Understanding Teen Suicide Attempts

Table of Contents

This Article Seeks to Guide on the Following Issues:

  • What a suicide attempt is
  • The risk factors of teen suicide attempts
  • Recognizing the warning signs
  • Prevention strategies
  • Treatment options for teen suicide attempts

Teen suicide attempts are distressing and heartbreaking experiences no parent wishes to face. Every parent wants their child to live fulfilling lives, but raising a teenager comes with its fair share of challenges.

This article from Key Healthcare, a US-trusted rehab center for teens, delves into this sensitive topic to give more insight into risk factors, warning signs, and treatment options for suicide attempts. We will also look at how parents can cope with the aftermath of a teen’s attempted suicide and how to prevent future attempts.

What is a Teen Suicide Attempt?

A suicide attempt is a deliberate act done by an adolescent to end their own life. It is different from actual suicide or suicidal thoughts and ideation. A suicide attempt indicates that it is an unsuccessful or interrupted suicide, while suicidal thoughts and ideation are having fantasies and ideas of wanting to die. A suicide attempt follows suicidal thoughts where the teen is under severe emotional distress and has already decided to die.

Looking for Teen Suicidal Ideation Treatment Center Near You? Contact Key Healthcare.

Importance of Understanding Teen Suicide Attempts

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The National Vital Statistics System Mortality data (2021) named suicide the third leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds. Approximately 2,343 teenagers from this age group died from 2018 to 2021 because of suicide. Considering these are only numbers of actual suicide, the rate of suicide attempts is even higher. The huge numbers indicate the severity of the issue and the need for intervention.

There are also differences in suicide rates and attempts among teenage boys and girls. Boys have higher rates of completed suicide compared to girls. This could be due to various factors, including the suicide methods chosen and the culture of refusing to seek help. On the other hand, girls report higher rates of non-fatal suicide attempts or self-harm behaviors than boys. This may be because of their difference in coping mechanisms and how they express their emotions.

Understanding teen suicide is important because we can have informed perspectives on the causes, warning signs, and available treatment options. All these can help us intervene before it’s too late and prevent future occurrences.

Risk Factors of Teen Suicide Attempts

Suicide attempts can befall any teenager, but certain factors may increase the chances of such attempts. The factors are explained as follows.

Mental Health Conditions and Substance Abuse

  • Depression and anxiety disorders – Depression is a state of sadness and hopelessness that prevails for a long period. Teen anxiety disorders are conditions characterized by overwhelming nervousness and fear. These conditions interfere with a teen’s life by making them have distorted perceptions of reality, placing them at a higher risk of suicide attempts.
  • Substance abuse – This is the harmful use of psychoactive substances, like drugs and alcohol, that significantly interferes with a teen’s life. Teenagers struggling with drug addictions are at a higher risk of suicide because drugs impair their judgment and lower their inhibitions. This may make them attempt suicide without thinking through their actions. If you want to get information, Check this out causes of teen drug use.
  • Bipolar disorder – Teenagers with bipolar disorders exhibit symptoms characterized by extreme mood swings, which include emotional highs and lows. The extremely low emotions may lead to despair and hopelessness, placing them at risk of suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide.
  • Schizophrenia – This is a chronic mental health disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and behaves. It causes a person to be out of touch with reality and have hallucinations or delusions. The symptoms place them at a higher risk of developing suicidal thoughts.

Trauma and Stressful Life Events

A traumatic event is a series of occurrences or a single event that is characterized by a sense of horror, helplessness, or serious injury. Traumatic events cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm. They include the following.

  • Childhood trauma – Traumatic events that occur during childhood can have long-term effects on a teenager’s well-being. Childhood trauma includes child neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, or witnessing a traumatic event like an accident. Childhood trauma has significant connections to the increased risk of suicide because teenagers with such experiences have increased rates of depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse. Suicide may seem like a way out of their troubled mental health.
  • Domestic violence – Living in an environment with constant domestic violence increases the risk of a suicide attempt, whether the violence is directed towards the teen or they witness it. The violence may cause emotional distress and hopelessness, increasing the risk of a suicide attempt.
  • Bullying – Teenagers who experience bullying may have low self-esteem and isolate themselves. In this digital era, teenagers may experience online bullying, which can have similar effects of shame and low self-esteem, increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts in teenagers.

