The issue of teen suicide is a growing concern, accounting for a third of all deaths in young people aged 15 to 24. Suicidal distress can be caused by a number of factors, from social and environmental to psychological. These factors vary depending on the age, gender, ethnicity and life events of the individual – More than 90 percent of people who die from suicide have these risk factors. In teenagers, the risk of suicide is vast, as the change in body, hormonal fluxes and the onset of adolescence leaves them vulnerable to depression and other mental health problems. The national suicide prevention efforts have placed more of an importance on crisis centre hotlines, school education programmes and screening programmes which can help to identify at-risk teens. The latter has proved to be effective as research shows that suicidal people show signs of emotional distress or depression beforehand – effective treatment could put an end to this before it develops into a suicidal risk. For example, antidepressants or therapy could help combat the depression before it gets out of hand.
Although the figures seem to be distressing, suicide is still a relatively rare event. It’s difficult to accurately predict whether people with the risk factors will actually attempt suicide. There are some warning signs though – people who are at risk of suicide tend to talk about dying, jumping or disappearing, as well as other forms of self harm; they may have experienced a recent loss, such as a friend or family member, a broken relationship, or be showing a loss of interest in friends or activities they once enjoyed; their personality may change, and they may become anxious, tired, apathetic or withdrawn; their behaviour or sleep patterns may change, as well as their eating habits; they may also be displaying low self esteem and fearing that things won’t ever improve. Studies show that in 2003, eight percent of adolescents attempted suicide, which represents around one million teenagers – around 1,700 teens die by suicide each year. In combating the problem in the early stages before it develops into a higher risk, we could save many lives. This means being aware of the symptoms or signs, and knowing which services in your area are able to help with the issue.
You may be able to help a young person who is struggling emotionally by listening to them and encouraging them that you do take their concerns seriously. You should acknowledge their fears or sadness, and tell the individual that you care about them regularly. You should aim to provide reassurance but try not to dismiss the problem. Getting professional help is also important, as unbiased support can be beneficial to those who don’t feel able to discuss their problems with people around them. There are a number of sources you can turn to, including therapists, hotlines and counselling services which can help the person at risk to combat their problems. If you’re worried that the individual may be thinking about suicide, it’s important that they seek advice and help as soon as possible – your local GP is a good place to start as they will be able to prescribe antidepressants and advise of services in your local area who can help. The most important thing is to ensure that the teen in question knows that they have people who care about them. Many people who suffer with depression often feel lonely or unable to talk to people, so by ensuring that they maintain plenty of contact with other people and don’t isolate themselves, they can attempt to rebuild their confidence and overcome the problem.