According to Healthline.com, the Center for Disease Control reported an increase in teen suicide rates from 2007 to 2017. The number of teen suicides rose from 6.8 deaths per 100,000 to 10.6 deaths per 100,000. These numbers may not seem high, but suicide is the second-leading cause of death for our young teens. Moreover, boys are four times more likely to commit suicide then girls, but girls are more likely to attempt it. This leaves parents wondering why so many teens are committing or attempting to commit suicide and what they can do to stop this from happening.
Stanford Children’s Health provides several reasons why teens or young adults may be thinking about suicide or trying to follow through with it. They suggest bullying to be one of the biggest reasons. Teens are trying hard to fit it every day, and when they are bullied or don’t have many friends, some feel suicide is the only way to feel better. Social media does not make this any easier since cyber-bullying has become increasing in numbers over the last few years. Other factors that could cause a teen to want to commit suicide include: mental or substance abuse problems, impulsive behaviors, loss of family member or close friend, family history of violence or suicide, and exposure to suicidal behaviors. Kids Health also suggests that having a low support system, abuse in the home, feeling distressed, irritable, and worthless, or dealing with bisexuality or homosexuality without support are also reasons that teens may feel the only option is to commit suicide.
So what can parents do to prevent this? First and foremost, look for any signs of suicide. This can include talking about suicide or death, giving hints they may not be around anymore, talking about being hopeless or guilty, pulling away from friends and family, writing about death, losing desires in things they once loved to do, or engaging in risky behaviors, according to Kids Health. Stanford Children’s Health also states that things like changes in eating or sleeping habits may be a warning sign as well as acting out, substance abuse, problems focusing, not caring about appearance, and lack of response to praise. If you notice any of these warning signs, talk to your children. You may also need to go a step further and get help from a therapist if you both think it is something that could help. It is also important to keep any prescription drugs and guns locked up and away from teens at all times. These two methods are some of the highest when it comes to attempting suicide. It is also important to find out if your child is being bullied, and if they are, find a way to take care of that as soon as possible. (On the flip side of that, it is also important to make sure your child is not bullying anyone.) This could be causing a teen to feel the only way to stop the bullying is to commit suicide.
Talking to your children and keeping a close eye on what they do is major when it comes to not only stopping attempted suicide, but also in helping your children thrive in general. If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicide call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. For more information, you can also call The Safe Place hotline at 1-888-554-2501, our office at 501-354-1884 or our Perryville office at 501-889-2030.
Leave a Reply