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Suicide

Additional information about child and adolescent suicide is available from:

National Institute of Mental Health

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Preventing Youth Suicide, an article by Michele Tedder, RN, BSN.

Links to more suicide resources

For information on treatments for attempted suicide or depression that are available through CARE-NET, see Studies.

Suicide is a tragic and potentially preventable public health problem. In 2001, suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young people 15 to 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide. The following table illustrates the incidence of suicide in the child and adolescent population.

Age Group	Number of Deaths	Suicide Rate	Gender Ratio (Males:Females)
10 - 14	300	1.5 / 100,000	4:1
15 - 19	1,621	8.2 / 100,000	5:1
20 - 24	2,373	12.8 / 100.000	7:1

taken from Suicide Facts, The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The alarming numbers of suicide deaths and attempts emphasize the need for carefully designed prevention efforts. Suicidal behavior is complex. Some risk factors vary with age, gender, and ethnic group and may even change over time. The risk factors for suicide frequently occur in combination. Research has shown that more than 90 percent of people who kill themselves have depression or another diagnosable mental or substance abuse disorder, often in combination with other mental disorders.

The Signs

Parents should be aware of the following signs of adolescents who may try to kill themselves:

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 rewards

A teenager who is planning to commit suicide may also:

complain of being a bad person or feeling "rotten inside"
give verbal hints with statements such as: "I won't be a problem for you much longer," "Nothing matters," "It's no use," and "I won't see you again"
put his or her affairs in order, for example, give away favorite possessions, clean his or her room, throw away important belongings, etc.
become suddenly cheerful after a period of depression
have signs of psychosis (hallucinations or bizarre thoughts)