Suicide prevention in children
Introduction
Suicide is a serious problem that affects children and teens. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, with suicide rates increasing in both boys and girls across all age groups over the past few decades.
In addition to being highly preventable, suicide occurs when someone feels like there's no other way out of an extremely stressful situation. Suicide can also be triggered by depression, bipolar disorder or another mental illness that causes extreme mood swings and feelings of hopelessness.
Childhood bullying is often an issue for children who are already at risk for suicide; about 90 percent of all children who take their own lives have a diagnosable mental health condition such as depression or anxiety disorder which makes them more likely than other kids to experience stressors that lead up to suicide attempts such as being bullied online or in person at school by peers or adults like teachers or coaches."
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicide is also the third leading cause of death among young people ages 5 to 14 and the fourth leading cause of death among those 15 to 19.
In 2016 alone, there were more than 7,000 suicides among children and teens in America--and these numbers don't even include any deaths by suicide attempts that were unsuccessful or undetermined.
Suicide is usually a response to a stressful situation.
Suicide is usually a response to a stressful situation. Stress is normal, but it can become overwhelming when you have too much of it at one time and don't know how to cope with it.
Stressors can include:
Family problems, including divorce or illness in the family member
Bullying at school or online (cyberbullying)
Feeling like nobody cares about you
About 90 percent of all children who take their own lives have a diagnosable mental health condition.
If you are a parent, it's important to know that depression is the most common mental illness in children. It can affect any child, including those who seem happy and well-adjusted on the outside. If left untreated, depression can get worse over time and lead to suicide attempts or other self-harm behaviours in some kids.
It's important to seek help if you think your child may be experiencing symptoms of depression or another mental health condition (like anxiety). You don't have to face this alone--there are many resources available that can help support you as a parent while your child receives treatment for their disorder
Being bullied, cyberbullied or harassed at school raises suicide risk for kids and teens.
Bullying is a serious problem. It can lead to depression and suicide in kids, teens and young adults.
Bullying can be physical, emotional or verbal. Cyberbullying -- bullying that occurs online or through text messages -- is particularly harmful to young people because it's hard to escape from online bullying; the bully can reach out at any time of day or night on any device that has internet access, even if you've blocked them on social media channels like Facebook or Instagram.
Parents should be aware of changes in behaviour that could indicate depression, such as irritability, anger and withdrawal from friends and family members.
Parents should be aware of changes in behaviour that could indicate depression, such as irritability, anger and withdrawal from friends and family members.
Parents should also pay attention to a child's social life and academic performance. If your child is having problems with schoolwork or making new friends, talk to him about it. You may want to ask for help from his teachers or counsellors if necessary.
Adults can help protect children from suicide by talking about it openly and educating themselves about warning signs of suicide risk.
Suicide prevention in children is a serious issue and one that requires your attention. If you're looking for ways to help protect your child from suicide, there are several things you can do:
Talk about suicide openly. If you know someone who has died by suicide, talk about it with your children so they understand the facts of what happened and why. This will give them an opportunity to ask questions and possibly seek help if they need it.
Educate yourself about warning signs of suicide risk in children and teens. Your knowledge will help inform the way that you respond when dealing with these situations in the future.
Be aware of how your behaviour can affect others around you--especially vulnerable individuals such as depressed teens or young children who may not have developed emotional resilience yet.
Children should be educated about how to handle difficult situations, such as bullying or mean jokes.
How can you help your child?
Teach them to seek help from a trusted adult if they are feeling sad or depressed.
Talk about the issue of suicide with them and let them know that it is okay to talk about their feelings with you, even if they don't want to tell anyone else.
Conclusion
Child suicide prevention involves parents, teachers and society working together to prevent deaths caused by mental illness like depression. It's important that we all understand the warning signs of suicide risk and how we can help children who may be struggling with their mental health.