6 Myths About Suicide Every Parent Should Know

The steadily rising numbers of children and teens who are having suicidal thoughts, or are engaging in self-harming, and attempting suicide, are extremely alarming.  The stigma which surrounds suicide, acts prohibitively, leading researchers to believe that the accuracy of these statistics is questionable. Many suicidal attempts and completions are under-reported, and the most precise numbers may be even higher.

The Center for Disease Control recently reported that school stress, bullying, gun violence, anxiety, viewing graphic media which is often traumatizing, and easy access to self-harm information, are major contributors to the increase in suicides.  A current study indicates that electronic aggression (sustained, ceaseless, cyber harassment and cyberbullying) is quickly becoming a verified public health problem.

Why Myths About Youth Suicide are Prevalent

Caring and authoritative parenting is critical to the well being and healthy maturation of every child. The effort parents invest in teaching their children to problem solve, persevere, share feelings, develop healthy interests and relationships, interact with integrity and strategize about risk taking, result in happy, confident, and successful future adults.  Unfortunately, parents rarely talk with their children about mental health and suicide. The subject is daunting and uncomfortable for both parents and children.  The dialogue is often stilted because of the fear of saying the wrong thing, misinformation, ignorance about the appropriate questions to ask, the risk factors that questioning might evoke, and what follow up, responsible actions to take. These “unknowns” are all impeding critical communication.

Myths are rampant wherever accurate information is non-existent.  With suicide statistics catapulting this intentional self-harm into the second leading cause of death among our youth, parents can no longer ignore the issue. Caring parents must educate themselves to sort fact from fiction, myth and misconception from truth, and the proper proactivity which must be taken to save children’s lives.

6 Common Myths about Youthful/Teen Suicide

No parent wants to be uninformed when it comes to the health and wellness of their children.  The following myths, when debunked, and replaced by the truth and factual rhetoric, could be the springboard needed to begin a conversation that just might be lifesaving.

1. Myth:  Asking children and teens if they have had, or are having suicidal thoughts, may inadvertently encourage the act.

Fact:  It is crucial that you ask your child or teen if they are having these thoughts, if you feel that they may be struggling.  Keep calm. Have a loving, empathetic and meaningful dialogue with them. Ask about their concerns and problems.  Demonstrate a willingness to find solutions, with and for them, by getting some professional assistance. Keep positivity flowing as you plan the steps to solve these serious issues together.

2. Myth:  Children and Teens are always sullen and sad before committing suicide.

Fact:    Children and teens are still in the development stage of maturation.  Unlike adult thinking, they do not exhibit obvious feelings of sadness. They may be quiet and withdrawn or spend more time isolated from friends, and family involvement, but they can also exhibit happy moments. All teens have mixed emotions due to hormone imbalances, and often depression doesn’t fully develop or dissipates. Discerning suicidal thoughts is not an easy task for parents. Often teens take this action as an unplanned response to a very stressful experience such as cyberbullying, loss of a good friend, or failing to achieve a desired goal. Getting your children to talk about school interactions, their expectations and self-discovery, can reveal any number of issues which they need to share. Show your interest with open-ended questions about their lives and activities. Know their friends and social groups.  Hover when necessary.

3. Myth:  Teens who attempt to commit suicide are just seeking attention.

Fact:      Normal adolescent and teen behavior is often steeped in secrecy, as they try to act independently, and put distance between themselves and parents to “grow up”. If your child is talking about suicide, it is an overt plea for help.  Get professional help immediately.

4. Myth:  Teens who commit suicide spend an exorbitant amount of time and effort planning the action.

Fact:  Only about 13% of teens take the time to plan an attempt to commit suicide.  If they are battling depression or another undiagnosed illness, the feelings of suffering dissipate, and no action is taken. There are many symptoms of depression and emotional pain that children and teens can exhibit. Know your child.  Observe their interactions.  Ask what is going on. Keep vigilant about their online experiences, and the social groups and friends with whom they spend a lot of time.  Clues are there, and cogent parents need to know them.

5. Myth:  Children and teens who are not successful in completing suicidal acts, were never seriously wishing to die.

Fact:    If a child or teen has failed in their attempt to commit suicide, they are exhibiting the need to surrender to excruciating emotional pain. No one wants to die.  The children want the pain to stop and cannot cope with it any longer.  Without professional help, and unconditional love and support, they will attempt this action again.  Studies show that a second attempt at suicide, very often, has a lethal result. It is imperative that we listen and recognize the calls for help, no matter how subtle. The Fipple app never rests and gives 24/7 monitoring and alerts to any language, texts, emails, or social chatter that speaks to warning signs.

6. Myth:  Suicide among children and teens is still a very rare occurrence.

Fact:   Suicide rates are climbing, and this act of self-harm has become the second leading cause of death in our youth ages 10-18.  Suicide is now a very serious health problem. Its harmful effects on families and communities is devastating and long-lasting.

 

It is 2018. The technology is staggeringly brilliant.  A probe is in space, right now, and on its way to survey the sun’s off- gassing as a possible future energy source.  A business man is President.  All this innovation, and extraordinary discovery is taking place at warp speed.  Yet our children, teens, college students, middle-age men and the elderly are contemplating, and or, acting on an egregious need to stop hurting, called suicide.

It is time for parents, teachers, schools, and communities to bring awareness of this very real crisis to the forefront.  Children need to be screened at an early age, to determine if mental health issues are present.  Bullying must not be tolerated by society, without consequences. Cyberspace must help stop the bullying by banning any suspicious behavior.

The Fipple app is a critical tool in keeping our children safe. As parents we can’t be everywhere nor hear everything, spoken, typed nor inferred. Fipple does and it never rests. Learn more at Fipple.com.