Community Connections, Winter 2002/2003
Teenagers - Suicide Warning Signs and Triggers
By Jane Beilein, Executive Director of MHA in Niagara County
Suicide
is about pain and the following are clues that young people are in pain.
- A previous suicide attempt, or the person has hurt him/herself
on purpose. This is a very strong predicator for another attempt.
- Personality changes, or significant changes in behavior.
- Changes in eating patterns such as loss of appetite or excessive
eating.
- Changes in sleeping patterns, such as insomnia or oversleeping
lasting several days.
- Withdrawal from favorite activities.
- Breaking off completely from important relationships
- A significant loss or failure, i.e.: death of a family member,
break up
- Expressed feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, guilt
and or difficulty concentrating.
- Suicidal thoughts, ideas, threats or plans, especially if plan
is specific or lethal.
- Verbal comments that tell of plans to “end it all”
or “I can’t take it anymore.”
- Preoccupation with death, suicide, or themes of death or suicide
in songs, movies etc.
- An increase in impulsive behavior such as sudden beginning of
risk taking, or self-destructive behavior.
- A change from depression to lightheartedness, sudden elation,
or suddenly not talking about suicide anymore
- A change in school attendance or a decline in grade performance.
- Giving away or disposing of prized possessions such as pictures,
cds, toys or clothing.
- Evidence of alcohol or drug binges or other self-destructive
behavior.
- Unusual neglect of personal appearance, putting oneself down,
and self-criticism.
- Your “gut feeling” or intuition.
Common
Trigger Mechanisms Related to Adolescent suicide It is important to note
that although they are often treated as the cause of suicide, they aren’t.
They are simply the trigger mechanisms that may lead a person to attempt
to end their life.
- Death of a family member or friend
- The ending or break up of a relationship
- An instance of failure
- Being arrested
- An unexpected homosexual encounter
- Becoming pregnant
- Loss of a job or a coveted position (on a sports team, or school
play)
Imagine
yourself in some situation which might make you wonder if life were worth
living...something so emotionally painful that suicide might seem like
the one way to stop the pain. What would you want from someone you trusted?
These
are some of the responses from students who responded to that question.
- Someone who has time to listen
- A calm voice
- Assurance that I’m not crazy
- To be taken seriously
- To be loved
- Someone to be there
- To feel important to another person
- To be believed, without having to prove anything
- To feel safe
- Respect
- Someone who won’t hold it against me later
- To be in charge of what happens to me
- Hope
- Relief
- To be accepted as I am
- To keep my dignity.
posted
1/28/03
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