Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among adolescents.
According to the CDC and National Institue of Mental Health, suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34 , the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15-24, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 44.
Furthermore, the NIMH defines suicide as death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.
A suicide attempt is a non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior. A suicide attempt might not result in injury.
Suicidal ideation refers to thinking about, considering, or planning suicide.
In my practice, working with children and adolescents I have heard countless examples from my clients about the loss of friends by suicide and the rates have been steadily increasing. These are numerous suicides and include kids in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. These losses are tragic and have a significant ripple effect of devastation on the family members, friends, schools, and communities left behind.
I remember shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic started, hearing numerous examples from my adolescent clients about peers they knew dying by suicide and feeling shocked and disturbed by the increase in the frequencies and rates of suicide. In addition, to struggling with mental health struggles, trying to make sense of the death of a friend by suicide can understandably cause overwhelming grief and complicate mood issues.
Some out there may wonder, why is this happening and what can we do? While every human is special and unique there are some common themes I’ve noticed.
I think most of us are aware that the impacts of pandemic were particularly difficult for many children and teens. Many with preexisting mental health challenges suffered the effects of isolation, fear, and school and family distress and their conditions worsened. Some kids developed mental health conditions during or after the pandemic. Our kids are in pain and at risk and more needs to be done to help them.
What are the obstacles and barriers kids and families face?
Kids and families need greater access to mental health care, but this is easier said than done. There can often be financial constraints, and limited providers available in many, if not most areas. For anyone considering a career in psychology or social work, know that there is a great need.
Kids tell me that some of their peers who were suffering had unmet mental health needs, including lack of psychotherapy and medication access. Some families are not very open to talking about feelings and may inadvertently dismiss and invalidate their child’s struggles and then adequate interventions that could address these struggles do not occur. Parents suffering from their own mental health challenges and lack of resources can also be a contributing factor. If a parent is not healthy and cannot take care of themselves, this will impair their ability to take care of their kids.
Stigma persists in our culture and while the younger generation is a lot more understanding, empathetic, and accepting than past generations, kids alone cannot offer lifesaving interventions to their friends.
Increased rates of substance use are also a contributing risk factor and an impulsive teen who is alone and truly believes others are better off without them, can make an impulsive decision with life ending consequences.
Copycat effects occur and increase risk in the sense that a person may know someone else died by suicide to solve their problems and believe incorrectly that this is a viable solution. We need to echo loud and clear that SUICIDE IS NOT A SOLUTION.
Many clients have told me that their schools have done nothing to address this issue. I have heard numerous examples in which a school simply sends an email out to the parents informing them of a student’s death and it’s never addressed. Are kids supposed to simply go about their days and not process these tragic losses? This is where suicide prevention needs to come in and what I see as a missed opportunity. Information needs to be given to students to highlight the problem so that they know adults are aware and care and kids, families, and communities need to be encouraged to make a pledge to end suicide.
While it seems that some parents and families miss the opportunities to intervene, I do not intend this to be blaming at all. I can only imagine the immense grief and guilt that parents experience. Their guilt is not warranted. Rather, it’s important to know that depression is an internalized state, and it is not uncommon for those close to someone suffering from depression to have no idea and see no signs at all that their loved one is suffering.
Oftentimes, schools are overwhelmed with meeting kids’ academic and learning needs that addressing mental health needs are often overlooked due to lack of resources, education, and adequately trained staff.
What else can be a contributing cause? Access to lethal means is another factor. While this is in no way a gun debate, adults need to be safe and responsible with not only guns but other dangerous items in a home, including prescription medications, etc.
Overall as a society we need to be more connected. It has been shown that over the past few years, rates of loneliness have increased and we know as humans that we need to feel seen and heard and valued. It’s essential to our well-being.
One of my clients was expressing how she didn’t think her friend who died by suicide really knew how much he was loved and how much he will be missed. We discussed the powerful distortions that depression makes on our perceptions and that in the darkest depths of depression, someone may truly believe they are a burden and others will be better off without them. This is not true, and the take home message is DEPRESSION IS A LIAR. For more information on suicide prevention click
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
We can and need to be more open to learning about mental health needs of our youth and getting them the help, they need, not only to survive, but thrive and not have to endure repeatedly the devastating, tragic losses of death by suicide.
Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (para ayuda en español, llame al 988). The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call 911 in life-threatening situations. If you are worried about a friend’s social media updates, you can contact safety teams at the social media company . They will reach out to connect the person with the help they need.
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