Substance Abuse and Suicide: Is Your Teen at Risk?

Youth suicide is a topic lacking in common conversation. It seems as if this topic only comes up after a tragedy occurs and hits the news (and too close to home). There are a lot of risk factors that can lead to teen suicide such as bullying, family problems, eating disorders and a number of other things; however, substance abuse is also a very common cause for teenage suicide. It is important for parents to recognize the warning signs, know when their children are suffering and be able to prevent these types of tragedies if at all possible.

The Statistics

·         According to data released by the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24.

·         More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, influenza, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke and pneumonia combined.

·         There are 5,400 suicide attempts each day by children and young adults in grades 7-12.

·         Studies have shown that 4 out of 5 youth suicide attempts were preceded by clear warning signs.

The Warning Signs

It is important for parents to know the warning signs and to be able to recognize abnormal behavioral patterns that could possibly lead to suicide attempts. Some of these warning signs could include, but are not limited to –

·         Comments about feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless

·         Talking about suicide during casual conversation

·         Extreme shifts in behavior

·         Sudden lack of interest in normal activities and hobbies

·         Withdrawal from interaction with family and/or friends

If any of these symptoms are accompanied by suspicions or knowledge of alcohol or drug abuse, problems at home (divorce,etc), issues with bullying, or any other problems that your child may be facing, it is important to seek help and talk to your child about these problems. According to The Jason Foundation, alcohol and drug use are associated with 50-67% of suicides.

What Can You Do to Help?

Suspecting that your child could be at risk of attempting suicide is a very scary feeling. It is important as parents to be prepared in knowing how to deal with situations like this when they arise. Here are some tips on how to handle the situation if you feel that your child is at risk.

·         Remain calm and avoid reacting erratically

·         Ask your child directly if he/she is having suicidal thoughts

·         Listen and allow your child to speak freely of their feelings without interruption or judgment

·         Reassure your child of your unconditional love and support

·         If your child has admitted to having suicidal thoughts – do not leave them alone

·         Seek professional help immediately

·         Reassure your child that these feelings of pain and suffering will not last forever

·         Notify your child’s school administrator of the problem and request any help that they can offer

Using Your Child’s School as a Resource

Your child’s school can serve as one of the most useful resources in suicide prevention, being that your child spends the majority of his or her time there. Here are some resources that your child’s school can provide –

·         Access to tests that can measure your child’s risk-level for suicide

·         Parent notification of any suspicious behaviors that are believed to be warnings signs of suicidal behavior

·         Provide referrals for outside professional help that your child may need if he or she is found to be at risk of suicide

·         Provide in-school counseling to any child who is suffering from depression, low self-esteem, or any other problems that commonly lead to suicide

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The mission of the Walton County Prevention Coalition is to help to prevent substance abuse in our youth by developing an anti-drug coalition. Suicide prevention is a topic that does not receive an adequate amount of attention, and substance abuse is one of the most common stepping stones to suicidal behavior in our youth. The Walton County Prevention Coalition urges parents to stay educated on recognizing the signs of suicidal behavior in teenagers.

What Works? Components of a Successful Substance Abuse Prevention Program

Substance abuse prevention is imperative to the success of our younger generations. Preventing drug use in our youth today makes for brighter futures tomorrow. Kids who begin using drugs and alcohol during their adolescent years are more likely to drop out of high school and struggle with substance abuse addiction in the future. Substance abuse prevention programs have been proven to be successful in lowering the statistics of drug and alcohol use in our youth. Here are some key components that make up a successful substance abuse prevention program.

8 Components of a Successful Substance Abuse Prevention Program

1.       Speak Directly to the Youth

A successful substance abuse prevention program must provide information that will effectively influence its target audience – the youth. Studies have shown that children and adolescents are most influenced by the present. Information that will likely have the greatest impact on them would be –

·         The negative consequences that drug and alcohol use will have on their life right now

·         For example, smoking causes bad breath and yellowing teeth vs. smoking can cause lung cancer later in life

2.       Teach Kids How to Resist Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is one of the biggest hurdles of a child’s adolescent years. There are so many pressures coming from all angles during the middle school and high school years – it is crucial for kids to be prepared for handling themselves in these difficult situations, so peer pressure is a very important component to a successful substance abuse prevention program.

3.       Focus on the Big Picture of Adolescent Life

There are so many outside factors that can contribute to teenagers using drugs and alcohol, so in order for a substance abuse prevention program to be effective, you have to also include a broader-base of skills training and health education, such as –

·         Stress management

·         Communication skills

·         Maintaining healthy self-esteem and self-confidence

·         Importance of exercise and maintaining your health

·         Importance of healthy relationships between family, friends and significant others

4.       Reverse the Normality of Drug Use in our Society

It is important to come up with methods that teach our youth that drug use is NOT normal. A good way to do this is to show examples of what happens to people who ‘normally’ abuse drugs and alcohol –

·         Mug shots

·         Before and after shots of people addicted to drugs

·         News articles of drug and alcohol related deaths

5.       Research and Address Community Specific Issues

What are the most common substance abuse issues in your community? It is important to educate our youth about the pressures that are most common in their community. These are the pressures that they are most likely to be faced with.

6.       Promote Healthy Parent-Child Relationships

Substance abuse prevention truly does start in a child’s home. The relationship that a teenager has with their parents can directly influence their likelihood of becoming involved with alcohol and drugs. Some key factors of a healthy parent-child relationship can include –

·         Good, open communication about the issues surrounding substance abuse

·         The ability for parents to trust their teenagers to make smart decisions

·         The ability for teenagers to come to their parents for help in difficult situations

7.       Incorporate Parent Education into the Program

It is just as important to educate parents about substance abuse prevention as it is to educate our youth. Parents need the proper information and resources to help their teens make smart, healthy decisions regarding alcohol, tobacco and drug use.

The Walton County Prevention Coalition is a substance abuse prevention coalition that prides itself on educating the members of our community about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and drug use in our youth. The first step to prevention is education, and the WCPC is dedicated to providing helpful information and resources to the parents and children of our community.