$Unique_ID{BRK00872}
$Pretitle{Community and Social Problems, Mental and Emotional Conditions}
$Title{How Can Students Who Are at Risk of Committing Suicide be Spotted?}
$Subject{suicide teenage}
$Volume{Q-23, E-23}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


How Can Students Who Are at Risk of Committing Suicide be Spotted?


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QUESTION:  As a teacher and a counselor in a high school, I am concerned and
distressed about all the reports of suicide in teenagers.  There must be more
done about this most serious problem.  How can I spot students who are at risk
of committing suicide and how can I help them?

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ANSWER:  You're in an excellent position to be of help to a young person who
is contemplating suicide, and your attitude and concern makes you a most
potent resource in the war against teen age suicides.  The first challenge is
to recognize the student at risk.
     There are several characteristics that place young people in a "high risk
group" for attempting suicide.  I'll list them:

   - Depression
   - Impulsive behavior
   - Early childhood family disruption
   - Chronic alcohol and drug abuse
   - Past psychiatric illness in parent, particularly depression while
     teenager was a young child
   - Recent death of a friend or a family member
   - Feeling of being unwanted by family
   - Feeling of "not belonging" to family
   - Exposure to repeated violence at home

     If you are particularly concerned about a young person, talk with him.
Ask him if he is considering hurting himself.  There is no evidence that
bringing up the subject of suicide will cause it to happen.  On the contrary,
ignoring the possibility of suicide may well increase its likelihood.
However, it is a myth that people who talk of suicide do not try it.  If a
person brings up the idea of suicide, take this as a serious warning.
     Your sincere interest in the young person will help.  Do not minimize the
seriousness of the problem.  Listen to the whole story and resist offering
empty reassurances.  Emphasize the importance of the youngster getting
professional counseling, and follow-up to ensure that it helps.  Maintain
contact with the young person, so that he knows you are still interested and
does not interpret your recommendation of a professional counselor as
rejection.  It means becoming involved, perhaps above and beyond the call of
duty, but the results are certainly worth the effort.
     It is difficult to know exactly how common suicide is among our young
people.  It appears to be declining in older teenaged boys, after a peak in
the late 1970's, but increasing in older teenaged girls.  In 1983, the suicide
rate among children of all ages in the U.S. was 1 per 250,000 among children
younger than 15 years and 1 per 8,547 in the older teenaged group.  6,000
young people lost their lives to suicide in 1984.  Suicide attempts may be as
much as 50 times higher than the number of deaths.  It is important to treat
the attempts as a sign of serious problems.
     There are many community resources which may be of help to you, mental
health groups, hospital outreach programs, and even forward looking
parent-teacher associations.  However, your close association with the
youngsters and your daily opportunities to observe and act puts you right on
the front line in this fight against a terrible waste of young lives.  I wish
you well and hope many of your colleagues will be inspired by your concern and
join in your efforts.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
