Suicide Prevention Resources and Support for Survivors Updated

We don’t shy away from talking about taboo subjects on this blog. Unfortunately, we need to discuss the need to understand where to get resources for your child or yourself in the event that symptoms of suicide appear.

Statistics

Suicide statistics at The National Institute of Mental Health  show that “[i]n 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24.1 Of every 100,000 young people in each age group, the following number died by suicide:

• Children ages 10 to 14 — 0.9 per 100,000
• Adolescents ages 15 to 19 — 6.9 per 100,000
• Young adults ages 20 to 24 — 12.7 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 adolescents and young adults were more likely to use firearms than suffocation, children were dramatically more likely to use suffocation.

There were also gender differences in suicide among young people, as follows:
• Nearly five times as many males as females ages 15 to 19 died by suicide.
• Just under six times as many males as females ages 20 to 24 died by suicide.”

Mental Health Disorders and Suicide

Healthy Place  adds that “[i]n any one year, 2-6% of children will try to kill themselves. About 1% of children who try to kill themselves actually die of suicide on the first attempt. On the other hand, of those who have tried to kill themselves repeatedly, 4% succeed. About 15-50% of children who are attempting suicide have tried it before. That means that for every 300 suicide attempts, there is one completed suicide.”

This resource indicates higher likelihoods of attempting suicide if the child has a major depressive disorder, mood disorder, substance abuse and even anxiety disorder.

“The vast majority (almost 90%) of children and adolescents who attempt suicide have psychiatric disorders. Over 75% have had some psychiatric contact in the last year.”

Warning Signs

You can find warning signs at  American Society of Suicidology

“Here’s an Easy-to-Remember Mnemonic:

IS PATH WARM?

I Ideation
S Substance Abuse

P Purposelessness
A Anxiety
T Trapped
H Hopelessness

W Withdrawal
A Anger
R Recklessness
M Mood Changes”

“A person in acute risk for suicidal behavior most often will show:

Threatening to hurt or kill him or herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/herself; and/or,

Looking for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means; and/or,

Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when these actions are out of the ordinary. ”

General Tips for Prevention if You Detect Warning Sign(s)

From the Healthy Place website, here are six tips:

1. Take it seriously
2. Take away the taboo from talking about suicide
3. Get some help
4. Supervision
5. Avoid manipulation
6. Preventing suicide by restricting access to guns, pills, etc.

Crisis Numbers and Support

The American Society of Suicidology website shares the following crisis resources:

“IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED IMMEDIATE HELP, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

A directory of crisis centers can be found here .

There is a support section for suicide loss survivors at: Suicide Loss Survivors Support

Also, The National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE provides access to trained telephone counselors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or for a crisis center in your area, go here.

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