Environmental Factors

Environmental factors are external circumstances beyond a teenager’s control that may affect a teenager’s mental well-being. Some common examples of environmental factors include:

  • Family problems – Family dynamics have a huge influence on the mental health of a teenager. This ranges from parenting attitudes to how family members relate and communicate. Teenagers from families that constantly quarrel or are not so much concerned about their well-being are at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts.
  • Academic pressure – Schools, parents, and teachers place a lot of pressure and high expectations on teenagers to perform well academically. Some teenagers may not be as academically gifted as their peers, and their frustration with their performances increases stress, ultimately placing them at a higher risk of suicide.
  • Social pressure and peer influence – The pressure for teenagers to conform to social norms and the latest trends and fit into certain groups may cause emotional distress and low self-esteem in teenagers if they cannot fit within such categories. This hurts their mental health, increasing the risk of a suicide attempt. Teenagers constantly around peers with suicidal thoughts are also more likely to develop suicidal thoughts.
  • Financial issues – Financial instability increases stress for teenagers. Struggling to get basic needs like food and proper clothing can harm a teenager’s mental health. This factor can lead to low self-esteem and social isolation in teens. They may develop unhealthy coping mechanisms that increase their risk of suicide attempts.
  • Lack of social support – A lack of strong social support networks can contribute to feelings of teenage isolation and loneliness among adolescents. The absence of meaningful friendships and people who they can share their feelings with can increase their risk of suicide attempts.

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicide Attempts

Warning signs are indicators of a possibility of a teenager committing suicide. A suicide attempt is the last option after failed attempts to resolve life struggles. Recognizing these warnings is crucial to intervene before it’s too late. Teen suicide warning signs may be behavioral, verbal, emotional, or physical. Examples of these warning signs include:

  • Teens’ Self-harm behaviors like cutting themselves with sharp objects, using hot objects to inflict burn marks on the skin, banging the head into walls, or hair pulling.
  • Frequent teenage mood swings of extreme highs and lows without an apparent trigger of such emotions.
  • Suddenly becoming calm after a period of depression or moodiness. This may indicate that they have already decided to take their life.
  • Expressing feelings of being a burden to others.
  • Saying farewell statements and bidding goodbye to their family members or friends.
  • Giving away prized possessions.
  • Speaking too much and fantasizing about suicide.
  • Social withdrawal from friends and family.
  • Persistent feelings of hopelessness and sadness that don’t improve over time.
  • Acting-out behaviors and running away.
  • Loss of interest in activities and hobbies they once enjoyed.
  • Unnecessary risk-taking.
  • Increased drugs and substance abuse.
  • A decline in academic performance and extracurricular activities they were once good at.
  • Neglecting their appearance.

Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Teen Suicide Attempts

Although the statistics of teen suicide attempts are high, we can do more to prevent more teens from going down that route. If the teen is at immediate risk of a suicide attempt, remove any lethal means they may use. For example, keep firearms and medications away from them and immediately call for professional assistance.

Another step that you can take is addressing the risk factors by creating a safe and supportive environment. A safe and supportive environment can be created in the following ways.

Open Communication

Establishing open and non-judgmental communication with your teenager is crucial. Encourage them to express their thoughts and emotions freely and actively listen without criticism or judgment. Validate their feelings and let them know you understand their struggles and you’ll always be there to support them. Avoid belittling their feelings or trying to dismiss their concerns as trivial. Teenagers today go through issues that we may not fully appreciate as a huge concern for them. Our comprehensive guide on how to communicate with your teenager will be of great help to you.

Building a Sense of Belonging

Most teenagers at risk of suicide are usually socially withdrawn and do not have meaningful relationships with friends and family. Parents can help reduce the risk of suicide by helping their teenagers find a sense of belonging. Encourage your teenager to participate in social activities that would help them connect with their peers. Help them find a sense of belonging by connecting them to groups of people with whom they share similar interests or hobbies they like.

