U.S. teens face mental health challenges
06:02 - Source: CNN
CNN —
The rate of suspected suicides and suicide attempts by poisoning among young people rose sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, a new study says. Among children 10 to 12 years old, the rate increased more than 70% from 2019 to 2021.
The analysis, published Thursday in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, looked at what the National Poison Data System categorized as “suspected suicides” by self-poisoning for 2021 among people ages 10 to 19; the records included both suicide attempts and deaths by suicide.
The data showed that attempted suicides and suicides by poisoning increased 30% in 2021 compared with 2019, before the pandemic began.
Younger children, ages 10 to 12, had the biggest increase at 73%. For 13- to 15-year-olds, there was a 48.8% increase in suspected suicides and attempts by poisoning from 2019 to 2021. Girls seemed to be the most affected, with a 36.8% increase in suspected suicides and attempts by poisoning.
How to get help
In the US: Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Globally: The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.
“I think the group that really surprised us was the 10- to 12-year-old age group, where we saw a 73% increase, and I can tell you that from my clinical practice, this is what we’re seeing also,” said study co-author Dr. Chris Holstege, professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics chief at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “We’re seeing very young ages ages that I didn’t used to see attempting suicide by poisoning.
“It was pretty stunning from our perspective,” he said.
Twenty or so years ago, when he started working at the University of Virginia, he said, they rarely treated anyone ages 9 to 12 for suicide by poisoning. Now, it’s every week.
“This is an aberration that’s fairly new in our practice,” Holstege said.
Common medications
The records showed that many of the children used medicines that would be commonly found around the house, including acetaminophen, ibuprofen and diphenhydramine, which is sold under brand names including Benadryl.
There was a 71% jump from 2019 to 2021 in attempts at suicide using acetaminophen alone, Holstege said.
The choice of over-the-counter medications is concerning because children typically have easy access to these products, and they often come in large quantities.
Holstege encourages caregivers to keep all medications in lock boxes, even the seemingly innocuous over-the-counter ones.
If a child overdoses on something like acetaminophen or diphenhydramine, Holstege encourages parents to bring their children into the hospital without delay, because the toxicity of the drug worsens over time. It’s also a good idea to call a poison center, a confidential resource that is available around the clock.
“We want to make sure that the children are taken care of in regards to their mental health but also in regards to the poisoning if there’s suspicion that they took an overdose,” he said.
Pandemic exacerbated problems
There were limitations to the data used in the new study. It captured only the number of families or institutions that reached out to the poison control line; it cannot account for those who attempted suicide by means other than poison. It also can’t capture exactly how many children or families sought help from somewhere other than poison control, so the increase in suspected suicides could be higher.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has noted that the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated existing mental health struggles that existed even. In 2021, the group called child and adolescent mental health a “national emergency.” Emergency room clinicians across the country have also said they’ve seen record numbers of children with mental health crises, including attempts at suicide.
In 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death among children ages 10 to 14 and the third leading cause among those 15 to 24, according to the CDC.
Although the height of the pandemic is over, kids are still emotionally vulnerable, experts warn. Previous attempts at suicide have been found to be the “strongest predictor of subsequent death by suicide,” the study said.
“An urgent need exists to strengthen programs focused on identifying and supporting persons at risk for suicide, especially young persons,” the study said.
Research has shown that there is a significant shortage of trained professionals and treatment facilities that can address the number of children who need better mental health care. In August, the Biden administration announced a plan to make it easier for millions of kids to get access to mental and physical health services at school.
At home, experts said, families should constantly check in with children to see how they are doing emotionally. Caregivers also need to make sure they restrict access to “lethal means,” like keeping medicines – even over-the-counter items – away from children and keeping guns locked up.
Connecting kids to care
Dr. Aron Janssen, vice chair of clinical affairs at the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Lurie Children’s in Chicago, said he is not surprised to see the increase in suspected suicides, “but it doesn’t make it any less sad.”
Janssen, who did not work on the new report, called the increase “alarming.”
The rates of suicide attempts among kids had been increasing even prior to the pandemic, he said, “but this shows Covid really supercharged this as a phenomenon.
“We see a lot of kids who lost access to social supports increasingly isolated and really struggling to manage through day to day.”
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Janssen said that he and his colleagues believe these suspected suicides coincide with increased rates of depression and anxiety and a sense of real dread about the future.
