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Despite better awareness suicide remains one of the biggest causes of death in the US. Since Covid, those rates have gone up by a lot. During the first 10 months of the pandemic over five and a half thousand teens died by suicide. Other factors that contribute include the stigma that remains around mental health issues, negativity in online media and social media, people feeling isolated and not looking after themselves. While school and community members need to invest in suicide prevention training part of that includes knowing the warning signs and how to support them.
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Teen Suicide - Warning Signs and How to Support Them Despite better awareness suicide remains one of the biggest causes of death in the US. Since Covid, those rates have gone up by a lot. During the first 10 months of the pandemic over five and a half thousand teens died by suicide. Other factors that contribute include the stigma that remains around mental health issues, negativity in online media and social media, people feeling isolated and not looking after themselves. While school and community members need to invest in suicide prevention training part of that includes knowing the warning signs and how to support them.
Teen suicide risk factors While risk factors change over different times they include; Homes with easy access to firearms Having mental health issues such as anxiety or depression Substance or alcohol abuse Experiencing the end of a relationship Conflict between peers Having previous suicide attempts or having it in the family or in their school Acting impulsively and recklessly Photo by Pexels
Warning signs of suicide in teens Some things to look for include; Mood swings Not sleeping well or oversleeping Expressing thoughts about suicide Not looking after themselves in terms of appearance or washing Becoming withdrawn from people Abusing drugs and alcohol more then before Not eating or overeating Not responding to praise Being really irritable Espressing feelings of depression or isolation on social media Photo by Pexels
Supporting teens when they need it 1) Try to empathize with them rather than criticize them Express tol them you know they are going through something hard and you are glad they have trusted you. Avoid telling them they have no reason to feel sad or lonely or that they are overreacting. Ask them what they need. A part of you will want to deny it to yourself and to them but that does not help. Focus on them first and create a safe space with no judgment. 2) Avoid making them feel like their feelings are not important or real Ask them how you can support them, and avoid telling them to be positive or that they need to keep going. When you are looking for warning signs of suicide do not assume they are exaggerating. A lot of teens have expressed something to their parents or peers before they attempt suicide but people have dismissed them or thought it was not urgent or real. 3) Always be available to them As well as taking the time to take some suicide prevention training you can also make sure you are always there for them. They need to trust you and feel no matter when it is you have an open door. 4) Take action and get them professional help If you think they need immediate help take them to a professional or an emergency department at your nearest hospital. It is important when they are at their crisis point to act swiftly. There they can be evaluated. Their health care providers can then help them and you with triggers to avoid, steps to help them cope, where to turn to for supper and emergency contacts if they are needed. Photo by Pexels