Encouraging Positive Coping Mechanisms

Teach your teenager healthy ways of coping with emotional stress. A teenager’s brain is not well developed; hence, they may not know healthy ways of dealing with stress. Teach them problem-solving skills and healthy ways of stress management, like exercises, meditation, and journaling. Likewise, incorporating positive thinking for teens as part of this coping process is also crucial.

Monitor their Online and Social Media Activities

Always keep an eye on what they do on the internet, but do not intrude too much on their privacy. Address any issues of cyberbullying or if they are exposed to harmful content that may contribute to suicide ideation. You should also encourage them to maintain a healthy balance between their online, physical, and social lives. You can do so by setting boundaries and limiting the time on the internet or social media. Please check out this if you don’t know how does social media affect teenagers.

Providing Access to Mental Health Resources

Ensure your teenager can access mental health resources by connecting them with qualified professionals like therapists, psychiatrists, or counselors. Such professionals can help them deal with mental or emotional issues and recognize warning signs for early intervention.

Treatment for Teen Suicide Attempts

A teenager who survived a suicide needs special care and attention. It should not be assumed that they are okay since they came out of the situation unharmed. We need to address the underlying issues that prompted the suicide attempt to ensure they do not attempt suicide in the future. Such teenagers need intervention from mental health professionals who can help them resolve their issues.

One treatment program that has proved effective is the Teen Residential Treatment. Residential treatment centers offer intensive care and attention for teenagers who have undergone serious mental issues like those who have attempted suicide. The teen temporarily receives treatment away from home in an inpatient setting where they receive 24/7 care.

At Key Healthcare, the Teen Residential Treatment Center is an intensive 40-60 day program that provides comprehensive care for teenagers who have attempted suicide. It offers an individualized treatment program catering to the needs of individual teenagers. The Key Healthcare team comprises highly trained professionals available round-the-clock to help teens focus on their recovery journey.

The treatment center utilizes a holistic approach comprising psychotherapy and alternative and complementary forms of therapy.

To get more details check out our guide on Overcoming Teen Suicide Attempts

Psychotherapy for Teen Suicide Attempts

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is designed to assist a patient in recognizing and altering unhelpful feelings, ideas, and actions. The therapy is conducted by a qualified professional who meets one-on-one with the patient or in a group setting.

Psychotherapy is evidence-based and has been proven to be effective. The most common forms of psychotherapy are the following.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Teen CBT focuses on helping teenagers identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that may contribute to their suicidal thoughts. It helps them develop healthy coping mechanisms and strategies to manage stress, depression, and other related issues.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

DBT for teens is a modified type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps teenagers who experience intense emotions and have difficulty controlling them. DBT teaches teenagers how to control impulses and emotions, which are factors that contribute to suicidal behaviors.

Interpersonal Therapy

Interpersonal therapy addresses interpersonal difficulties and relationship issues in their social lives. It helps teenagers develop healthier communication and problem-solving skills, improve relationships, and resolve conflicts. This helps them build strong relationships that can help them express and resolve their issues.

Family-Based Therapy

Teen family therapy involves therapy sessions with family members. It is effective when family dynamics are a major factor in suicide attempts. It helps resolve issues like poor communication between members and allows the family members to express their feelings and concerns.

Medications for Teen Suicide

Medications like antidepressants and anxiety medications can help manage the symptoms associated with teen depression and anxiety, reducing the risk of suicide attempts. The specific medication used varies depending on the specific needs of the teenager. Qualified mental health professionals are the only people allowed to prescribe and monitor the use of such medications.

Alternative and Complementary Treatments

Alternative and complementary treatments are methods used to treat teen mental health conditions but have not been approved or scientifically proven effective. They may be useful for people who cannot afford the high cost of conventional treatments like therapy and medications. These treatments include Teen ACT therapy and teen art therapy.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions

This is a Teen ACT therapy approach that uses the principles of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a concept that involves mental practices that help teenagers to live in the present. It helps them to be aware of their thoughts and emotions and accept the reality of their situations. It can help address teen suicide attempts by helping teenagers control and regulate their emotions and reduce stress.

Art Therapy

Artistic expressions can be therapeutic because it helps teenagers understand their emotions from a different practice. Art therapists guide such teenagers by helping them express their emotions through art and understand why they have such emotions. The most common teen art therapy forms include painting, drawing, and poetry.

