When young people talk about suicide or make threats, they must be taken seriously. They should get expert help right away, which often includes a hospital stay in a supervised environment.
It is important for supportive family members to be involved in treatment. Frequently, family problems have a large impact on youth suicide.
Depression
Depression is a key cause of suicide in youth. It is important for adolescents who have depression or have a history of depression to receive treatment for their symptoms to prevent suicidal behaviors and thoughts.
Many youths who have problems coping with their feelings of depression and other life difficulties turn to alcohol and drugs for relief. Using these substances, especially when combined with depression can cause psychotic episodes that can lead to hallucinations and delusions making the risk of suicide greater.
Parents should be alert for warning signs that their teen may be suicidal, such as changes in eating or sleeping patterns, becoming more withdrawn and irritable, or writing or talking about death. They should also take any attempts at self-destructive behavior very seriously and get them expert help right away.
Anxiety
Adolescence is a time of major changes and transitions. These changes can cause stress, confusion and conflict. Family conflict also seems to be a common factor in many youth suicide cases. This may be because of direct conflicts between teens and their parents or a more generalized lack of communication in the household.
A major warning sign is a sudden change in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn, moody or depressed. It is important to take these changes seriously and act quickly. A teen who is suicidal should be taken to a mental health professional for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Trying to convince them to stay by promising to keep their thoughts secret is not helpful and can even put them at risk. Peers should always tell a trusted adult about a friend who is acting strangely or talking about suicide.
Alcohol or Drug Abuse
Many people who commit suicide have a history of drug abuse or are using drugs or alcohol in addition to other mental health problems. Drugs and alcohol have depressant effects and can lead to feelings of hopelessness or a sense that there is no way out of a situation.
Adolescents who are substance abusers also tend to have academic difficulties and may drop out of school or engage in truancy. They can also have strained family relationships.
Some drugs, such as cocaine and opiate drugs, can increase a person’s risk for suicide by decreasing inhibitions or impairing judgment. Other substances, such as alcohol, can make it more likely that a suicide attempt will succeed by increasing the lethality of the method used.
Family Issues
Having a strong family support system is important for adolescent mental health. However, some family issues can lead to youth suicide. These include conflicts with parents or siblings, abuse and neglect, physical or psychiatric illness in a family member and relationship difficulties (such as bullying).
In a qualitative exploratory study, adolescents and young adults who had been admitted for a suicide attempt were asked to describe their experiences and perceptions of their relationships with their families. They reported that a variety of family factors were related to their suicide attempts. These included:
Any threat of suicide should be taken very seriously by all concerned parties. Warning signs of suicidal behavior can include changes in a teen’s sleep or eating patterns, becoming more withdrawn and moody, or making risky decisions.
Mental Illness
In recent years, adolescent mental health has emerged as a significant concern. High rates of poor mental health and suicide-related behavior on CDC’s biannual Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) have continued to rise, particularly among girls and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender and queer (LGBQ+) students (1).
Adolescence is a time of major life changes, which can overwhelm the coping skills of many teens. Problems such as marital dissolution, family conflict, or the loss of friends can cause stress that is beyond their ability to cope.
Conditions such as schizophrenia or anorexia nervosa can also increase the risk for suicide. In some cases, these conditions may cause hallucinations or delusions that can lead to suicidal thoughts. These are not normal feelings for a teenager and should be evaluated by a mental health professional.