Suicide Awareness and Prevention Steps
The suicide rate among young people has increased by 62% from 2007 to 2021 according to the CDC (1). In 2021, 42% of high schoolers who were surveyed reported that they felt sad or hopeless. 22% reported that they had seriously considered suicide. 18% admitted that they had made a suicidal plan. And 10% stated that they had made one or more suicidal attempts (2).
Three factors that increase the risk for suicide:
· Lack of Belonging
· Belief of Being Burdensome
· Access to Lethal Means
Completed suicides rarely occur without forethought and warning signs (2). Parents and caregivers, we must be alert to the signs and prepared to take effective action. Some of the potential signs include engaging in non-suicidal self-harm such as cutting and burning, researching suicide on the internet, writing poetry and notes about death and suicide, and making suicidal threats. It is not unusual for adults to dismiss these signs as manipulative, exaggerated, or a passing phase. Many parents feel ill-equipped in how to respond.
Contrary to common belief, asking about self-harm and suicidal thoughts does not increase the likelihood of engaging in those behaviors. In fact the opposite tends to happen if caregivers are willing to discuss the topic with warmth and curiosity. High rates of young people report feeling extremely lonely, indicating that no one has even asked how they are doing in the last few weeks (3). As digitally connected as young people are, they also report feeling more detached and isolated than ever. Social media can suck our children into a chronic comparison that leaves them feeling as if their lives are less glamorous and exciting than everyone else’s. And when they see evidence of their friends having so much fun without them, they can feel keenly rejected and left out. Online bullying is vicious, quickly widespread, and can increase the vulnerability to thoughts of death and suicide.
Folks, let’s ask our children frequently about their day, heart, mood, and thoughts. We may often receive a curt one word answer, but our ongoing interest combats that looming loneliness and lack of belonging. Let’s bravely ask:
· Have you ever felt so badly that you wished you weren’t alive?
· Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?
· Have you ever thought about taking your life?
· Do any of your friends talk about wanting to die?
Although parenting is exhausting and takes everything we’ve got, let’s remind our children of how much they mean to us. That the effort of parenting is well worth the rewards. Let’s take their answers and their emotional hurt seriously. And if they admit that some days they don’t want to live, please ask more questions, and if need be take them in for a therapeutic check up. If there are guns in your household, secure them. Our children’s lives are that valuable and the risk is that high.
References:
1. Curtin, S., Garnett M. Suicide and homicide death rates among youth and young adults aged 10–24: United States, 2001–2021. NCHS Data Brief, no 471. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2023. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:128423. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db471.htm#section_1
2. Poland, S. (2023). Youth Suicide Prevention for Schools and Communities Seminar. Nova Southeastern University. www.tzkseminars.com
3. Weissbourd, R., Batanova, M.,Lovison, V., Torres, E. (2021) Loneliness in America How the Pandemic Has Deepened an Epidemic of Loneliness and What We Can Do About It. Harvard University. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7c56e255b02c683659fe43/t/6021776bdd04957c4557c212/1612805995893/Loneliness+in+America+2021_02_08_FINAL.pdf
