Transcript Suicide warning signs in depressed teens

Teenage Suicide
How do we Know/How do we Intervene
Maureen O’Donnell
Arbor Family Counseling
11605 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68144
402-330-0960
Jennifer
Jennifer, the girl on the right end, is a senior
who is looking forward to joining the band at
her new college in the Fall.
Jennifer
But what you don’t know, is that her
father just died from cancer, she and her
family are struggling with grief and she is
frightened of college expenses.
Thalia
Thalia, on the top left, is thrilled as her choir just
won the state competition.
Thalia
But what you don’t know is that she was
just raped and through shame does not
want to tell anyone.
Jacob
Jacob, on the far left, was just awarded a
contract to model for a sportswear company. His
dream!!
Jacob
But what we don’t know, is that Jacob is
afraid to admit he has been the victim of
severe bullying through social media for
the past several years.
Alarming Trend
Suicide is the third leading cause of
death among young people,
resulting in about 4,400 deaths per
year, according to the CDC. For
every suicide among young people,
there are at least 100 suicide
attempts.
• Over 14 percent of high school
students have considered suicide, and
almost 7 percent have attempted it.
• Each day in our nation there are an
average of over 5,400 attempts by
young people grades 7-12.
• Four out of Five teens who attempt
suicide have given clear warning
signs
Clear Warning Signs
• Many teenagers hear peers talking of suicide
quite frequently – including multiple attempts
• Teens talk peers out of suicide daily
• Teens witness emotional violence daily in
person and on social media
• How many of these same teens become desensitized to talk of suicide?
• How many of these same teens trust telling
adults?
Link Between Bullying and Suicide
▪ Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times
more likely to consider suicide than nonvictims, according to studies by Yale
University
▪ A study in Britain found that at least half of
suicides among young people are related
to bullying
According to statistics reported by
ABC News, nearly 30 percent of
students are either bullies or
victims of bullying, and 160,000
kids stay home from school every
day because of fear of bullying
Link Between Depression and Suicide
- “Ninety percent or more of people who kill
themselves have a mental disorder before the
time of their death,” says Paula Clayton, MD,
medical director for the American Foundation
for Suicide Prevention in New York City.
- “Sixty percent have major depression. The
link between depression and suicide is
strong.”
Link Between Suicide and Depression
Seriously depressed teens often think
about, speak of, or make "attentiongetting" attempts at suicide. But an
alarming and increasing number of
teenage suicide attempts are
successful, so suicidal thoughts or
behaviors should always be taken very
seriously.
Link Between Suicide and Depression
For the overwhelming majority of suicidal teens,
depression or another psychological disorder
plays a primary role. In depressed teens who
also abuse alcohol or drugs, the risk of suicide is
even greater. Because of the very real danger of
suicide, teenagers who are depressed should be
watched closely for any signs of suicidal
thoughts or behavior.
Suicide warning signs in depressed
teens
• Talking or joking about committing suicide
• Saying things like, “I’d be better off dead,” “I wish I could
disappear forever,” or “There’s no way out.”
• Speaking positively about death or romanticizing dying (“If I
died, people might love me more”)
• Writing stories and poems about death, dying, or suicide
• Engaging in reckless behavior or having a lot of accidents
resulting in injury
• Giving away prized possessions
• Saying goodbye to friends and family as if for the last time
• Seeking out weapons, pills, or other ways to kill themselves
Symptoms of Suicide
There are many signs and symptoms that are found amongst
teens that can signal a depression or potential suicidal thoughts:
• Increased sadness and hopelessness, more so than an
occasional sad state.
• An increased irritability, anger and hostility. Aggression,
especially unusual aggression is a sure sign to be aware of.
• Frequent crying or tearing up at odd situations.
• An overall lack of enthusiasm or happiness when doing daily
activities or things the student may have once found fun.
Symptoms of Suicide
• Withdrawal and recluse from family and friends.
• A drastic change in eating or sleeping habits should be
noted. Eating less and sleeping more is a good clue as well.
• Having a difficulty in focusing or concentrating on daily
tasks or schoolwork.
• Worthless feeling or guilt about something that either does
not matter or is obviously not their fault.
• Restlessness and agitation about various small issues.
• Loss of energy or appetite. An increased amount of fatigue.
• If they actually communicate an interest in death or suicide
for any reason.
• Drop hints that they may not be around very long.
What You Can Do to Help
• First of all, if you suspect a teen in your life is
experiencing depression, try to build up the
relationship and get them to open up about it
• The sooner you address the issues you see, the
better.
• Make an appointment for your teen to see a
psychiatrist or therapist to talk about what is making
them depressed.
• Overall, be watchful and listen. Be attentive to your
teenager.
When talking to a depressed teen:
• Offer support openly. Try not to ask a lot of questions
that will deter them from wanting to confide in you.
• Be persistent and gentle at the same time. You do
not want to push them away or cause them to close
off, but at the same time you want to get answers.
• Do not lecture them. Be open to mainly listen to
them and never become preachy or they will likely
stop talking to you altogether. The purpose for this
talk is to grow trust and to get them to discuss their
feelings.
• Make validations for their feelings. It is normal
for them to feel sadness and pain.
Acknowledge this and do not try to talk them
out of their depression.
• If you sense an immediate danger, do not
hesitate to call the suicide hotline at 1-800273-TALK. Do not leave a teen alone if they
have expressed an immediate desire to take
their life. Get help for them immediately.
Ways to Help Someone Who's Feeling Suicidal
“We asked real people who had felt suicidal,
what they need. We listened, and this is what
we heard.” – Sara Schuster
What A Person Needs
“No, you aren’t alone and you won’t always feel like
this. Yes, the world is a better place with you in it.”
Questions?
Maureen O’Donnell
Arbor Family Counseling
11605 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68144
402-330-0960