Breaking the Silence: Confronting the Alarming Increase in Youth Suicides in the U.S.
Trigger Warning: This post discusses disturbing trends in adolescent suicide. Please check in with yourself before you read further.
Over the years, I have been following the increase in suicide attempts among adolescents. I was aware of increasing disparities when we look at the intersections of race and gender that are hidden when we focus only on death rates. For example, Black female adolescents are more likely to attempt suicide, Black male adolescents are more likely to die from their attempt.
While updating readings for my Stress Management course at Cal State Fullerton, I came across numbers from the Kaiser Family Foundation report that even I was truly unprepared for:
Between 2012 to 2022, the following percentage point increases were seen among adolescents in the US:
128.6% among Black adolescents
71.6% among Indigeneous (AI/AN) adolescents
48% among Asian adolescents
30% among Hispanic/Latino/a/x adolescents
25.7% among White adolescents
I remind my students that this data is more than numbers.
Data represents lives.
In this case, lives are cut short.
Families and friends who hold stories of unfathomable loss. Pain intertwines with memories, questions that go unanswered, hopes that go unfulfilled, love that forever echoes in the wind.
I remind my students to care for themselves as they prepare to enter this work as it can be deeply triggering.
I try to be gentle with myself. I want to keep honoring not only those I have lost and those who struggle but also my own needs and my own journey.
We can’t do this work if we don’t care for ourselves. Helpers are not immune to pain. This is a cycle of humanity.
To read more, see the full article on the Kaiser Family Foundation website: Recent trends in mental health and substance use concerns among adolescents
If you or someone you know is in crisis or in need of support, please reach out to one of the following:
Call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. at 988
Reach out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helpline by calling 800-950-NAMI or visit their website at www.nami.org
Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-HELP