Teen Suicide: The Facts

Teen Suicide: The Facts
The following information concerning teen suicide is meant to be brief and assessable. Below you will find general statistics, warning signs, advice for concerned friends and family, and resources for those who are considering suicide.
Statistics
· Someone commits suicide every 17 minutes
· Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds
· Suicide accounts for $25 billion each year in costs
· 53% of young people who commit suicide abuse substances
· 4x as many men commit suicide as women, while women attempt 3x more frequently
· Over 50% of teens with depression will attempt suicide at least once, seven percent will succeed
· Firearms are used in more than half of all youth suicides

Warning Signs
Regardless of the teenager, they are likely to be dealing with a few of the problems listed below. The red alert should be sounding if you notice several of these problems occurring around the same time. Remember, 4 out of 5 teen suicide attempts have been preceded by clear warning signs.talking about a suicide plan, including “when, where & how”
have previous suicidal gestures
-a previous suicide attempt
-giving away possessions
-depression and hopelessness
-abrupt changes in behavior
- withdrawal from friends and social activities
-increased substance use (alcohol and other drugs)
-recent loss or life changes (death in family, divorce, loss of a relationship)
-neglect of hygiene and personal appearance

Question, Persuade, Refer (A tool for concerned friends and family)
-Question If you suspect a friend or family member has suicidal thoughts, ask them. It will be a lot easier for you and them once the question is asked. “Do you have thoughts of killing yourself?” “Do you have a plan?” Asking the tough questions will only save lives.

-Persuade Listen and then tell them that you are concerned for their safety, that they have people in their lives that care and love them. Insist that they have other options.

Refer This is certainly an issue bigger than you can handle. Refer them to counseling services, authority figures, crisis hotlines, or any community outlets that might be available (eg. Church). Offer to take them to any of these services. Do not keep this a secret, tell someone who can help.

Suicide Hotlines and Other Resources
-USA: 1-800-SUICIDE, 1-800-273-TALK; Web: http://www.suicidehotlines.com
-Canada: 1-800-448-1833; Web: http://suicidehotlines.com/canada.html
-Australia: 1300 13 11 14; Web: http://www.lifeline.org.au

-Other International sites
http://www.suicide-helplines.org
http://www.befrienders.org -
http://suicideandmentalhealthassociationinternational.org/Crisis.html
·

Support Groups: USA
o http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=82
· For gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth:
-USA: 1-866-488-7386; Web: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
-USA: 1-888-843-4564; Web: http://www.glnh.org/hotline/index.html

Suicide Prevention Programs (for health educators)
· http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/Preventing_Suicide.pdf

Resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/Preventing_Suicide.pdf
http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=4-40&lang=1#notes
http://www.healthyminds.org/multimedia/teensuicide.pdf