Suicide

by Marianne Cook, LICSW, Clinician, Harvard University Mental Health Service

Suicide is currently the third-leading cause of death among adolescents in the United States, and the fourth-leading cause among preteens. More than 15 percent of high school students report that they have seriously contemplated suicide, while even more experience thoughts about suicide at one time or another. The majority of individuals who attempt suicide have a diagnosable mental health condition such as depression. Suicide is often preventable if such conditions are recognized and treated, and if warning signs are taken seriously.

The warning signs of possible suicidal intention include the following:

• Observable symptoms of depression, such as feelings of despair and hopelessness, changes in eating and sleeping habits, withdrawal from family and friends, and loss of interest in usual activities
• Recent impulsiveness and unnecessary risk-taking
• Increased alcohol and/or drug use
• Preoccupation with death
• Uncontrollable rage
• Seeking access to weapons, pills, or other means of suicide
• Giving away or throwing away one’s possessions
• Dramatic changes in mood (including sudden cheerfulness)
• Verbalized feelings, thoughts, or plans regarding suicide

Any child/adolescent who expresses suicidal feelings should be evaluated immediately by trained clinicians. (This can be done through the Emergency Room.) The child may need to be placed under psychiatric supervision by the hospital. Children who exhibit symptoms of depression or any other mental health condition should receive treatment, which can include counseling, medication, and support groups.

Adolescents should be taught to inform a trusted adult if friends express suicidal feelings, even if those friends request secrecy. Many middle and high schools now incorporate some form of suicide prevention training into their curricula.

Attempting suicide is almost always an expression of extreme distress, not a harmless bid for attention. The warning signs listed above must be taken seriously and children must get the help they need so that suicide can be prevented.

Suicide Prevention Resources

Riverside Emergency Services (800-529-5077) provides 24-hour emergency mental health assistance to families in many parts of Massachusetts. They help families identify the appropriate steps and services for dealing with mental health crises and provide psychiatric evaluations for children and adults.

The information in the article above was drawn from the following sources:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (2009). About suicide.
• Centers for Disease Control (2009). Suicide prevention.
• National Institute of Mental Health (2009). Suicide prevention.

Additional Sources of Information

• From the Riverside Trauma Center:
  • Supporting your Teen after the Suicide of a Friend
  • Normal/Expected Reactions to a Death
• A Family Guide to Grief and Healing
• The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a collection of information about depression and suicide including clinical reports and family and community resources.