What Can we Do to Protect Our Youth Against Suicide?
By Shivana Naidoo, MD
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, no matter the primary reason for my assessment, I always screen and address risk factors for youth suicide. This is a core part of training for all psychiatrists, and all levels of mental health professionals.
It’s easy to find information on individual and environmental risk factors for suicide. There are clear guidelines on safety measures that can reduce this risk. The most important and evidence-based, is the reduction of access to lethal means - such as reducing easy access to guns and prescription medications [1]. This simple act substantially reduces the risk of suicide attempts and is central to every safety plan. Just knowing this empowers parents to take action, safeguard their homes and prevent suicide.
What is much harder to find, is strong evidence for the protective factors against suicide. What are the traits, the mindset, and the patterns of action, for youth who may struggle with anxiety or even depression, but do not consider suicide at all?
How can we shift the focus from helping our youth simply survive, to instead shine in their brilliance and thrive?
Most of this research is being conducted with veterans and the military, but its insights are promising for a wider population [2]. There are internal and external factors that can be developed to help our youth shift their focus away from ending their life and towards embracing their life. These factors include:
connections to family, friends and community
coping and problem-solving skills
supportive and caring relationships with parents [3].
Our Bradley REACH programs aim to strengthen and encourage the development of each of these protective factors. In group therapy and skill-building groups, teenagers find that they are not alone, but part of a community focused on building wellness, where they can learn coping and problem-solving strategies.
In individual and family sessions they focus respectively on their relationships with themselves and their parents, strengthening both and ensuring a successful transition back to school.
While working with the psychiatrist, youth learn that they are not defined by a diagnosis, medication or past series of risky action. Instead, they are redefined by a collaborative relationship, where their goals for treatment and wellness are respected and honored.
Our goal in Bradley REACH is to do whatever we can to minimize the risk factors for suicide and maximize the protective factors for a long and healthy life. We aim to transfer this work to families and outside providers in order to make lasting changes.
For this May, and Mental Health Awareness Month, I urge you to consider how you can be an agent of change and build protective factors against youth suicide.
We can all create small shifts every day that can help build the resilience and strength of our youth. Can you help a young person learn to solve a problem? Could you help connect a youth to a community resource? Can you find a different way to show your child that you believe in them?
These efforts may seem miniscule. A small pebble dropped into a pond. Every pebble causes a ripple effect. When a youth is contemplating suicide, it may be your pebble that causes the ripple that sends the tidal wave of awareness that pushes that youth safely to shore.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Shivana Naidoo, MD
Psychiatrist at Bradley REACH in Florida
