Publications - Suicide

What makes psychotic teens more at risk for suicide than other groups with psychosis?, by Case Western Reserve, PsyPost , Apr 24 2014.

“Suicide is a general risk for people with psychosis. According to The Journal of Psychiatry, 20 percent to 40 percent of those diagnosed with psychosis attempt suicide, and up to 10 percent succeed. And teens with psychotic symptoms are nearly 70 times more likely to attempt suicide than adolescents in the general population, according to a 2013 study in JAMA Psychiatry. ”

In Texting Era, Crisis Hotlines Put Help at Youths’ Fingertips, by Leslie Kaufman, New York Times, Feb 4 2014.

“While counseling by phone remains far more prevalent, texting has become such a fundamental way to communicate, particularly among people under 20, that crisis groups have begun to adopt it as an alternative way of providing emergency services and counseling. Texting provides privacy that can be crucial if a person feels threatened by someone near them, counselors say. It also looks more natural if the teenager is in public. ”

Taking notice of the hidden injury, by Nicole Noren, ESPN , Jan 26 2014.

“According to the most recent data compiled by the NCAA, suicide was the third-leading cause of death of student-athletes from 2004-08, after accidents and cardiac causes. ”

Military deployments tied to teens' depression, by Kathleen Raven, Reuters , Nov 29 2013.

“Adolescents who experience the deployment of a family member in the U.S. military may face an increased risk of depression, suggests a new study. Ninth- and eleventh-grade students in California public schools with two or more deployment experiences over the past decade were 56 percent more likely to feel sad or hopeless compared with their non-military-family peers, the researchers found. The same kids were 34 percent more likely to have suicidal thoughts. ”

7 Essential Steps Parents Can Take to Prevent Teen Suicide, by Nadine Kaslow, Polina Kitsis, et al., American Psychological Assosciation, Sep 23 2013.

“Every day, about 12 youth die by suicide. For every adolescent death by suicide you hear about, about 25 suicide attempts are made. These are staggering statistics. We know that families, schools, peer groups, and communities are dramatically impacted when young people engage in suicidal behavior. We want to help you prevent these tragedies. Parents Can Make a Difference Parents can help prevent suicide by recognizing warning signs, identifying risk factors (characteristics that may lead a young person to engage in suicidal behaviors), promoting protective factors (characteristics that help people deal with stress and reduce their chances of engaging in suicidal behaviors), and knowing how to talk to their children and seek mental health services. You can empower yourself and your teen by following these 7 steps. ”

Mental Illness, Not Combat, Causes Soldier's Suicides, by Jen Christensen, CNN , Aug 6 2013.

“The record number of military suicides seen in recent years may not be directly due to extended deployments or combat experience, according to a new study. This data analysis, funded by the Department of Defense, suggests that the real reason behind the growing number of military suicides is underlying mental health issues in this population ”

Suicidal Teens Turn to Social Media, Not Hotlines & Support Groups, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Jun 25 2013.

“Emerging research finds that many teens and young adults use social networking sites and mobile technology to express suicidal thoughts and intentions' often as a way to reach out for help. Conversely, the high risk young adults said they would not use suicide hotlines or online suicide support groups. Ohio State researchers used two studies to determine the impact of social media for suicidal prevention among young adults. ”

New study supports suicide 'contagion' in teens, by Saundra Young, CNN , May 21 2013.

“Having a schoolmate commit suicide significantly increases the chance that a teenager will consider or attempt suicide themselves, according to a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). The study surveyed more than 22,000 Canadian children aged 12 to 17. They were asked if anyone in their school, or anyone they knew personally had died by suicide and if they had seriously considered attempting suicide themselves in the past year. The researchers found that the risk of suicide was magnified even if the child did not know the deceased student personally. ”

Coping With Suicide Loss: Helping Children, Survivors of Suicide Loss, 2013.

“Survivors of Suicide Loss advises how to talk with children after a suicide. ”

When a Parent Dies by Suicide: What Kids Want to Know, Survivors of Suicide Loss, 2013.

“Survivors of Suicide Loss created a guide to help children who have lost a parent to suicide. ”

Cyberbullying Rarely Sole Factor in Teen Suicides, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Oct 20 2012.

“Cyberbullying - the use of the Internet, phones or other technology to repeatedly harass or mistreat peers - is often linked with teen suicide. But new research shows that teen suicide victims are bullied both online and in person and they often suffer from depression as well. In the new study, researchers searched the Internet for reports of teen suicides where cyberbullying was a reported factor. ”

How to Recognize Teens at Risk for Self-Harm, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Oct 6 2012.

“It's a startling statistic: Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, a University of Missouri public health expert has identified factors that will help parents, medical professionals and educators recognize teens at risk for self injury and suicide. ”

Girls with ADHD and self-harm/suicide risk, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central , Aug 16 2012.

“As girls with ADHD become adults, they are especially prone toward internalizing their problems and feelings of inadequacy--that in turn can lead to self-injury and even attempted suicide, according to new findings from the University of California, Berkeley. ”

Military Suicide: Help for Families Worried About Their Service Member, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, Jul 12 2012.

“Each person deals differently with the stresses of war, frequent deployments, separation from family, death of comrades. Many contend with depression and post-traumatic stress upon returning home. There are several programs and support lines for soldiers, but it also helps for immediate families to remain vigilant and to monitor their behavior. Even still, many service members fall through the cracks. ”

Suicide Risk for Older People Who Self-Harm, by University of Manchester, University of Manchester, May 1 2012.

“Older people who self-harm are at much greater risk of suicide than both the general population and younger adults who self-harm, a new study has found. Researchers from The University of Manchester studied 1,177 people over the age of 60 who presented to six general hospitals in Oxford, Manchester and Derby after self-harming. ”