Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSuicide StatisticsRisk Factors of Teen and Adolescent SuicideWarning Signs of SuicideWhat Colleges Are DoingHow Parents Can HelpWhat to Do in a Crisis

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Suicide Statistics

Risk Factors of Teen and Adolescent Suicide

Warning Signs of Suicide

What Colleges Are Doing

How Parents Can Help

What to Do in a Crisis

Close

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), thesuicide rateamong young adults ages 15–24 has tripled since the 1950s.Suicideis currently the second most common cause of death among college students.

These young people are often away from home and friends for the first time. They’re living with strangers, far from their support systems, and working under intense pressure—with disrupted sleeping, eating, and exercise patterns. You could hardly design a morestressful atmosphere, particularly when depression or other mental health issues enter the picture.

Press Play to Learn More About Suicide & Suicidal IdeationThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring psychiatrist Mark Goulston, shares why people have suicidal thoughts, why you shouldn’t blame yourself if you’ve lost someone to suicide, and what to do if you are having suicidal thoughts. Click below to listen now.

Press Play to Learn More About Suicide & Suicidal Ideation

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring psychiatrist Mark Goulston, shares why people have suicidal thoughts, why you shouldn’t blame yourself if you’ve lost someone to suicide, and what to do if you are having suicidal thoughts. Click below to listen now.

Young Adult Suicide Statistics

In a recent study published inDepression and Anxietyof more than 67,000 college students from more than 100 institutions, one in five students have had thoughts of suicide, with 9% making an attempt and nearly 20% reportingself-injury.One in four students reported being diagnosed with a mental illness.

The primary risk factors that have been identified for teen and adolescent suicide include the following:

Recognizing the warning signs of suicide is one way to protect your teen or adolescent from suicide. According to theSuicide Awareness/Voices of Education (SA/VE)website, the following may indicate that your loved one urgently needs help:

Those who are passively suicidal or have only vague ideas of wanting to die should still be taken very seriously, and arrangements should be made for them to see a therapist or psychiatrist.

Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Suicide

Many colleges have expanded their mental health counseling services and suicide and depression awareness programs, including training dormitory resident assistants (RAs). Cornell University has even trained its dorm custodians to be on the lookout for troubled students. Many campuses have increasedstress-reduction programsto help students manage stress so it does not become unbearable.

The Best Online Therapy Programs for Kids

How Parents and Family Can Help

Even if your child is away from home, there are ways you can help prevent suicide and safeguard their mental health.

Stay Involved

Attend their sporting events, performances, and other activities. Talk to teachers and faculty if you sense that their schoolwork is suffering, their grades are dropping, or they quit clubs or organizations on campus.

Keep in Touch

Freshmen especially need to know that thefamily supportthey relied on during childhood is still there, even long distance. Use whatever means they are most comfortable with to talk often—text, phone, Facebook chat, or Facetime.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

If you sense a problem is bothering your teen or college student, don’t pry or panic. Askopen-ended questionsand listen carefully to their answers, their tone of voice, and their willingness to share. Avoid criticism, harsh words, or impatience.

Promote Self-Care

5 Types of Self-Care for Every Area of Your Life

Share Your Struggles

Share some of the struggles you had when you were younger. Saying “I’ve been there” can be the difference between your teen or young adult feeling heard and seen and feeling invisible. They may act like they don’t care about what you say or show no interest, but they will most likely hear it anyway.

Monitor Social Media

This pertains to younger teens who are less likely to realize the emotional impact that social media can have on them, including cyberbullying, feelings of inadequacy, and finding out that they have been excluded from social activities. Studies have shown a direct correlation between the rise in social media use and the rise inteen depression.

How to Help Your Depressed Teen

Suicidal behavior is an indication of deep psychological pain. Your child is asking for your help. During a crisis situation, be sure to follow these do’s and don’ts:

If your teen seems in immediate danger of a suicide attempt, call 911 or your local emergency room and ask for assistance. Because medication and therapy take some time to become effective, it may be necessary for your child to be hospitalized for their own protection.

Teen Suicide Prevention

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Rosiek A, Rosiek-Kryszewska A, Leksowski Ł, Leksowski K.Chronic stress and suicidal thinking among medical students.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016;13(2):212. doi:10.3390/ijerph13020212

Liu CH, Stevens C, Wong SHM, Yasui M, Chen JA.The prevalence and predictors of mental health diagnoses and suicide among U.S. college students: Implications for addressing disparities in service use.Depress Anxiety. 2019;36(1):8-17. doi:10.1002/da.22830

Grades Fixer.Mental Health Counselors and Resources for College Students.

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