Preventing Teen Suicide - Essay Example

The Author’s Name] [The Professor’s Name] [The Course Title] [Date] Teen Suicide Introduction Teen suicide has been on the rise for the last decade and shows no signs of slowing down. While not all attempts at suicide are successful, an unfortunately large number of them are. Analysts are at a loss as to why certain cities, such as Plano, Texas, have larger than average numbers of adolescent suicide. Some feel when one teen commits suicide, it urges others to go through with it as well. This can create the sense of an epidemic of suicides in one city, and when that city is a smaller suburban area with only one or perhaps two high schools, and then the numbers of suicides can seem alarming indeed. Even though our teens are taking fewer drugs than in prior years, suicide remains a growing problem. Current Scenario Suicide is becoming so serious and common, in fact, that the medical community is re-evaluating how to identify and treat suicidal adolescents. Teen suicide as an extremely complex tragedy, that unfortunately happens all the time throughout the United States. There are friends, parents, and peers that are facing the misfortune of losing a young, close, loved one to suicide. Most people don’t realize that adolescent suicide is common. They don’t want to believe how often this occurs in the secure environment found in the small towns of America, as well as in its largest cities. Misconceptions about Teen Suicides There are many misconceptions about suicide. These are also known as myths of suicide. For some reason people tend to think that adolescents who talk about suicide are not serious about doing it. This is untrue, it has been proven that almost all suicidal teens have at one point verbally or nonverbally, told someone about their considering suicide. This leads to another myth that suicide happens without warning. For the same reason as the myth, adolescents aren’t serious about it, suicide usually occurs with at least one warning. Some other myths are once an adolescent is suicidal, he/she must always and forever be considered suicidal (adolescent who once considered suicide) ; if an adolescent attempts suicide and survives, he/she will not make and additional attempt (adolescent who actually made the attempt); Adolescents who commit suicide always leave notes (only a small percentage actually leave notes); Most adolescent suicides happen late at night; Never use the word suicide; when talking to adolescents because it may put ideas in their heads; and People with strong religious beliefs will not attempt suicide. Discussion and Analysis According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "eight percent of students in grades 9 through 12 attempted suicide in the past year. And in the past two decades, the suicide rate among children ages ten to fourteen has doubled" (Mulrine 64). When asked why they attempted suicide, many teen survivors said they "felt trapped, like there was no way out except to kill myself" (Mulrine 64). What they don't think about, say the experts, is that suicide is a very permanent solution to temporary problems. Almost every teen survivor of suicide, when questioned about why he or she attempted it, named a problem that could be solved in some way--a solution much preferable to suicide.  Teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, and self-doubt. Additionally, they may be pressured to succeed, have financial uncertainty, and other fears while growing up. For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts. In some cases, suicide appears to be a solution (Vannatta, 559-68). Because most school have school psychologists and counselors who are, perhaps, the most available sources of mental health expertise to those age groups most susceptible to suicide, it would seem both logical and appropriate that these professionals be asked to take the lead in designing and implementing suicide-prevention programs. Based on available knowledge, it appears that a "best practices" approach to the school-based prevention of adolescent suicide should "include a mixture of primary and secondary prevention components" (Miller 221). In the twentieth century, low self-esteem has infected a majority of teenagers in the U.S. Ten percent of adolescent boys and eighteen percent of adolescent girls contemplated it. In 1985 5,399 teenagers took their own lives. Low self-esteem is caused by being jeered at, taunted, teased, insulted, and by physical hurt. Low self-esteem leads to depression 90% of the time, which then conjures thoughts of suicide that then leads to 80% of the time suicide. (Vannatta, 559-68) Financial issues pertain to worry about supporting the self and/or parents. Another reason could be that the teenager wants to be rich like some of the kids that surround him/her. They take the stress of this job, which then it leads to depression. Many teenagers use drugs and they and they are known as substance abusers. They get distorted perceptions and then get depressed and then they commit suicide. Mental health experts continue to find ways to predict which people are most likely to commit suicide. The National Mental Health Association has found that "four out of five people who attempt suicide exhibit at least one of the following depressive signs: an obsession with death tremendous guilt suicide threat a drastic change in appearance or personality strange behavior a change in eating or sleeping habits a dramatic drop in grades the desire to give away