Teenage Suicide Warning Signs
The National Association of Social Workers views the current high rate of child and adolescent suicide as a national tragedy. Young people with the following risk factors may be at risk:
- Genetic susceptibility
- Previous family history of suicide
- Depression and other mental health problems
- Impulsivity
- Learning disabilities
- Physical and sexual abuse
- Demographic pressures
- Social changes
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Sexual identity issues
- Drug use
- Disrupted family relationships
- The role of pop culture, including music and television
- suicide clusters and contagion
- The availability of lethal weapons
Here are some of the possible warning signs of suicide. They indicate that a young person may be feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, angry, or depressed.
- Dramatic personality changes
- Relationship problems with intimate friends, parents, and other relatives
- Sadness or depression including loss of appetite, problems sleeping, low energy or poor concentration
- Extreme anxiety or feeling of panic
- Problems in school, frustration and/or disappointment over performance
- Boredom or indifference
- Major health problems
- Aches and pains that have no apparent medical cause
- Rebellious, aggressive, irritable or destructive behavior
- Careless personal hygiene
- Substance abuse (including alcohol)
- Writing notes about death or glorifying suicide
- Giving away or selling valuable or cherished possessions
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Sources: NASW publication Social Work Speaks, January 31, 2003, and www.notmykid.org
