Preventing teen suicide
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Preventing teen suicide
Josh Goldstein
The tragic deaths of Gina Gentile, 16, and Vanessa Dorwart, 15, who were struck by an Amtrak Acela train in Norwood at 10:28 a.m. Thursday, grew – if possible – worse Saturday when police said the teens had committed suicide. As a father of two young daughters, I can only imagine the pain the families are feeling. There is nothing good about this horrible situation.
Friends of the girls said they had been upset about the death of Gentile’s boyfriend in a January bicycle accident, reported my colleagues Mari A. Schaefer, Nancy Phillips, and Tom Infield. Their parents, however, had seen no signs they were contemplating taking their own lives.
Perhaps the girls' deaths can raise awareness of the problem of teen suicide and convince parents to educate themselves about signals that could help prevent similar tragedies. I searched for credible information on suicide warning signs in teenagers.
The Nemours Foundation, a pediatric health network that includes the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and clinics in hospitals in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, identifies such warning signs on its website.
The Nemours site says suicide among teens often occurs following a stressful life event, such as a perceived failure at school, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a major family conflict.
Here are some warning signs that a teenager might be thinking about suicide:
talk about suicide or death in general
talk about "going away"
talk about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
pull away from friends or family
lose the desire to take part in favorite things or activities
have trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
experience changes in eating or sleeping habits
self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or driving too fast, for example)
What Can Parents Do?
Most teens who commit or attempt suicide have given some type of warning to loved ones ahead of time. So it's important for parents to know the warning signs so that kids who might be suicidal can get the help they need.
Watch and Listen
Keep a close eye on a teen who seems depressed and withdrawn. Poor grades, for example, may signal that your teen is withdrawing at school.
It's important to keep the lines of communication open and express your concern, support, and love. If your teen confides in you, show that you take those concerns seriously. A fight with a friend might not seem like a big deal to you in the larger scheme of things, but for a teen it can feel immense and consuming. It's important not to minimize or discount what your teen is going through, as this can increase his or her sense of hopelessness.
If your teen doesn't feel comfortable talking with you, suggest a more neutral person, such as another relative, a clergy member, a coach, a school counselor, or your child's doctor.
The National Institute of Mental Health has an article about a new approach to suicide prevention in teens that shows some promise.
Here's a link to suicide prevention information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
And here's a link to suicide prevention resources from the STAR-Center, an organization established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1986 to investigate teen suicide.
This story is so sad, but you know these things tend to happen in 3's. Whenever the media "glorifies" a suicide, it pushes people close to the edge over. Be ready for more sadness.
Comment removed.- I read in another article about how upset parents were that none of the teens (friends) spoke up about these two young ladies' desire to end their life. I reflected on my teen years and do recall shrugging of a classmate's comment that he no longer wanted to live. (Fortunately, he did nothing.) I can understand why these friends didn't speak up; how would they know the comments weren't empty? I personally think schools across the country need to increase awareness on suicide prevention. These parents should not, in any way, blame themselves for not noticing let alone suspecting anything in their daughters. Nor should the girls' friends. These families are in my thoughts.— Mondrian
- First of all, I would like to extend my sympathy to the families of these two young women. These girls was obviously very upset over loosing their friend due to an car accident. However, young people need to be taught about death and how to deal with death before they have to experience a loss of a love one. So many young people are in denial about death until it happens to somebody they really care about. Most of them think that they and their friends will live forever and it's simply not true. They take dangerous risk thinking that nothing will happen to them and when it does happen their world falls apart. We need to teach our young people that our bodies are immortal and one day we will all leave this planet by way of death. Whether natural, accidental, homicide and yes suicide we all will leave this planet one day. The bible says there is a time to be born and a time to die. It would appear that these young people lacked a spiritual connection to death. I believe if they had a spiritual connection with God and what He has said about death they wouldn't have taken their lives. Instead they would have leaned on God for comfort an understanding instead of each other. Parents take your kids to church and teach them Godly principle's that will enrich their lives. Teach them that God loves them and wants to use their lives for His glory. Teach them that Jesus(God's son)died for them that they might live and live forever. Let them know that committing suicide will solve nothing and will create more pain and agony for their family they left behind. I pray that these families will somehow with God's grace will be able to find comfort in Him. If anyone is reading this and you are contemplating suicide, please take the time and seek professional counseling from a therapist, doctor or clergy person. Now go live LIFE!!!— billyboy
- I hate to type this but I will: The Inquirer reported that the girls died embracing each other. Sad, very sad to say, but this romanticizes their suicides. God bless the girls' families at this tragic time.— Country Ro
- Spend more time with your kids. Have family activities. You don't know what they are doing with their friends. Talk to them from an early age. Don't let them get into serious romantic relationships until you think they are mature enough to handle them. Kids going steady at 15 is just wrong. Stop the nonsense texting. Its all useless information anyway.— johnny99
- Many troubled kids and teenagers are suffering from depression and stress which causes tendency of self destructive behavior. Such teenagers feel they are worthless for everyone. Drug alcohol addiction and chemical substance abuse also causes harsh behavior in adolescents. For preventing teen suicide counseling centers are very helpful. Certified therapy and counseling programs help in eliminating distressing issues and emotional problems. http://www.troubledteens.net/Problems-in-Teens/Destructive-Behavior-of-Kids.html (HTML deleted)— troubledteens
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