Kids who have strong connections to their families, friends, and community are less likely to take their own lives. This is because of protective factors like active lifestyles and healthy coping skills.
However, a study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open found that nearly half of youth suicide victims had no previous documented mental health problem or diagnosis.
Depression and Suicidal Feelings
A person who is thinking about suicide needs someone to talk to, preferably a trustworthy adult. It’s important to reassure the child or adolescent that depression and suicidal feelings are treatable.
Warning signs can include talking about suicide or death, extreme mood swings, withdrawing from family and friends, sleeping too much or too little, poor school performance, a preoccupation with death or a noticeable change in their appearance. Non-suicidal self-injury, such as cutting or burning oneself, is also a risk factor.
If your child or adolescent is showing any of these warning signs, keep weapons locked up and connect them with mental health resources. Learn more about our training and how to recognize and respond to youth suicide risk.
Feeling Overwhelmed
Often, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can lead to thoughts of suicide. The thought of taking one’s own life can become so overwhelming, that people cannot think clearly and find it difficult to make decisions.
Many adults are confused about how to respond to a teen’s talk of suicide. They may think that kids who threaten to kill themselves are just seeking attention or making a drama-queen type of cry for help. But suicidal talk and threats should always be taken seriously.
According to the CDC 2021 YRBS, nearly half of high school students felt that their mental health was not good most or all of the time. This is a major factor in teen suicide.
Feelings of Inadequacy
Whether it’s bullying, academic pressure, a relationship breakup or family tragedy, some teens experience a combination of factors that push them to consider suicide. These may include feelings of hopelessness or a sense that they don’t matter.
Research shows that protective factors at the individual-, family- and school-levels help reduce the prevalence of mental health and suicide risk indicators. These include:
Take any talk of suicide seriously, including threats and hints. Talk to a friend right away, and encourage them to see an expert, like a Yale Medicine specialist in the YNHCH emergency department, for evaluation and treatment. This could save their life.
Feelings of Hopelessness
Some teens feel hopeless because of a long-term medical or physical condition; they are struggling with bullying, or have experienced the death or suicide of someone close to them. They may have no way out of the situation other than to end their life.
Any talk of suicide is serious and should be taken seriously. Be alert for any changes in their behavior that could signal a crisis, including spending more time numbing themselves with TV and social media than talking with friends. If they mention having thoughts of killing themselves, seek expert help immediately. A visit to the YNHCH Level 1 pediatric trauma center may be necessary for an emergency evaluation and stabilization.
Family History of Suicide
Research suggests that suicide tends to cluster in families. The exact reason for this is unclear. One possibility is that genetics play a role, but other factors such as the transmission of an adverse family environment and imitation also contribute to the familial clustering of suicidal behavior.
Kids who have experienced trauma such as childhood abuse, a loved one’s death or the loss of a home are at increased risk for suicide. So are kids who have been separated from their families because of foster care, adoption or military service.
The 2023 YRBS monitors health behaviors and experiences that can protect youth from negative outcomes such as suicide-related mental health problems. These are called protective factors (4).
Self-Harm
Self-harm is often a way for young people to try to cope with feelings of anger and pain. They may hurt themselves with drugs or other substances and may also attempt to kill themselves. Trying to understand why someone is harming themselves can help the clinician determine whether there is a high level of suicidal intent and if they should be discharged from psychiatric care or referred for specialist treatment.
The studies reviewed in this Research Topic show that youth who are exposed to multiple adversities have elevated risk levels. It is important to identify those at elevated risk and develop strategies for intervention/prevention.