Adolescence and young adulthood are a time marked by immense change, challenge, and growth. From surviving the emotional ups and downs and physical changes associated with puberty to navigating new responsibilities and freedoms, this season is often recognized as one with the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

Alarmingly, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among youth and young adults ages 10-34.1 It is critical that the community surrounding these youth and young adults recognize the signs that someone may be struggling with suicidal ideation and become equipped with the knowledge to provide appropriate support.

In 2022, there were 49,430 deaths by suicide among individuals ages 12 and older. For every suicide death, there were about: 11 emergency department visits for self-injury, 52 reported suicide attempts in the last year, and 336 people who seriously considered suicide in the past year.2

The lives lost and harmed by suicide crises are sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends, and loved ones.

Their lives matter.

What to Look For

What are the signs that a youth or young adult may be struggling with suicidal ideation? 3 The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention categorizes some of the signs as talk, behavior, and mood.

Talk

If a person talks about:

• Killing themselves
• Feeling hopeless
• Having no reason to live
• Being a burden to others
• Feeling trapped
• Unbearable pain

Behavior

Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss, or change:

• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Looking for a way to end their lives, such as online searches
• Withdrawing from activities
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression
• Fatigue

Mood

People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss of interest
• Irritability
• Humiliation/shame
• Agitation/anger
• Relief/sudden improvement

What To Do

It is not enough to know the signs a person may be at risk for suicide. We must know what steps one can take to respond and intervene on the person’s behalf.

Connect

Genuinely connect with the person and express your concern about the signs you’ve noticed. Be specific about what you have noticed and share why the signs concern you. Express a desire to support them if they are experiencing challenges. If they share their struggles, stay calm and listen empathically. Take their statements seriously and acknowledge the gravity of the challenges they face. Say something like “it seems like this is a very [painful, lonely, scary, etc.] experience for you. I’m so thankful you trusted me with this information, and I want to support you and help you find ways to get through this difficult time.”

Ask Directly

We cannot tiptoe around the topic of suicidal ideation. It is critical to ask the person directly,

“Have you had any thoughts about killing yourself?” or “Have you had any thoughts about ending your life?”

When we ask the question, it demonstrates to the youth or young adult that we are capable of supporting them and are willing to discuss their struggles openly. If you have never asked a person this question, I encourage you to practice in the mirror until it flows as effortlessly as possible.

Safety and Resources

If the person answers “yes,” indicating they are having thoughts about wanting to kill themselves, then we have to further assess the need for safety measures. We can ask, “Have you thought about how you might kill yourself? Have you thought about when you would end your life?”

If the person responds that they have identified the means through which they plan to end their life, have determined a time they plan to end their life, and they have the means within immediate access, 911 should be called immediately.

If the person has identified the way they plan to end their life and they have the means to carry out this plan, but they are physically safe in your presence, you can call 988 to access additional resources and to identify the next best steps for whatever community you are in.

If the person expresses suicidal ideation, meaning they are thinking about ending their life but haven’t made a plan, 988 is still a great resource. A trained crisis intervention specialist can assist with safety planning and connecting the individual with additional mental health resources to support them.

Additional Training

Every month in Gwinnett County, GUIDE Inc. hosts a free training course for members of the community called QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer). QPR is a 2-hour training that teaches you how to help prevent suicide in 3 steps. This is a great resource for anyone who wants additional information about how to support someone experiencing suicidal risk.

https://guideinc.org/training-catalog/

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[1] CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr024.pdf 

[2] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt42731/2022-nsduh-nnr.pdf 

[3] https://afsp.org/risk-factors-protective-factors-and-warning-signs/