Addressing Youth Suicide In NH: Don’t Be Afraid To Talk About Mental Health
The Problem: Youth Suicide Is On The Rise
In New Hampshire, suicide is the second leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults age 15-to-24-years-old. This age group is considered high risk because they are facing many uncertainties as they transition from high school to college to the “real world”.
The problem of youth suicide is not new news – it was a problem before the pandemic, and it appears to be getting worse.
According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), during 2019, a total of 18.8% of high school students seriously considered taking their own life, with prevalence highest among:
Females (24.1%)
Persons who reported having sex with persons of the same or both sexes (54.2%)
Persons who identify as lesbian, gay or bi-sexual (46.8%)
According to the World Health Organization, worldwide, 10% of children and adolescents experience a mental disorder, but the majority of them do not seek help or receive care.
90% of people who die by suicide have a clinically diagnosable mental illness at the time of their death.
Risk factors include: mood disorders; substance abuse; feelings of distress, irritability or agitation; feeling hopeless or worthless; a family history of depression/suicide; emotional, physical or sexual abuse; lack of peer/parental support and social isolation.
Another disturbing trend: a growing number of preteens have tried to end their lives. Suicide Rate Is Spiking Upwards in Preadolescent Children (usnews.com)
According to Health Day News, there has been a 4.5-fold increase in suicidal ingestion cases among children ages 10-12 since 2000.
When looking at data from the National Poison Data System for children ages 6-18, recreational ingestion stayed constant, but suicidal ingestions increased dramatically.
What’s Being Done To Address Teen Suicide In New Hampshire?
Training. After losing 3 students to suicide, the Dover High School Class of 2022 decided to take action. 30 students and 15 teachers received youth suicide prevention training as part of NAMI-NH’s “Connect” Youth Suicide Prevention program. The training focuses on identifying risk factors of a mental health crisis and steps to keeping a suicidal person safe. These participants will go on to train others in the school system, working with NAMI-NH and Dover Mental Health Alliance – both organizations provide support and resources.
Dover High School Class of 2022 seeks solutions after 3 suicides (fosters.com)
Dover Mental Health Alliance – Community support for Mental Wellness
Increased Funding. In 2021, Gov. Sununu announced that the state of New Hampshire is investing up to $100 million in mental health services following a recent state Supreme Court ruling to help psychiatric patients who are being held involuntarily in emergency rooms. A combination of federal and state funds will support 30 new emergency beds at hospitals, 60 new transitional housing beds and 20 long-term care community beds, new mobile crisis teams and other services. NH Investing Up to $100M in Mental Health Services – NBC Boston
99 Faces: Reducing The Stigma and Raising Awareness About Mental Health. Boston artist Lynda Michaud Cutrell started the 99 Faces Project: Portraits Without Labels four years ago in an effort to trigger conversations that normalize mental health in today’s society. The exhibit consists of large-scale portraits of 33 people with bi-polar disorder; 33 people with schizophrenia and 33 people who love them – and you can’t tell the difference by looking at them, which is exactly the point. Over the years, the exhibit has been on display throughout NH, including at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, St. Anselms College and most recently, in July, at Dover High School. Cutrell herself conducted exhibit tours that were followed by community conversation about mental health in the school library. Dover Mental Health Alliance presents 99 Faces Project (nh.gov)
988 Crisis Line Now Available in NH: The 988 lifeline launched on July 16th and serves as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the NH Rapid Response system currently in place. For a local response every time, those in need of mental health services can continue to contact NH Rapid Response at 1-833-710-6477. Those experiencing a mental health crisis can call the memorable 988 number and they’ll be connected to a trained counselor at a crisis center closest to them. If a local crisis center is too busy to respond right away, the call gets routed to one of 16 backup centers around the country. The 988 suicide hotline has launched. Here’s how it works : Shots – Health News : NPR
What To Do When Talking With Someone You Suspect May Be Considering Suicide
Listen with empathy but without judgment. For example, say “I’ve noticed you’re sleeping in lately” as opposed to “Why are you sleeping so much lately?”
Start the conversation, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. According to Susan Tellone, Clinical Director for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, it’s important to open the conversation about mental health. Begin by asking, “are you OK?” A follow-up question, “if you’re not OK, what is going on in your life right now that is making you feel sad?” Finally, “Has it gotten so bad that you’re actually thinking about not wanting to live?” Let them know you are there for them and you are listening by saying “tell me more.”
Notice When Behavior Changes. If things don’t seem normal – if you’re noticing things like changes in sleep patterns; noticeable weight loss/gain; loss of interest in normal activities; sudden drops in academic performance; extreme moodiness (excessive crying or anger); or social isolation – ask what’s going on.
Get Help. Know when it is time to confide in a trusted adult or medical expert who can lead the way to mental health resources, including counselors and treatment centers.
For more information about NH treatment centers:
