In most states, car accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers.
But in Utah, for boys 15 to 19 years old, it's suicide.
State health researchers are trying to figure out why, but in the meantime, they've identified major risk factors.
News Specialist Bruce Lindsay has important information on how to get help for kids Too Young To Die.
For all its increase, teen suicide is an infrequent event.
So, for prevention to be effective, we need to know who is really at risk.
Here's what is known, and it really narrows things down:
-
More than 80% of the time, teen suicide claims boys.
-
In 90% of the cases
--and this is very important to understand--
the victim suffers from a psychological disorder, most commonly depression.
Keith Kikel/lost a son: "Right before Danny died, he knelt down in my office right in front of me and said, 'Dad, I feel hopeless, I feel helpless. I feel unworthy. I feel unworthy to live on the earth. I shouldn't have come here. I feel that no one likes me. No one loves me. You guys could make it better without me.'"
Reporter: "What did you say?"
Keith Kikel: "I said all the positive things to him. But he had a perceived reality. He had what psychology calls a mental set. It was a chemical imbalance."
Not all teen victims of suicide verbalize their mental pain the way Danny did.
But kids at risk may show other signs.
Dr. William McMahon/Child Psychiatrist: "The depressed child doesn't enjoy things he or she used to enjoy... seems to be hopeless... may have deterioration of social and school relationships... may just become isolative. That's fairly easy to see."
If parents see that withdrawal in their teen, the experts say it's a wake-up call.
Parents should
--without embarrassment or delay-- get an evaluation and, if needed, treatment for their teen, from a mental health professional.
Dr. McMahon: "Parents want to believe if you just give 'em a hug it's going to go away. And it's not true. It is true that depression is a biological disorder."
People who have lost teens to suicide say parents need to get over outdated stigmas about mental illness, and get their children help.
JoAnn Neilson/Lost a son: "Even if they recognize there's something not right with their child, they are not willing to go and seek the help, because it feels like a weakness in them."
Keith Kikel/Lost a son: "The best thing to do is stop the deadly silence. To not think of suicide as being a nasty word. It's a mental problem."
Researchers have identified additional risk factors. They include:
- Substance abuse
- Impulsive behavior
- Run-ins with the law.
How or if those risk factors are interrelated is not fully understood.
Dr. McMahon: "With the research efforts that are going on, I think we will make some progress. Will we make it quickly? Probably not. This is a very complicated problem."
If you recognize your child needs help, your family doctor is a good place to start. He can guide you. If you don't have a doctor, agencies like Valley Mental Health, or Primary Children Psychiatric Services can provide help.
