West Virginia Executive - Summer 2012

experience social isolation and the internalization of problems.

Such factors are associated with suicide risk; therefore, the children who are at most risk for suicide are those who are bullied.

In this country an average of one youth completes suicide every two hours, and in West Virginia suicide is the second leading cause of death for our youth ages 15-24. While statistics representing adolescent suicide are alarming, the numbers aren’t important when you are talking about the loss of someone’s loved one. When we lose one of our young people to suicide, somewhere someone has lost a son or daughter, nephew or niece, brother or sister, grandchild or friend.

Since suicide is a preventable death, we have to acknowledge the risk factors in our youth and intervene before it is too late.

Eighty percent of individuals who are thinking about suicide communicate their intentions in either a verbal or behavioral manner. Whether present independently or in addition to other risk factors, it’s important to know what to look for. Though not all adolescents exhibit the same signs, there are some common factors identified with increased risk. In general, a change in behavior or interaction is a sign that there is something going on.

Other warning signs include ideation, substance abuse, anxiety, withdrawal, anger, recklessness, mood changes, hopelessness and feelings of being trapped. All signs are worth recognizing, and knowing the signs precipitates interaction, contributing to intervention and, ultimately, deterring the action of suicide. It is our responsibility to be educated and available to youth in need of our help in order to ensure we don’t continue to lose our children to a most preventable death. 