Depression / Self Injury

Facts:

• Teen suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. Nearly 5,000 teens commit suicide each year (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry).
• The ratio of male to female suicides is 4:1.  However, studies report young women attempt suicide twice as often as males, and that white males have the highest increase in suicide rates (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control).
• Girls think about suicide twice as much as boys. Girls will attempt suicide with drugs or cutting. Boys die by suicide four times more often than girls because they use more lethal methods (National Institute of Mental Health).
  

Consequences:

• Reports of suicide clusters, in which one suicide triggers several others within a school or community, have increased.
• Depression and self-injury can lead to feelings of suicide.
  

Getting Help:

• Tell someone! Contact an adult you trust, such as a parent, teacher, school counselor, a relative, doctor, clergy member, or coach.  Tell them how you feel and any reasons you think you might be suffering from depression.
• Depression and suicide are serious issues. Don’t ignore signs of depression. If you or someone you know is depressed or is talking about suicide, contact a school counselor.
  

Next steps:

• Educate yourself on signs, symptoms, and causes of depression.
• Write down your thoughts and feelings on paper. It is healthy to express your feelings rather than keep them inside.