Today children and young adults have the stress of succeeding academically while coping with relationship problems such as bullying and problems at home, including parental separation and poverty. Many adolescents also balance school with extracurricular activities along with employment or community service. An adolescent might get to a point where he or she cannot cope with these stressors and life may feel hopeless, leading to thoughts of suicide. It is important for parents as well as other adolescents to know when a young person is headed for serious trouble and then how to intervene.

In September 2007, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that suicides among children and young adults increased 8% from the last report in 2004. This was the largest increase in 15 years, making suicide the third leading cause of death for ages 10-24. The rate for females in this age group increased a disturbing 76%. It should also be noted that for every completed suicide that there are 25 attempted suicides. There are also some accidental deaths that may actually be suicides and these cannot be considered when compiling the statistics, making the actual number of completed suicides potentially higher.

Adolescents will often show warning signs that life is getting too difficult and that they are having thoughts of suicide. One is a feeling of hopelessness about the future and of being sad most of the time. There are often changes in eating and sleeping habits, with the adolescent doing too much or too little of either. The adolescent may lose interest in his or her favorite activities and avoid friends. They may express thoughts of death and dying through verbal or written communication. They may display dramatic mood swings. The adolescent will often have aggressive and impulsive behaviors. The adolescent may express physical complaints. The most difficult factor when looking for warning signs is that all adolescents display some of these things as a normal part of adolescence. A better indicator is when these things occur in a pattern and with relative frequency. According to research findings, the three highest signs are social isolation, a feeling of hopelessness, and the inability to do problem solving.

There are also risk factors that should be assessed when determining if an adolescent is suicidal. Some of these include a family history of mental illness and suicide; substance abuse by the teen; abuse and violence in the family; mental illness or physical illness of the teen; and confusion regarding sexual orientation.

Many people believe that self-mutilation, such as cutting, is related to suicidal ideation.  The need to self-mutilate is not the same psychological process as suicidal thoughts. Adolescents who self-mutilate rarely have a conscious suicidal intent. Adolescents who self-mutilate or cut are overwhelmed by emotional pain and the cutting is an attempt to release this pain. Research findings indicate that this behavior can also be learned from the adolescent’s friendship group as a means of coping with feelings.

The important difference is that adolescents who are suicidal think about not being here anymore and focus on death. Adolescents who self-mutilate are reacting to intense emotional feelings and trying to modulate these feelings. The adolescent who is cutting is actually looking for a way to cope and the suicidal teen has given up trying. An adolescent who self-mutilates needs to be referred for treatment that focuses on healthy ways to cope with the intense feelings that come with adolescence. The mental health professional will also assess for the risk of suicide.  

It is best to refer any adolescent that you are concerned about for an evaluation. The counselor, psychologist, or medical professional can conduct a lethality assessment to determine the level of dangerousness to self by examining their explicit thoughts and a plan of suicide. If you are the parent of a child, you can contact your family practitioner or pediatrician. If you are a parent of a child who is concerned about a peer, you can contact the school psychologist, guidance counselor, or principal to discuss the situation. Many times an adolescent’s change in behavior is observed first by their peers. If you have a friend who you are concerned about, you can talk to someone at school or contact the local police if you feel that your friend is in immediate danger. Never conclude that the adolescent is just seeking attention; let a professional assess the child. If you share a home with an adolescent who is suicidal eliminate access to pills, weapons, and other lethal means. Fifty-four percent of suicides are completed using a firearm.

A note of caution for parents and friends of an adolescent who has suffered from serious depression and suicidal thoughts is that when a person seems less depressed this doesn’t indicate that the risk of suicide has passed. At times the individual has more energy to actually act on their ideations when the depression has lessened.

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