The rising rate of suicide among teens is cause for concern, and most teens who develop depression – which can put them at greater risk for taking their own lives – never receive treatment.
Currently, suicide is the third most common cause of death in 10- to 14-year-olds, as well as in older teens and young, college-age adults. In addition, the rates of depression in both boys and girls are increasing, with girls suffering depression more frequently than their male counterparts.
In most cases where teens kill themselves, there were red flags, which are often missed. Teens are frequently overlooked for the diagnosis of depression because, unlike adults, they may appear to be fine and even feel fine for periods of the day, and then have terrible periods of feeling either sad, hopeless and even worthless or guilty. Or they may instead appear irritable and angry. This can be difficult to distinguish from “adolescent angst” and therefore may be misinterpreted as just typical teen behavior.
Like adults, teens may have sleep disturbance and experience changes in appetite, loss of concentration, social withdrawal and a drop in grades. Depressed teens are at even greater risk of suicide than adults, because teens are more likely than adults to act impulsively. Teens who are sad or irritable for prolonged periods or who no longer take pleasure in being with people or participating in activities they previously enjoyed should be asked about how they’re feeling and doing. Parents should make it clear to their teens that it’s OK to talk about these concerns and important to get help with depression.
The reasons girls are more likely to struggle with depression than boys remain unclear. The shift in females having depression more frequently than males happens with puberty; likely there is something about the shift in hormones and its impact on the brain that increases the risk for depression. In addition, women and men have differences in brain structure, and it’s unclear how this may also play a role. Teen girls are more frequently affected by partner abuse, which is a risk factor for depression. Girls are also bigger users of social media, and recent research shows that greater consumption of social media is connected to depression; what’s more, girls are more likely than boys to be victims of cyberbullying, and bullying of any type is linked to a greater likelihood of developing depression.
In this day and age of increasing economic stressors, and amid concerns about whether there will be opportunities to prosper and rising violence, teenagers are aware and affected by a worrisome future. Social media has made teens far more aware of these growing threats and yet they may feel helpless to make real changes. Building coping skills to manage growing anxiety or depression is essential for adolescents to maintain mental health. Adequate sleep, exercise, avoiding drugs and alcohol, regulating social media exposure and having people to be able to really talk with go a long way toward feeling emotionally well.
One of every 11 teens will develop depression. Looking for the signs and symptoms and being willing to ask about what else might be going on and if they have any thoughts of suicide can make the difference in getting depressed teens the treatment they need and preventing self-harm.
Look for these red flags: change in mood or increased irritability; being increasingly withdrawn, including from friends; a dip in school performance; and loss of motivation or concentration. If you have any inkling something is wrong, ask your teen directly if he or she has had thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
If your teen is having suicidal thoughts or making plans to attempt suicide, get your child to see a mental health professional immediately. Suicide is preventable and depression is treatable, but it’s critical that parents intervene as early as possible to get teens the help they need.
By Dr. Gail Saltz
7 February 2017
