|
|
|
Facts about Youth Suicide and its Prevention by Richard Conard
|
|
|
Facts about Youth Suicide and its Prevention |
|
|
|
Health
|
|
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention states that every 12 and a half minutes an American is taking their life. Around 40,000 people die by suicide each year and it is the tenth leading cause of death and the second leading cause of death in 10 to 24-year-olds. About one million suicide attempts are made and many get misreported so in fact, the numbers are worse than that. Youth suicide prevention efforts have never been so important. September remains Suicide Prevention Awareness Month to help promote resources and raise awareness because it is still a fact that people are reluctant to talk about this and about mental illnesses like depression. Staggering facts Until there is better federal funding and resources for the problem there are places like a suicide prevention charity that can offer some resources, information and help. The staggering facts are; - Around 16% of students in high school have thought about suicide seriously. 13% of those teens have come up with an actual plan to carry it out and then 8% have tried within the next 12 months.
- Gender plays a role with boys being more likely to actually commit suicide but girls being more likely to try or think about it.
- When you look at all the teens that have committed suicide, a high percentage of them have a mental illness or psychological disorder such as depression.
- About 5000 teens die by suicide every year.
- Out of every 25 suicide attempts, one of them is successful.
Signs to look for in teens Parents and schools are basically on the front line when it comes to watching for adolescents showing signs of distress. As well as programs and training in youth suicide prevention watch for some of the following; - Agitation over small problems
- Expressing feelings of overwhelming sadness or hopelessness
- Being more irritable
- Acting more hostile and angry
- Making comments or drawing or writing that they would not be around for long
- Not focussing at school or doing their school or homework
- Over talking about death in general as well as perhaps suicide
- Being withdrawn from family or friends
- Tearing up and crying frequently
- Feeling worthless, having guilt over things that were not that much of a problem or not something they did at all
- Being lack lustre, not having any enthusiasm or happiness in everyday life
- Being fatigued and sleeping a lot, or even not being able to sleep
- Not having any energy
- Not eating or having a drastic change in eating habits
Programs are needed in schools - One of the big places we can make a difference to the awful facts about suicide as well as with parents is in school. Educators need to learn the signs of problems with low self-esteem, depression, and self-injury which are all indicators that suicide is a risk. Both parents and schools should check out a suicide prevention charity to get some free resources and to learn more.
Related Articles -
suicide, prevention, charity,
|
Rate This Article |
|
|
|
Do you Agree or Disagree? Have a Comment? POST IT!
Reader Opinions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Author Login |
|
|
Advertiser Login
ADVERTISE HERE NOW!
Limited Time $60 Offer!
90 Days-1.5 Million Views
|
|
TIM FAY
After 60-plus years of living, I am just trying to pass down some of the information that I have lea...more
|
|
|
|
|
GENE MYERS
Author of four books and two screenplays; frequent magazine contributor. I have four other books "in...more
|
|
|
|
|
ALEX BELSEY
I am the editor of QUAY Magazine, a B2B publication based in the South West of the UK. I am also the...more
|
|
|
|
|
DONNIE LEWIS
I'm an avid consumer of a smoothie a day living, herbs, vitamins and daily dose of exercise. I'm 60...more
|
|
|
|
|
LAURA JEEVES
At LeadGenerators, we specialise in content-led Online Marketing Strategies for our clients in the t...more
|
|
|
|
|
ADRIAN JOELE
I have been involved in nutrition and weight management for over 12 years and I like to share my kn...more
|
|
|
|
|
SUSAN FRIESEN
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, ...more
|
|
|
|
|
STEPHEN BYE
Steve Bye is currently a fiction writer, who published his first novel, ‘Looking Forward Through the...more
|
|
|
|
|
STEVE BURGESS
Steve Burgess is a freelance technology writer, a practicing computer forensics specialist as the pr...more
|
|
|
|