SUICIDE “A permanent solution for a temporary problem”

Feelings  Do you ever feel like things are pulling you down and that you just can’t cope? Most people do sometimes. Life can feel overwhelming. This is especially true during the teen years when new challenges, responsibilities, and pressures can pile up and seem overpowering. For some teens, this emotional overload can lead to depression, feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness.

Statistics  Suicide is a major, preventable cause of death in the United States. In 2009, it was the 11 th cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 33,300 deaths. The overall rate was 10.9 suicide deaths per 100,000 people. An estimated 12 to 25 attempted suicides occur per every suicide death.

RISK FACTORS  Depression and other mental disorders  Substance (drug) abuse  Prior suicide attempt  Family history of substance abuse or mental disorders  Family history of suicide  Family violence, including abuse  Firearms in the home  Exposure to suicidal behaviors (peers, media, etc.)

Warning Signs of Suicide  ·Giving away possessions  ·Using statements of “When I’m Gone…”  ·Antisocial Behavior/Extremely Outgoing  ·Change in grades  ·Does not care about appearance  ·Mood Swings  ·Substance abuse  Research also shows that the risk for suicide is related to brain chemicals. Decreased levels of serotonin have been found in people who suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts.

Women or Men?  Suicide was the 7 th leading cause of death for males and is the 16 th leading cause of death for females.  Almost four times as many males as females die by suicide.

Age  Children ages 10 to per 100,000  Adolescents ages per 100,000  Young Adults ages per 100,000  As in the general population, young people were much more likely to use firearms, suffocation, and poisoning than other methods of suicide, overall. However, while adolesents and young adults were more likely to use firearms, than suffocation, children were dramatically more likely to use suffocation.

Ethnic Groups Affected  American Indian and Alaska Natives – 15.1 per 100,000  Non-Hispanic Whites – 13.9 per 100,000  Hispanics – 4.9 per 100,000  Non-Hispanic Blacks – 5.0 per 100,000  Asian and Pacific Islanders – 5.7 per 100,000

PREVENTION  Studies showed that a type of psychotherapy called cognitive therapy reduced the rate of repeated suicide attempts by 50 percent during a year of follow-up. A previous suicide attempt is among the strongest predictors of subsequent suicide, and cognitive therapy helps suicide attempters consider alternative actions when thoughts of self-harm arise.

PREVENTION  The medication clozapine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for suicide prevention in peoples with schizophrenia.11 other promising medications and psychosocial treatments for suicidal people are being tested.

DO’s  * Learn to recognize the clues to suicide: depression, helplessness, threats or words of warning, withdrawal, isolation, excessive stress, giving away possessions, etc.  * Advise parents of your concern and maintain records of interaction when talking with a troubled student and parent.  * Trust your own judgment  * Listen and understand the feelings behind the words. Take every feeling the student expresses seriously.  * Tell others. Immediately refer all students you feel are suicidal to the principal, counselor, and/or crisis team member.  * Remind the student that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  * Ask the student to postpone the decision for a while; in return, you might offer to accompany them to find support or help.  * Accept the fact that in some cases you may not be able to keep a student from committing suicide.

DON’Ts  * Don't worry about breaking the confidence if someone reveals suicidal plans to you. You may need to tell a secret to save a life.  * Don't try to win arguments about suicide. They might not be able to be won.  * Don't moralize or preach to the student.  * Don't dismiss a suicide threat or challenge a student to do it.  * Don't leave a suicidal student alone if you think there is immediate danger.  * Don't attempt to rescue the suicidal student by yourself.  * Don't ignore signs. Ignoring confirms to the student that he/she is unloved or misunderstood.  * Don't give false assurances that "everything will be fine."  * Don't be misled by the student's comments that the emotional crisis has ended.  * Don't assume the aggressive child may commit suicide over the "good," "quiet,” or "obedient" child.

What Are Self-Injurious Behaviors?  Self-injurious behaviors are behaviors that people intentionally engage in that cause physical bodily harm to themselves.

Why Do People Self-Injure?  Based on research, people who engage in self-injurious behaviors claim to experience little to no pain while they are hurting themselves. Rationales for self-injury include feeling anger toward themselves or others, or relieving pain, anger and tension.

Healthcare Services for Mental Health:  * Psychiatrist - An M.D. who deals with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders of the mind. Can prescribe medication.  * Clinical Psychologist - Diagnoses and treats emotional and behavioral disorders.  * Neurologist - A physician that specializes in organic disorders.  * Social Worker - Provides a link between medical service center, the client, and his/her family