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Let's
Talk Facts About...
TEEN
SUICIDE
Adolescence—it
can be a turbulent time. Teenagers deal with a vast
array of new experiences during this transitional period,
such as new relationships, decisions about the future,
and the physical changes that are taking place in their
bodies.
Some
teenagers, however, can become overwhelmed by the uncertainties
of adolescence and feel they have nowhere to turn. Their
search for answers may lead them to begin "self-medicating"
their pain by abusing drugs or alcohol. Or they might
express their rage and frustration by engaging in acts
of violence. They don’t want to talk about their
emotions or problems because they may think that will
make them a burden or that others will make fun of them.
Too often, these troubled teens opt instead to take
their own lives.
Suicide
Signals
The
strongest risk factors for attempted suicide in youth
are depression, alcohol or drug abuse, and aggressive
or disruptive behaviors. If several of the following
symptoms, experiences, or behaviors are present, a mental
health professional or another trusted adult, such as
a parent or a school counselor, should be consulted.
- Depressed
mood
- Substance
abuse
- Frequent
episodes of running away or being incarcerated
- Family
loss or instability; significant problems with parents
- Expressions
of suicidal thoughts, or talk of death or the afterlife
during moments of sadness or boredom
- Withdrawal
from friends and family
- Difficulties
in dealing with sexual orientation
- No
longer interested in or enjoying activities that once
were pleasurable
- Unplanned
pregnancy
- Impulsive,
aggressive behavior; frequent expressions of rage
Adolescents
who consider suicide generally feel alone, hopeless,
and rejected. They are especially vulnerable to these
feelings if they have experienced a loss, humiliation,
or trauma of some kind: poor performance on a test,
breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, parents with
alcohol or drug problems or who are abusive, or a family
life affected by parental discord, separation, or divorce.
However, a teenager still may be depressed or suicidal
even without any of these adverse conditions.
Teenagers
who are planning to commit suicide might "clean
house" by giving away favorite possessions, cleaning
their rooms, or throwing things away. After a period
of depression, they may also become suddenly cheerful
because they think that by deciding to end their lives
they have "found the solution."
Young
people who have attempted suicide in the past or who
talk about suicide are at greater risk for future attempts.
Listen for hints like "I’d be better off dead"
or "I won’t be a problem for you much longer."
Some
Suicide Statistics
- Suicide
is the second leading cause of death among young people
ages 15 to 19 years.
- Every
day, 14 young people (ages 15 to 24) commit suicide,
or approximately 1 every 100 minutes.
- Almost
all people who kill themselves have a diagnosable
mental or substance use disorder; the majority have
more than one.
- Fifty-three
percent of young people who commit suicide abuse substances.
- Four
times as many men as women commit suicide, but young
women attempt suicide three times more frequently
than young men.
What Can Be Done?
Teens
aren’t helped by lectures or by hearing all the
reasons they have to live. What they need is to be reassured
that they have someone to whom they can turn—be
it family, friends, school counselor, physician, or
teacher—to discuss their feelings or problems.
It must be a person who is very willing to listen and
who is able to reassure the individual that depression
and suicidal tendencies can be treated.
Treatment
is of utmost importance. Local chapters of the American
Psychiatric Association can help by recommending a psychiatrist,
a physician with special training in emotional and mental
health. Help can also be found through local mental
health associations, family physicians, a county medical
society, a local hospital’s department of psychiatry,
a community mental health center, a mood disorders program
affiliated with a university or medical school, or a
family service/social agency.
In
short, simply taking the time to talk to troubled teenagers
about their emotions or problems can help prevent the
senseless tragedy of teen suicide. Let them know help
is available.
Other
Sources of Information
American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
3615 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20016
202-966-7300
(Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for
Facts for Families.)
American
Academy of Pediatrics
141 Northwest Point Boulevard
P.O. Box 927
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0927
847-228-5005
American
Association of Suicidology
4201 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 310
Washington, DC 20008
202-237-2280
The
Compassionate Friends
P.O. Box 3696
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3696
630-990-0010
(For parents who have lost a child)
NAMI
(National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd. - Suite 300
(703) 524-7600
(703) 524-9094 (fax)
NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
www.nami.org
National
Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association
730 N. Franklin Street
Chicago, IL 60610
312-642-0049
www.ndmda.org
National
Institute of Mental Health
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
FACTS ON DEMAND: 301-443-5158
www.nimh.nih.gov
National
Mental Health Association
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
800-969-NMHA
www.nmha.org
Suicide
Prevention Resources
405 West 48th Street
Manhattan, NY 10036
212-459-2611
Call APA fastFAX (APA’s toll-free fax-on-demand
service) for a menu of items available free by fax:
1-888-267-5400.
©
Copyright 1998 American Psychiatric Association
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