Teens and Suicide

While suicide is tragic at any and all ages, somehow teen or child suicide seems doubly so: kids are in the prime of their lives, they have so much opportunity ahead, they are supposed to be enjoying life. Teens and children especially are prone to impulsiveness due to immaturity, which is especially dangerous in combination with other traits, problems, alcohol or drugs.

If you are young and your natural inclination is
to try and fit in with other people, to look normal,
everyone around you seems healthy, appears healthy.
So your inclination is to really try and appear well,
and this happens much more commonly
than one would like to think.
Kay Jamison, psychologist at Johns Hopkins University

Let's Talk Facts About . . . Teen Suicide

For Parents/Counselors/Teachers. Suicide signals, statistics, what can be done, sources of information.

Understanding Your Emotions

For Teens

What Survivors have said about support groups

For Parents

One Father's Story

Links

#1 Teenage Suicide.com

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology - Teen Suicide

American Academy of Pediatrics - Some Things You Should Know About Preventing Teen Suicide

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

American Psychiatric Association - Teen Suicide

Focus Adolescent Services - Teen Suicide

National Mental Health Association

Prevent Suicide Now

Suicide - for teens

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

Suicide is a teenage epidemic

Teen Education and Crisis Hotline

Teen Life Q&A Special: FAQ on Teen Suicide
Your most frequently asked questions about teen suicide

Teen Suicide Theme Page
Links to sites on teen suicide

Understanding and Preventing Teen Suicide
Especially for parents

University of Buffalo
Information on suicide prevention for college age students

White Ribbon Campaign
Raising Awareness about Gay-Teen Suicide

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Info for teens, parents, and survivors

Youth Suicide
Articles from CRUMBS, online version of New Zealand Youth Ministry Magazine

I wasn't really aware of anything
until he graduated from college
and it was probably after that that there was some inkling
- he would often crawl up on the bed
and stretch out and talk to me
but he would only go to a point and then close down.
I had inklings but he wouldn't allow me to open that door.
Some of that's hindsight, you see things in hindsight.
So I was aware of something but I wasn't sure.
I had no clue whatsoever
as to his emotional chaos and his pain.
Gail Fox, educator and survivor of son's suicide.