USA National Suicide Hotlines Toll-Free / 24 hours / 7 days a week 1-800-SUICIDE 1-800-784-2433 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-8255 TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889)
Suicide in YouthHow many young people make serious suicide attempts or commit suicide? Each year in the U.S., approximately 2 million U.S. adolescents attempt suicide, and almost 700,000 receive medical attention for their attempt.It is estimated that each year in the U.S., approximately 2,000 youth aged 10 – 19 complete suicide. In 2000, suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide.The suicide rate among children aged 10-14 was 1.5 out of 100,000 children, or 300 deaths among 19,895,072 children in this age group. The suicide rate among adolescents aged 15-19 was 8.2 out of 100,000 adolescents, or 1,621 deaths among 19,882,596 adolescents in this age group. The suicide rate among young people aged 20-24 was 12.8 out of 100,000 people, or 2,373 deaths among 18,484,615 people in this age group.What leads to suicide in children and adolescents? Suicide is the result of many complex factors. More than 90% of youth suicide victims have at least one major psychiatric disorder.Other important risk factors for suicide and suicidal behavior include:Prior suicide attempt Co-occurring mental and alcohol or substance abuse disorders Family history of suicide Parental psychopathology Hopelessness Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies Easy access to lethal methods, especially guns Exposure to the suicide of a family member, friend, or other significant person History of physical or sexual abuse Same-sex sexual orientation (only been shown for suicidal behavior, not suicide) Impaired parent-child relationships Life stressors, especially interpersonal losses and legal or disciplinary problems Lack of involvement in school and/or work ("drifting") Is there some way that family or other adults can identify a young person at risk? Yes, people can be educated about the warning signs of suicidal behavior. Some of the key risk factors to look for are listed above. The single biggest risk factor is serious current suicidality, either suicidal ideation with intent to commit suicide, or a recent attempt. Other warning signs include:Change in eating and sleeping habits Withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities Violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away Drug and alcohol use Unusual neglect of personal appearance Marked personality change Persistent boredom, difficulty concentrating, or a decline in the quality of schoolwork Frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc. Loss of interest in pleasurable activities Not tolerating praise or rewardsIs there some way that suicide can be prevented in young people?Yes, suicide can be prevented. As noted above, most suicides occur with at least some outward warning. One of the most effective suicide prevention strategies is educating people about how to identify and effectively respond to the warning signs of suicidal behavior, thus increasing the referral of at-risk youth. Screening for psychopathology among adolescents may be one way to detect youths at risk for suicide. However, because suicidal tendencies tend to wax and wane, screenings may have to be repeated. Treatment of parental psychopathology may also attenuate risk in psychiatrically ill youths.One of the primary goals of effective suicide prevention strategies among young people is to reduce suicide risk factors. Therefore, it is imperative that psychiatric disorders in young people be accurately recognized and effectively treated.
Child and Adolescent Mental HealthThe future of our country depends on the mental health and strength of our young people. However, many children have mental health problems that interfere with normal development and functioning. In the U.S. today, one in ten children suffer from a mental disorder severe enough to cause some level of impairment.The mental disorders affecting children and adolescents include the following:Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD) Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) Bipolar Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder Depression Eating Disorders Schizophrenia
Here are some important facts about mental illness and recovery:Mental illnesses are biologically based brain disorders. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence.Mental illnesses usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives; The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States.The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with treatments and supports.Early identification and treatment is of vital importance; By ensuring access to the treatment and recovery supports that are proven effective, recovery is accelerated and the further harm related to the course of illness is minimized.Stigma erodes confidence that mental disorders are real, treatable health conditions. We have allowed stigma and a now unwarranted sense of hopelessness to erect attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery. It is time to take these barriers down.
Bipolar disorder can occur in children and adolescents and has been investigated by federally funded teams in children as young as age 6.How do children and adolescents with this disease fare over time and as adults?At this time, regrettably, the disease appears more severe and with a much longer road to recovery than is seen with adults. While some adults may have episodes of mania or depression with better functioning between episodes, children seem to have continuous illness over months and years.Does bipolar disorder in children have an impact on educational achievement?It is challenging to educate a child who is seriously too "high" or too "low." Therefore educators need to be aware of the diagnosis and make special arrangements.Is suicide a risk?Any talk about wanting to die, or asking why they were born or wishing they were never born must be taken very seriously as even quite young children can hang themselves in the shower, shoot themselves or complete suicide by other means.
Major depression is a serious medical illness affecting 15 million American adults, or approximately 5 to 8 percent of the adult population in a given year. Unlike normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, major depression is persistent and can significantly interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood, activity, and physical health.The symptoms of depression include:persistently sad or irritable mood pronounced changes in sleep, appetite, and energy difficulty thinking, concentrating, and remembering physical slowing or agitation lack of interest in or pleasure from activities that were once enjoyed feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness, and emptiness recurrent thoughts of death or suicide persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain When several of these symptoms of depressive illness occur at the same time, last longer than two weeks, and interfere with ordinary functioning, professional treatment is needed.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an illness characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder in young persons, ADHD affects an estimated three percent to five percent of school-age children.Although ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, it is not a disorder limited to children -- ADHD often persists into adolescence and adulthood and is frequently not diagnosed until later years.What are the symptoms of ADHD? There are actually three different types of ADHD, each with different symptoms: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, and combined.Those with the predominantly inattentive type often: fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities have difficulty sustaining attention to tasks or leisure activities do not seem to listen when spoken to directly do not follow through on instructions and fail to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace have difficulty organizing tasks and activities avoid, dislike, or are reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort lose things necessary for tasks or activities are easily distracted by extraneous stimuli are forgetful in daily activities Those with the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type often: fidget with their hands or feet or squirm in their seat leave their seat in situations in which remaining seated is expected move excessively or feel restless during situations in which such behavior is inappropriate have difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly are "on the go" or act as if "driven by a motor" talk excessively blurt out answers before questions have been completed have difficulty awaiting their turn interrupt or intrude on others Those with the combined type, the most common type of ADHD, have a combination of the inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.