable housing, poverty, racism and prejudice. Minorities, including LGBTQ persons, and kids in the child welfare or juvenile justice system are also at higher risk of suicide.
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are associated with a high risk of suicide. People with personality disorders are unable to regulate their emotions, which can cause them to feel overwhelmed and have thoughts of self-harm. They may also have trouble trusting others and can become angry quickly.
They are likely to have a history of suicide attempts and to be a risk to themselves, their family, and others. GPs will see youth who are struggling with these conditions, and they are at particular risk of suicide when they have concrete stressors like academic and work problems or conflict with parents (23).
This can lead to a heightened suicide-related risk by causing them to be impulsive and seek out a means of suicide, such as hanging, poisoning themselves or jumping from a high place. This is why identifying personality disorders early and seeking treatment are so important.
Trauma
Trauma is a significant risk factor for suicide in teens. It is recommended that trauma centers screen adolescent patients for depression and suicidality, and establish strategies for patient support and referrals.
Disturbing events cause the amygdala in the brain to activate, triggering a fight-or-flight response. This can lead to short-term feelings of fear, anger, anxiety, or depression. It can also cause problems with memory and sleep. In addition, traumatic experiences can lead to family or social issues that can increase suicide risks. These include losing a close friend or relative to suicide, having family conflicts, and accessing guns or medications that can be used to harm oneself.