one's belongings Two lesser-known predictors are risky or macho behaviors (such as abusing drugs, fighting, and even smoking cigarettes) and many so-called accidents (such as falling while hiking and crashing a car)" (Arenofsky 16). Currently experts are working on a simple blood test that measures the level of a certain suicide-linked serotonin receptor. As yet, though, the test is not 100 percent effective and must be used with other predictors (Arenofsky 16). Teen suicide is nearly four times more common today than it was a few decades ago, says Dr. Janet Grossman, a suicide expert. Suicide is now the third leading killer of young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four. Surprisingly, suicide is especially high among African-Americans and their suicide rate has nearly tripled in the past fifteen years (Arenofsky 16). It is not surprising, then, that high suicide rates correspond to high rates of teen depression. Five percent to ten percent of teens at any one time suffer from depression, and, if not properly treated, depression can lead to suicide in about fifteen percent of those teens. And depression is easily treatable with the right medications and counseling (Arenofsky 16). Mental health professionals are in widespread agreement that "many school-based programs, which could be a valuable gateway to diagnosis and treatment, simply aren't working" (Mulrine 64). A study recently released found that less than one third of school counselors thought they would be able to recognize the warning signs of a suicidal student. "Much of the problem," says James Mazza, a psychologist at the University of Washington, "is rooted in schools' tendency to sidestep discussions of psychological illnesses, which affect up to 90 percent of suicidal teens. Instead, some discuss suicide as a random, impulsive act--an approach that has proved to be flawed" (Mulrine 64). One out of four high school students will seriously consider suicide, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention. So it's vital that the signs of depression be spotted early (Arenofsky 16). Warning Signs and Risk Factors There are an exorbitant amount of warning signs and risk factors that are relevant in defining suicidal characteristics. The indications are divided into two separate ways. Early warning signs indicate difficulties in school, depression, sleep and eating disturbances, and a loss of interest in general activities, and drug abuse. 13% of people that commit suicide were abusing drugs or alcohol at the time. Restlessness, feelings of failure, overreaction to criticism, overly self-critical behavior, anger, and a morbid preoccupation with death are also some profound signals teenagers may demonstrate while contemplating suicide (Paulson, 19). Today's commercial media also has an enormous sociological and psychological effect on adolescents today. Many factors including superficialities in commercial industry and other social influences weigh heavily on the minds of impressionable youths. Other late signs and clues include talking about death, neglecting physical appearance, feelings of hopelessness, and a sudden, drastic improvement in personality, and giving away personal possessions. Someone who may commit suicide may be highly agitated at times. There will be a lack of life in general. If a person has four or more of these symptoms, for more than 2 weeks a doctor should be notified. These are utterly convincing signs. Not everyone who portrays these symptoms, however, is suicidal. Depression is a key factor in all suicide, 5% of teens are affected by it each year. (Rogers, 493) In order to know if a person is really contemplating suicide, someone needs to empathically listen to them. Offering other ways to deal with suicidal person problems may save their life. Most teenagers contemplating suicide would not commit it, if they were knowledgeable of another way out. By talking with someone who is suicidal, that person might see that there are people who love them and choose life. Counseling after completed Suicide When a teenager commits suicide, they leave behind much more than grieving family and friends. In a normal death situation, people usually grieve. When a teenager commits the act of suicide, family and friends left behind experience a flurry of mixed emotions. A feeling of confusion and great distress over unresolved issues are very commonplace. Loved ones, often selfishly, feel anger and resentment after a suicide. These emotions can cause feelings of isolation and resentment. Friends and family might find it exceedingly difficult to deal with everyday situations because of the loss of a loved one. These people (especially parents) may think that other people view them as failures because of their inability to stop such a serious and terminal unfolding of events. A fear of forming new external relationships outside of the nuclear family can have a profound impact on their immediate psyche. Some people may feel that by engaging in new relationships, they might re-experience these sordid feelings of loss, resentment, guilt, and pain. (Paulson, 19) In order to help people who have experienced the suicide of someone they deeply cared about, survivor groups' have been created. Knowing they will be accepted without being judged or condemned, helps a person go to a 'survivor group.' At a meeting, the people's intense burden of unresolved feelings may be lessened. The recovery of a bereaving family is a long and arduous process. Many burning