September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for high-school aged youth, after accidents. The CDC reports that nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in 2022; That’s one death by suicide every 11 minutes. While it’s fair to say that teen suicide is a current health crisis, fortunately it can be prevented.

There are certain populations that are at higher risk of attempting suicide. These risk factors can be categorized but this list is not exhaustive:

Luckily, there are also protective factors that have been proven to help mitigate this crisis. Having an attentive adult in a child’s life who listens with patience and without judgment can be life-saving. Providing resources for affordable access to mental health professionals or organizations that can intervene before an addiction, trauma, or personal misfortune balloons into a crisis is invaluable. And making sure that peers know how to respond and where to turn when a friend confides in them about suicidal ideation can go a long way to prevent needless loss of life.

Retrospectively, studies can track patterns, including some warning signs before a person takes their life. Some of these include talking about suicide or dying. Suicide victims may have complained of hopelessness, worthlessness, or feeling deeply depressed. They might increase risk-seeking behaviors, act out of character, or lose interest in previously-valued activities. They may even practice end-of-life rituals like reaching out to important loved ones or giving away prized possessions. Counterintuitively, a better mood in a previously depressed person might signal that they’ve made a decision to end their suffering by ending their life.

According to the Jason Foundation, four out of five teenagers who attempt suicide have given some warning. But there is no surefire way to know who is at risk. Many suicides come as a surprise to friends and family. Startlingly, the majority of suicides occur at home (mostly in the bedroom), and often a parent is home at the time but unaware of their child’s activity. For kids, the decision may be made hastily after they’ve been in an argument or have been disciplined at home or at school.

Raising awareness of the ever-present suicide risk helps to foster an environment where individuals who are suffering know that they can find help. Educating teachers and fellow students can stop the cycle of hopelessness and misguided solutions. Several free apps, platforms, and educational programs are available not only to encourage those in crisis to share and seek out supportive communities, but also to inform others on how to be receptive and perceptive listeners. This table outlines some of these resources:

The incidence of suicides in the 10-14 year-old age group has more than doubled in the last decade. More teenagers and young adults die from suicide each year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, congenital birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, Influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.

But there are stories of hope and recovery. And there are preventative and reactive programs aimed at reaching at-risk populations. Building preparedness into the school curriculum is a vital part of suicide prevention. Educating everyone will help destigmatize frightening ideas and leave clear lines of communication open for honest conversation.

For more information or to inquire about PSI’s Suicide Prevention Program for your school, please contact:

Faith Kover, NM.Ed.
Director of Prevention, Training & Education Programs
[email protected]
800-841-4774 ext. 264

Written by Dr. Carly Wilbur, UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Director.