| Every
Teen Counts February 1998 |
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Could it Happen to My Child? Unfortunately we all think, "not mine." That’s what my husband and I thought until January 20, 1992, when a Snohomish County Sheriffs’ Chaplain came to our door. Our 16-year-old son had hung himself. Trevor was an intelligent, athletic, volatile child. He played varsity football, coached his younger brother’s basketball team and earned a 3.95 GPA at Edmonds-Woodway High School with awards in honors chemistry, geometry and arts. He wasn’t involved in drinking or drugs, but he was quick to anger, easily frustrated, a perfectionist and impulsive. We now know he was upset about the possibility of losing his girlfriend, that he was probably depressed, and he had talked with a friend about suicide and that in anticipation of his death he had given away his favorite baseball cap.After the funeral, we started to read about youth suicide and realized that there are warning signs. But because we were not educated about suicide prevention, Trevor’s cries for help fell on deaf ears. We joined the American Association of Suicidology, the American Suicide Foundation and the National Manic Depressive Association. We attended conferences and seminars to learn more about adolescent depression and suicide. We visited a youth and family services organization that works in suicide prevention. We met with the principal of Trevor’s high school in the hopes of starting a suicide prevention program, but learned that many educators still believe in the myth that if you talk about suicide you will cause it to happen. When we called the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, we learned that our state did not have a suicide prevention plan or policy. At this point we knew that parents, teens, school personnel, health care providers, and other people involved with young people needed to know the warning signs for suicide, what to say to a suicidal person, and where to go for help. We did not want other survivors to be asking these same questions, "Why wasn’t more done to educate the general public?" "Why wasn’t my son given the choice of life over death?" "Why could no one hear his pain?" We held our first organizing conference in September of 1992. Jeanette Wood, our local state legislator, agreed to sponsor a youth suicide prevention bill in the State House of Representatives. The bill did not pass, but as a compromise the Legislature allocated funding for the development of a statewide plan and the Washington State Youth Suicide Prevention Committee was formed. A plan was developed and the Legislature voted to fund implementation of the first phase. A public education campaign was launched with information on the warning signs on billboards and transit signs. Brochures and posters were also developed. To date, over 2,000 people across the state have been trained in suicide intervention. Consultation and technical assistance to our state’s 35 crisis centers has also begun. We continue our work because we know prevention can work to save lives and reduce suicidal thoughts. It is in Trevor’s memory that we commit ourselves to this effort. We invite you to join us as, hand in hand, we create a safety net for the young people of our communities.Youth Suicide Prevention: Warning Signs and How to Respond Youth suicide is preventable. The keys to prevention are: recognition of the warning signs, expressions of concern, and a commitment to working with the young person to get help. The greater the number of signs, the greater the risk of suicide. Recognize the Warning SignsHOW TO RESPOND If you suspect a youth is contemplating suicide, respond immediately by expressing concern and asking pointed questions. There are three steps to the response: 1. Show You Care - Let the person know you really care. Talk about your feelings and ask about his or hers. Listen carefully to what they have to say.· "I’m concerned about you..about how you feel." · "What thoughts or plans do you have?" · "Are you thinking about harming yourself, ending your life?" · "How long have you been thinking about suicide?" · "Have you thought about how you would do it?" · "Do you have ___?" (Insert the lethal means they have mentioned.) · "Do you really want to die? Or do you want the pain to go away?" 3. Get Help - The first steps toward instilling a sense of hope are: showing your concern, raising the issue, and listening to and understanding the young person’s feelings. Keep moving forward, together. Call for help. Call your local crisis hotline . · "Together I know we can figure something out to make you feel better."· "I know where we can get some help." · "I’ll stay with you...let’s call the crisis line." · "I can go with you to where we can get some help." · "Let’s talk to someone who can help...let’s call the crisis line, now." · "It’s difficult to know what to do, but I know where we can get some help." · "You’re not alone. Let me help you." If the young person has expressed an immediate plan, or has access to a gun or other potentially deadly means, do not leave him or her alone; get help immediately. Call your local crisis hotline. State of Washington, Department of Health, Injury Prevention Program. |
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| ADAMS Comm.Counseling Serv.of Adams County (509) 488-5611 or (509) 659-HELP ASOTIN-GARFIELD BENTON-FRANKLIN CHELAN-DOUGLAS CLALLAM CLARK COLUMBIA COWLITZ FERRY GRANT GRAYS HARBOR ISLAND |
JEFFERSON Community Counseling Service (360) 385-0321 or 1-800-659-0321 KING KITSAP KITTITAS KLICKITAT LEWIS LINCOLN OKANOGAN PACIFIC PEND OREILLE PIERCE SAN JUAN |
SKAGIT Skagit Mental Health 1-800-584-3578 SKAMANIA SNOHOMISH SPOKANE STEVENS THURSTON-MASON WAHKIAKUM WALLA WALLA WHATCOM WHITMAN YAKIMA |
| Facts About Youth Suicide in
Washington StateOn
average, every week two young people take their lives.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 19 year olds. The youth suicide rate is almost twice that of homicide. For every completed suicide there are at least 21 suicide attempts. Study results show that 1/5 or more of youth surveyed had seriously considered taking their own life. Male youth are four times more likely to complete suicide; female youth are at greater risk for attempts. Approximately 1 out of 10 youths reported having attempted suicide. Resources are available to learn more about youth suicide and prevention:ü Washington State Youth Suicide Prevention Committee ü Attend the class on youth suicide prevention at the
Washington State PTA Convention. |
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