questions are left unanswered that typify the pain and frustration felt at the loss of a loved one. There are three main stages in the process of bereavement. Initially, shock is the most profound feeling. (Bronisch, 332-39) This is demonstrated by a cognitive loss of everyday mechanical functions, or an emotional isolation from society. Secondly, a realization of the loss, followed by depression, which can alternately lead to other mental health problems. Unequivocally, this is the most important time for the caregiver to understand and listen, as this is an extremely fragile point in the healing process. This is when most cognitive therapy takes place. Coupled with empathic counseling, the third stage of bereavement, acceptance and reorganization, is attainable. As a result, dealing with suicide loss and bereavement is a very unique and personal event that has to be treated accordingly. It is important to emphasize that frustration; anger, depression, and even resentment are feelings that are normally felt by everyone in similar dire circumstances. The solution is to treat each individual the way that he/she needs to be treated. It is important to release emotions in order to heal. The Clinical Methodology as a remedy for Suicide The clinical methodology with regards to suicide is a rigorously researched and debated field in psychology. Conversely, it is usually considered a socially unacceptable topic in today's commercial media. This social phobia manifests itself into a more difficult and nebulous situation for psychologists when dealing with families and suicide attempt victims. "Despite extensive efforts in this area, research in suicidology has failed to produce an accurate predictive model of suicidal behavior (Spirito, 1-4) “The field of suicidology moved from a goal of prediction of suicide toward the more realistic objective of assessing levels of risk that can be used to inform treatment" (Spirito, 1-4). To elucidate, individual suicidal tendencies and thoughts vary and may be invoked by different circumstances. Thus it is imperative that each and every licensed practitioner handle every situation differently, no matter how similar certain symptoms or stages may seem. People move through the process in their own individual ways, therefore each situation must be handled uniquely. (Cooper, 26) Conclusion Many symptoms of suicide are talking about suicide, statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness, preoccupation with death, suddenly happier, calmer, loss of interest in things one cares about, visiting or calling people one cares about, making arrangements; setting one's affairs in order, giving things away. If symptoms are found, then you should report them to a doctor or psychologist immediately. Because of suicide, many families and friends are driven immense grief and even more suicide! The world changes and everything becomes all grief. Over the past ten to twenty years a big issue has been made over a person’s right to commit suicide or not. The American courts have had to deal with everything from assisted suicides to planned suicides, and whether the constitution gives the American people the right to take their own lives or whether it says they have the power to allow someone else to take their lives. They have had to determine in some cases whether or not homicide charges needed to be brought up and others times whether or not it was done for an underlying reason such as insurance fraud. Part of this issue of suicide is that of physician assisted suicide. With this controversial topic come many problems. Some examples of these problems are those of whether this assisted suicide is legal, the moral and ethical problems that arise, and the aspects of how the procedure of one of these assisted suicides takes place. These issues will be confronted within this paper and will hopefully allow for some light to be spread on this issue to make it a little clearer. Works Cited Arenofsky, Janice. "Teen suicide: when the blues get out of control." Current Health (1997), December: p. 16-19. Bronisch, Wunderlich T., Carter, Wittchen R. (2001). Gender Differences in adolescents and young adults with suicidal behavior. Max-Planck- Institute for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Psychology pgs.332-339 Cooper, Gloria. "Lessons for educators." Columbia Journalism Review, (2000), July: p. 15. Hayes, Lindsay M. "Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey." Corrections Today, (2001), July: p. 26. Miller, David N.; DuPaul, George J. "School-based prevention of adolescent suicide: Issues, obstacles, and recommendations for practice." Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, (1996), October: p. 221. Mulrine, Anna. "Preventing teen suicide: It starts with straight talk." U. S. News and World Report, 20 December 1999, p. 64. Paulson, Barbara, Worth, Michelle (2002).Counseling for suicide: Client Perspective, Journal of Counseling and Development, Winter 2002, Vol.8, pg19 Rogers, James, Lewis, Mary Miller, Subich Lindo (2002). Validity of the Suicide Assessment Checklist in an Emergency Crisis Center. Journal of Counseling & Development, Fall2002, Vol. 80 Issue 4, p493 Spirito, Anthony. "Cognitive characteristics predict adolescent suicide attempts." The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, (1997), June: p. 1-4. Vannatta, Rachel A. (1997). Adolescent Gender Differences in Suicide-Related Behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 26, No. 5, p. 559-568 Read More