SAXTONS RIVER — These fictional stories represent potential profiles of youth who take their own lives in growing numbers in America. A newly released study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that the suicide rate for 10-to-19-year-old females and 15-to-19-year-old males increased by 8 percent between 2003 and 2004 after declining over the previous four years.
“This is the biggest annual increase we've seen in 15 years,” says Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “We don't know yet if this is a short-lived increase or if it's the beginning of a trend. Either way, it's a harsh reminder that suicide and suicide attempts are affecting too many youth and young adults. We need to make sure suicide prevention efforts are continuous and reaching children and young adults.”
According to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for young people (ages 15–24), accounting for more than 12 percent of all deaths in that age group. Only accidents and homicides occur more frequently. In 2001 nearly 4,000 youth killed themselves. In the past 60 years the suicide rate has quadrupled for males and doubled for females. And for every completed suicide it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made, making youth suicide a major public health problem.
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Suicide is a complex behavior usually caused by a combination of factors. The National Alliance on Mental Illness claims that more than 90 percent of youth suicide victims have at least one major psychiatric problem, especially depression or other mood disorders. Other important risk factors include alcohol or substance abuse, family history of suicide, parental psychopathology, impulsive or aggressive tendencies, history of sexual abuse, same-sex orientation, or specific life stressors such as interpersonal loss or disciplinary problems.
As the Canadian Mental Health Association points out, “Adolescence is a time of dramatic change. The journey from child to adult can be complex and challenging. Young people often feel tremendous pressure to succeed at school, at home, and in social groups. At the same time, they may lack the life experience that lets them know that difficult situations will not last forever.”
Youth seek relief from pain in suicide, the Association says. “It's about escape. Someone who thinks seriously about suicide is experiencing pain that is so crushing they feel that only death will stop it.”
Several myths prevail around youth suicide. One is that young people rarely think about suicide, when in fact teens and suicide are more closely linked than adults expect.
Another is that suicide is sudden and unpredictable. But it is usually a process rather than an event; talking about it calmly can bring relief to someone feeling isolated.
A third myth is that suicidal youth are only seeking attention or being manipulative. But all suicide threats must be taken seriously.
There are dramatic gender differences in lifetime risk of suicide in depression. About 7 percent of males with a lifetime history of depression die by suicide. Only 1 percent of females with a lifetime history do.
“Suicide contagion” is also a serious concern. The exposure to suicide in a family, among a peer group, or through media reports can result in increases in suicidal behavior, especially among adolescents and young adults.
It's important to recognize distress in youth and to take it seriously, to listen non-judgmentally, and to find professional help. Dr. Keri Lubell, a behavioral scientist at CDC, agrees.
“Parents and other caring adults should look for changes in youth such as talking about taking one's life, feeling sad or hopeless about the future," Dr. Lubell says. "Also look for changes in eating or sleeping habits and even losing the desire to take part in favorite activities.”
As The Canadian Mental Health Association says, “No one can solve another person's problems. But sympathy and support can help. Knowing that someone else has faced similar tough times and survived can help a suicidal [youth] see light at the end of a very dark tunnel.”