Suicide is a serious public health issue that affects all people. But kids and teens who think about suicide are at particular risk. Warning signs include changes in sleeping or eating patterns. Giving away personal items or writing a note. Having access to drugs or guns.
Teen girls think about and try suicide about twice as often as boys. And American Indian and Alaska Native youth and kids who are LGBTQ+ have higher rates of suicide.
Risk Factors
Suicide among youth is a global health concern that has serious consequences not only for the individual but also their families, peers and community. As such, effective suicide prevention measures must focus on both the psychosocial and environmental factors associated with youth suicide.
Studies indicate that the most significant risk factors for suicide include a combination of background personal and family circumstances, recent emotional distress and access to means. It is important to limit access to firearms and medications that can be used for suicide purposes. Additionally, mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance abuse are major risk factors.
Other risk factors include a disrupted sense of belonging in interpersonal relationships, loneliness and feelings of emptiness. It is important to recognize warning signs of suicide such as a change in sleep patterns and eating habits, giving away personal items for no reason or acting withdrawn. It is important to find a caring professional that can help.
Symptoms
The first sign that a young person is considering suicide is usually thoughts of wanting to die. These are called suicidal ideation, and they can lead to a suicide attempt. Suicide is often a carefully thought out decision that involves making a plan. A suicide attempt is a serious medical emergency and should always be taken very seriously by everyone involved.
People who consider suicide usually have a lot of stress in their lives, or they are very depressed. They may have a family history of depression or have been exposed to violence on TV, in the newspapers or from their friends. They might be feeling down because of a relationship problem, school problems or money issues. They may also feel they don’t fit in with their peers.
It’s important to notice any sudden changes in a teen’s behavior, mood or relationships. Parents, teachers and peers are often the best observers of these changes. They can include a sudden change in sleep patterns, weight loss or gain and a lack of interest in things that were once fun. Teens who seem sad, withdrawn, angry or anxious are especially at risk for suicide. They might use drugs or alcohol to escape their feelings and avoid dealing with them.
Treatment
During the teen years, a person experiences major life changes. These include physical growth; conflicts between parental and peer values and ideals; emotional and physical intimacy with opposite sex; and uncertainty about future career goals. These challenges can lead to feelings of stress, despair and hopelessness.
Suicide attempts should always be taken seriously, regardless of the method used. When a suicide attempt is made, the youth should be evaluated and cared for in a safe and supportive manner. This should also involve a full psychiatric evaluation and the appropriate treatment of underlying disorders.
Evidence-based psychotherapy with a focus on safety and self-worth and effective medication treatments for psychiatric conditions associated with suicide risk should be used in the treatment of youths at high risk. In addition, emerging care process and triage models that incorporate suicide prevention strategies can improve emergency evaluation and management. Finally, it is important to include voices of those with lived experience in the development and implementation of these approaches.
Prevention
Educating people about youth suicide prevention is a critical part of the solution. This includes educating parents about risk factors and warning signs. It also includes ensuring that children and teens have safe physical and emotional home environments. This can include keeping weapons and other lethal objects out of the house. It can also involve limiting access to alcohol. Most pharmacies offer safe medication disposal programs; check online or with your local pharmacy to learn more.
If you know a youth who is talking about or making threats of suicide, it’s important to take them seriously. It is also important not to dismiss their threat as attention-seeking behavior. Regardless of whether the threat is direct or indirect, it should be taken seriously.
School districts can help with youth suicide prevention by developing board policies that address procedures for handling a student in crisis and agreements with community mental health specialists to provide services to students. A school can also educate staff about identifying the warning signs and how to respond to them.