STOP Teen Suicide
In the past few weeks, my husband and I have been contacted by three friends who recently lost a son or a grandson to suicide. All three boys were fifteen.
We did not grow up experiencing the stressors that face our kids today. We didn’t consider suicide, nor did most of us ever hear of a suicide. My parents certainly weren’t monitoring my moods.
But we must come to grips with the fact that times have changed. Young people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, income levels, and community backgrounds die by suicide every year. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people 10 to 24 years old. Also, unbelievably, there is a significant rise in suicide in children aged 5 to 11.
Recent data collected by the CDC shows U.S. teen girls are in crisis with an alarming rise in suicidal behavior. “In 30 years of collecting similar data,” Kathleen Ethier stated, “we’ve never seen this kind of devastating, consistent findings. There is no question young people are telling us they are in crisis. The data really calls on us to act.”
When we lost our oldest son and years later, our grandson, to suicide, I felt guilty of something, but wasn’t sure what. We tried to be good parents and grandparents. What had gone wrong? Most of us love our children well and do our best; but a lot has gone wrong in our culture. We can’t blame everything on the Covid lockdown, but there is no doubt that it has contributed to the despair.
Don’t kid yourself that it is an impossibility for suicide to affect you and your family.
We must all actively strive to detect and prevent such loss.
Sometimes there is no cause that we can detect or will ever understand. Suicide can be a sudden decision brought on by a disappointment or a broken relationship. It sometimes appears without warning.
Often however, there are observable warning signs. Be vigilant to watch for isolation, anxiety, and depression. Listen, especially when kids aren’t talking. Watch for changes in sleep patterns and appetite. If you have concerns, seek help.
Get in touch with your family pediatrician right away to find mental health resources and support. If you need immediate support, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800) 273-TALK or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "TALK" to 741741 in the United States or Canada.
Don’t be afraid of frank discussions with your child. Be especially alert when there have been suicides in their school or among their friends. Ask them if they have considered suicide. Take their words seriously. Counseling, attending church, even changing from public to Christian schools may be helpful actions and provide hope.
If you have any concerns, please take the following precautions:
Remove all firearms from your home or lock them up. Guns are not the only means of suicide your child might seek out, but they are often the easiest. Prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can pose hazards during a suicidal crisis. Families should keep medications locked away and, whenever possible, reduce the volume of medications on hand. Also consider buying over-the-counter medications in blister packs instead of bottles, to slow down access to pills.
Suicide attempts are often impulsive, and a moment of crisis can escalate very quickly. Making sure your teen cannot lay hands on lethal means at the wrong time is critical.
Other potentially lethal tools and substances you should consider locking away include:
Alcohol
Illicit drugs
Household cleaners and other poisonous products
Canned dusting products
Inhalants
Antifreeze
Knives, razors, or other weapons
Ropes, belts, or plastic bags
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out for help. You can call or text 988 to connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Remember, there are people ready to support you.
Losing a child to suicide is the ultimate tragedy. Let’s stop it!
Prayer for today:
Keep watch, Lord Jesus, over our children. Give us wisdom as we guide them. Give rest to those who are weary, comfort those who are suffering. Shield them from danger. Give your angels charge over them and give them hope. Amen.
