In an action that complements the American Association of Suicidology’s recognition of May 5 – 11 as Suicide Prevention Week 2002, Missouri Governor Bob Holden has proclaimed May 6 – 10 as Adolescent Suicide Prevention Week in Missouri.

Many of us are familiar with the loss of young lives to AIDS, leukemia, heart disease and respiratory failure. But what most people don’t realize is that for young people aged 15 to 24, suicide claims more lives than those four illnesses combined.

In 2000, 97 adolescents completed suicide in Missouri; 30% of these teens resided in the greater St. Louis metro area. Even more unsettling is the estimation that for each completed suicide, as many as 100 to 200 adolescents make an attempt to end their lives. Clearly, adolescent suicide is a very real problem that warrants attention. Sadly, the reality of suicide remains obscured by stigma and fallacies.

Social stigma supports the belief that young people who attempt suicide are mentally unstable or suffer from a serious brain disorder. While undiagnosed depression is a risk factor, teenagers struggling with thoughts of suicide are typically experiencing overwhelming feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Their thoughts of suicide are not about dying, but desperation to find relief from a devastating emotional pain that feels permanent.

The assumption that talking about suicide will encourage or "plant" the idea is a fallacy. Themes of suicide can be found in movies, music and the media. It would be impossible to give someone thoughts of suicide because the topic exists in modern culture. Talking openly about the issue, understanding the facts and behaviors, and knowing the warning signs and interventions for suicide serve to make it a less likely option.

Warning signs of suicide would include:

• unexplained anxiety
• inappropriate talk of death or despair
• negative "self-talk"
• experiencing a loss, either real or perceived

Behaviors would include:

• observable change in a routine activity
• social isolation
• risk-taking activities
• making final arrangements, such as saying good bye, drafting a will or giving away a prized or sentimental possession

Once warning signs and behaviors have been identified, action is imperative. Interventions include:

• take threats seriously
• ask directly "are you having thoughts of suicide?"
• listen to and hear what the teen has to say
• avoid making judgments or giving solution(s)
• help identify someone the youth can talk to about their desperate feelings -- a relative, school counselor, co-worker, or crisis hotline.

Most importantly, never keep a plan of suicide a secret. Agreeing "not to tell" limits the resources and people who could help, creating greater risk.

Preventing suicide is something anyone can be prepared to do. Learn the warning signs, have the courage to follow through on "gut instincts," and have the confidence to take steps to intervene in the life of a troubled friend or peer. For help, call the KUTO Crisis Helpline at 888-644-5886, staffed by trained youth volunteers everyday after 4:00pm. For more information on adolescent suicide, contact Kids Under Twenty One at 314-963-7571, or visit www.KUTO.org.

Elizabeth Arn Makulec
Executive Director, Kids Under Twenty One

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