Several years ago my assumptions about suicide were rattled. I thought, as did many others, that suicide was most prominent in and around the onset of winter and the arrival of what is supposed to be a joyous holiday season. It turns out, ironically enough, that spring is the peak season for suicides! The reasons for this reality remain elusive, but anecdotal and empirical evidence corroborates this assertion. Given the tragic reality about the presence and timing of suicide in the lives of teens, CPYU explores the latest facts and trends about suicide, in hopes of preventing teens from pursuing a permanent "solution" to, what is often, a temporary problem.

Facts on contemplation, attempts and deaths

·       A Gallup Youth Survey conducted in early 2003 on 1,200 teens (ages 13-17) reveals that 25 percent of teens thought or talked about committing suicide, while 9 percent came close to committing suicide and 7 percent actually tried.

·       The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that nearly 3 million (14 percent) 12-17 year old youth thought about or attempted suicide in 2000. Females were twice as likely to contemplate suicide compared to their male counterparts (16 percent versus 8 percent, respectively).

·       The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) reported in its bi-annual 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey of 13,601 9th- 12th grade students that the percentage of students seriously considering suicide dropped to 19 percent (14 percent for boys and 24 percent for girls) in 2001 from 29 percent (21 percent for boys and 37 percent of girls) in 1991. The percentage of students who actually attempted suicide rose to 9 percent (6 percent for boys and 11 percent for girls) in 2001 from 7 percent (4 percent for boys and 11 percent for girls) in 1991. The suicide attempt percentages for both genders dropped steadily in subsequently higher grade levels. For boys in 2001, 8 percent of 9th graders, 7 percent of 10th graders, 5 percent of 11th graders and 4 percent of 12th graders attempted suicide. For girls in 2001, 13 percent of 9th graders 12 percent of 10th graders, 12 percent of 11th graders and 7 percent of 12th graders attempted suicide. (See www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/tables/2003/03hus058.pdf )

·       The National Institute of Mental Health reports that there were 30,622 total suicides in the U.S. in 2001. Suicide was the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicides, for 15 to 24 year-olds. In 2001, there were 272 suicide deaths for 10-14 year-olds (1.3 per 100,000), 1,611 suicide deaths for 15-19 year-olds (7.9 per 100,000), and 2,360 suicide deaths for 20-24 year-olds (12.0 per 100,000). The ratio of male to female suicide deaths in 2001 was 3:1 for 10-14 year-olds, 5:1 for 15-19 year-olds, and 7:1 for 20-24 year-olds. (See www.nimh.nih.gov/research/suifact.cfm)

·       Girls tend to use non-violent methods, such as overdosing pills or carbon monoxide poisoning (car exhaust), whereas boys will often use more violent means including guns or hanging themselves.

Facts on risk factors

Issues and risk factors surrounding or preceding thoughts and acts of suicide are multifaceted and complex, and not necessarily causal, but the following associations have been detected:

·       According to HopeLine.org untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide.

·       Bullied teens are 4 to 8 times more likely to be suicidal, according to a report released by fightcrime.org. Also, children who are victims of direct bullying (name calling, threats, being hit or kicked) and indirect bullying (ignoring, excluding and backbiting) are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than non-bullied children from a study of pre-teens in the Netherlands appearing in the journal Pediatrics.

·       Teens who have been teased about their weight are more likely to be suicidal, according to research appearing in the August 2003 Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

·       Sexually active teens are more likely to attempt suicide compared to their abstaining counterparts (14 percent and 5 percent, respectively), according to analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health as conducted by the Heritage Foundation.

·       Teens who feel they are developing abnormally and/or teens from broken homes have an increased chance of being suicidal.

·       Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, etc), extreme diets, drug use, past suicide attempts, cutting, family and school/academic/extra-curricular pressures all contribute to a heightened risk of suicide.

·       Seeking revenge and/or gaining celebrity status from the publicity of a suicide can be contributing factors in teen suicides. Copy-cat suicides and "suicide pacts" are also a threat.

Suicide warning signs

Parents, youth workers and others who care about children and teens should be aware of and look for the following warning signs that may precede an attempt to take one's own life:

·       Talks about committing suicide

·       Has trouble eating or sleeping

·       Experiences drastic changes in behavior

·       Withdraws from friends or social activities

·       Loses interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.

·       Prepares for death by making out a will and final arrangements

·       Gives away prized possessions

·       Has attempted suicide before

·       Takes unnecessary risks

·       Has had recent severe losses

·       Is preoccupied with death and dying

·       Loses interest in personal appearance

·       Increases use of alcohol or drugs

(Source: Suicidology.org )

Preventive measures

Here are some preventive steps parents and youth workers can take to lead their children and teens into an emotionally and spiritually stable adolescence and adulthood. An extended discussion of each measure is included in Chapter 11 ("Guarding Your Teen's Emotions") of Walt Mueller's book, Understanding Today's Youth Culture, available in the online CPYU Resource Center at www.cpyu.org.

·       Create a stable family

·       Lead your teens to spiritual maturity

·       Model and teach a biblical theology of pain and suffering

·       Spend time with your teens

·       Love teens for who they are

·       Develop a network of significant adults

·       Attend a church that models Christlike love

·       Encourage involvement with positive peers

·       Develop friendships with your teen's friends

·       Pray for your teens

Additional teen suicide resources

CPYU lists the following online resources to facilitate a better understanding of suicide.

·       The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention offers lots of news and resources: http://www.mentalhealth.org/suicideprevention/

·       The National Mental Health Awareness Campaign has free information about teen depression and suicide: www.nostigma.org

·       The Kristin Brooks Hope Center and its accompanying National Hopeline Network can be reached at 800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or www.hopeline.com

·       The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® is a "comprehensive community-based suicide prevention program": www.yellowribbon.org

·       The American Association of Suicidology states that its goal is to understand and prevent suicide: www.suicidology.org

·       The Survivors of Suicide Web site assists those who are left behind by a loved one's suicide: www.survivorsofsuicide.com 

CPYU trusts this summary of the latest research on youth suicide will help to raise awareness and sensitivity to those youth who do not show signs of life or who appear to be withdrawing into an emotional shell, and to encourage loving intervention by close family members, friends or adults. Faithful and caring youth and adults will need to embrace and love those youth who see life as hopeless and pointless, and point them to the One who is the "way, truth and life" and who promises to give life to the fullest!

For additional info on teen suicide, check out the "3-D" section of our website for a review of Good Charlotte's "Hold On" song/video. Also read the review of Suicide: Understanding and Intervening, a helpful suicide booklet in our "Reading List" section.