Yoga and Mind-Body Practices

Mind-body practices comprise a combination of mind concentration, controlled breathing, and body movements that facilitate relaxation. Teen Yoga is a good example of a mind-body practice. Other examples include meditation, hypnosis, and tai chi. Such practices may help relieve stress, pain, and anxiety.

Suicide Prevention and Intervention Programs

These initiatives, strategies, and resources are meant to reduce and prevent further teen suicides. They include crisis hotlines and support groups for parents and their teenagers. Parents can look for local and online support groups that can help them express their feelings and learn from parents who have had similar experiences.

If you have concerns about your teen attempting suicide, the following crisis hotlines are helpful.

  • The Trevor Project – The hotline offers help to youths of the LGBTQ community who may be having suicidal thoughts. The contact information is as follows:

866-488-7386

Text START to 678678. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Conclusion

It is important to understand that teenagers attempting suicide need help, and be aware of early warning signs in order to intervene before it is too late. Parents and guardians must also understand how to approach such a situation to avoid worsening it. It’s important to create a safe and nurturing environment where teenagers can freely express themselves. Creating a safe environment involves approaching the teen with an open and non-judgmental attitude. Professional intervention is also necessary to resolve all underlying mental health issues to avoid future suicide attempts. With all this information, parents, guardians, and caregivers are in a better position to handle such a situation and prevent future occurrences of teen suicide attempts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some of the challenges in treating Teen Suicide Attempts?

One of the challenges of treating suicide attempts is that the teen may be unwilling to receive the help they need and uncooperative with the treatment plan. Another challenge is the lack of access to mental health care. This may be due to financial challenges or insufficient facilities in certain locations. Another challenge is co-occurring issues like substance abuse. Treating both conditions may make the process more difficult, and the chances of a relapse are high.

What are the long-term effects of Teen Suicide Attempts?

A suicide attempt may have serious physical that may cause permanent deformities and scars depending on the method used, for example, deadly weapons like firearms. Suicide attempts may also have permanent psychological and emotional effects that may increase the risk of sinking into depression and other mental health-related issues. It may also lead to social stigma and isolation because people do not want to be associated with such teenagers.

What is the impact of cultural beliefs on Teen Suicide Attempts?

Cultural beliefs have an impact on suicide attempts and prevent people from seeking out help. Mental health conditions are also seen as conditions may also be seen as a weakness. This explains why boys have higher statistics of fatal suicide attempts because they have been meant to believe that seeking help is a sign of weakness.

What is the connection between substance abuse and Teen Suicide Attempts?

Substance abuse makes the situation worse by making teens more depressed. Drugs also lower inhibitions and teens are more likely to commit suicide if they are heavily under drugs.

What should I do if my teenager’s friend talks about suicide?

We all have a moral responsibility to protect every teen. If your teen’s friend talks about suicide, it is better to talk to them openly, non-judgmentally instead of telling them to stay away from your teen. Assess whether the friend is in immediate danger and encourage them to confide with their parents or guardian. You can also refer them to their school counselor or any available mental health professional.

Can pets help in preventing Teen Suicide Attempts?

Yes. Animal therapy is a common complementary treatment that can help prevent suicide. Animals can offer companionship and avoid loneliness. They can be a distraction to stressful lives and provide an opportunity for the teen to connect with fellow pet owners in parks.

What are the immediate steps to take if a teen attempts suicide?

The first step is to remove any means of harm from the teen and immediately call emergency services.

How can I help prevent Teen Suicide Attempts in my community?

You can prevent suicide attempts in your community by creating awareness of teen suicide attempts. This can be through campaigns and community workshops. Engage fellow parents in your efforts to create awareness.

What are the common myths about Teen Suicide Attempts?

A common myth is that talking about suicide gives teens ideas about suicide. In reality, talking about it in open, non-judgmental communication allows teenagers to express their feelings. Another myth is that teenagers who talk about suicide or attempt non-fatal suicides are just attention-seeking. Statements about suicide should never be taken lightly.

Can spirituality and religion play a role in preventing Teen Suicide Attempts?

Yes. Practices like praying can help find hope in difficult times. Most religions also have a sense of community where the members can help each other, and religious leaders guide and counsel the members.