Facing Adolescent Suicide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2008

Adolescence can be a complicated and challenging time for many young people. Youth are not only dealing with developmental changes, but often navigating new relationships, confronting peer pressure, added responsibilities, and feeling stressed about the need to make decisions about their future.

While this is normal, many adolescents are also suffering from depression, lacking close relationships with peers and family, and having negative feelings about themselves. These challenges were not uncommon to find in the young people I worked with prior to my position in 4-H. In fact, I had never been confronted with so many young people wanting to take their life, then when I worked for an organization that focused on providing intervention programs for young people engaged in alcohol, tobacco and other drug and law-related offenses.

The youth who expressed thoughts of suicide presented some common challenges. They expressed feeling lonely, depressed, a pressure to fit in at school, poor family relationships, difficulties dealing with their sexual orientation, and the loss of a friend or family.

Suicide is a serious public health concern. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2000, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 10 to 24-year-olds. Some risk factors that have been identified to be linked to suicide include: previous attempts, mental illness, and history of depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and family history of suicide. Males are also more than likely to commit suicide, whereas females are more likely to attempt it.

Some signs to be aware of include: intense personality change(s), loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, withdrawal, indifference, aggressiveness or deviant behavior, poor school performance or significant changes in school performance, and lack of caring for the personal self.

To help a young person who expresses thoughts of suicide, the following steps are important:

• Show empathy and caring.

• Get professional help: Do not attempt to solve it on your own. In some cases, a young person may need to be hospitalized. In other cases, counselors or therapists can work with the young person and family to monitor the situation.

• Contact the child's parent or guardian: Never promise a child you will not tell his parent or guardian. Take the child seriously and express how much you care for the individual.

• Give the child a 24-hour crisis hotline, such as 1.800.SUICIDE. Many young people I worked with found this number helpful and felt comforted in knowing they could talk to someone who cared any time of day or night.

• In lethal situations, do not leave the young person alone, you may have to call 911, seek help at a local emergency room, or request an immediate visit to the child's doctor. Remove firearms, highly lethal objects and lethal medications from the home.

This information does not substitute the information you seek from your therapist or doctor. Everyone's situation is different and measures to help a child should be made on a case by case basis. If you are a parent or adult concerned about a young person, the most important step to take is to seek help to obtain proper support and care.

For more information on how to help, please visit the National Center for Mental Health www.nimh.nih.gov or National Alliance of Mental Illness at www.nami.org.

Remember suicide is devastating and yet preventable in most cases. Family involvement is critical. As with so many issues faced by young people, the more involved parents or guardians are in the child's life, the more protected children and adolescents are from harmful actions. Lastly, do not avoid discussing the matter in hopes it will go away or for fear it will lead to suicide. Not addressing the problem, does not prevent it.

Source: Karyn Mendoza, Unit Educator, 4-H Youth Development and Interim County Director, Champaign County Unit, kmmen@uiuc.edu