One of the biggest concerns is that “previous suicide attempts is the biggest predictor of later suicide completion,” he said. “We really want to follow these kids over time to better understand how to support them, to make sure that we’re doing everything within our power to help steer them away from future attempts.”
Janssen said it’s important to keep in mind that the vast majority of children survived even the worst of the pandemic and did quite well. There are treatments that work, and kids who can get connected to the appropriate care – including talk therapy and, in some cases, medication – can and do get better.
“We do see that. We do see improvement. We do see efficacy of our care,” Janssen said. “We just have to figure out how we can connect kids to care.”
FAQs
Is suicide the fourth leading cause of death among 15 19 year olds? ›
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds. The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
Is suicide the #2 cause of death among youth? ›Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Is suicide the ________ leading cause of death in adolescence? ›Contact Us. Suicide is intentional self-harm that results in death. Among children between the ages of 15 and 19, suicide is the second leading cause of death, and the leading cause of death for 14- to 15-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the common causes of suicide in students with examples? ›Suicide among teens often happens after a stressful life event, such as problems at school, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a major family conflict. Teens who are thinking about suicide might: talk about suicide or death in general.
What is the #1 cause of teenage deaths? ›What Is The Primary Cause Of Teenage Deaths? According to the CDC, the primary cause of teenage deaths is injuries sustained from accidents. Accidents are responsible for almost one-half of all adolescent deaths.
What are the three leading causes of death among 15-24 year olds? ›The patterns of death in those aged 15 to 24 years reflect the underlying risk profiles of the age groups, with a shift away from infectious diseases of childhood and towards accidents and injuries, self-harm and interpersonal violence. Sex differences in mortality rates become apparent in adolescence.
What is the #2 cause of death college students? ›Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, with approximately 1,100 suicides occurring each year in the U.S., and depression increases a person's risk by 70%. Other common causes include alcohol-related accidents (2%), hazing (7.8%) and motor vehicle accidents (4%).
Is 2 suicide the 2nd leading cause of death among 15 24 year olds? ›Suicide is a significant cause of premature death because it is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10–14, 15–24, and 25–34 (Table LCODAge) (2).
Is suicide the 2 leading cause of death for college students? ›A 2013 study of 157 four-year colleges published in the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy found that the suicide was the second-leading cause of death for college students, following accidental injury. Suicide was more common than death by cancer, homicide, or alcohol-related injuries.
What is the most common cause of death during childhood? ›The information below is from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Accidents (unintentional injuries) are, by far, the leading cause of death among children and teens. 0 to 1 year: Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth.
What is the most frequent cause of death during childhood psychology? ›
Accidents, known as unintentional injury, become the leading cause of death throughout childhood and early adulthood.
At what age do children accept death as universal and final? ›In stage 2 (ages 5-9), children begin to comprehend the finality of death, but believe that it happens only to other people. In the third stage (after age 10), the causes of death can be understood, and death is perceived as final, inevitable, and associated with the cessation of bodily activities.
What are the deep rooted problems of student suicides? ›Family problems Physical & mental Illnesses. Drug addiction. Love failures. Financial problems.
What are the leading causes of suicide in college students? ›Academic Pressure
Students relying on unhelpful coping strategies to deal with prolonged academic stress may eventually feel chronic anxiety and hopelessness, both of which can lead to depressive symptoms.
- Suicide.
- Nonalcohol vehicular.
- Alcohol-related vehicular.
- Nonalcohol nontraffic injury.
- Cancer.
- Alcohol-related nontraffic injury.
- Homicide.
- Heart disease: 695,547.
- Cancer: 605,213.
- COVID-19: 416,893.
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 224,935.
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 162,890.
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 142,342.
- Alzheimer's disease: 119,399.
- Diabetes: 103,294.
Accidents are the leading cause of death for people aged 25-44, followed by suicide and cancer. For those 65 and older, the top causes of death are roughly the same as the top causes of death for the overall population (heart disease and cancer). This is because those 65 and older made up 74% of all deaths in 2018.
What is the leading cause of death in the world? ›Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death globally. In the map we see death rates from cardiovascular diseases across the world.
What age has the highest death rate? ›The current age distribution of deaths is dominated by the middle-age population, ages 25-64, driven by the opioid epidemic.
What happens after death? ›Your heart stops beating. Your brain stops. Other vital organs, including your kidneys and liver, stop. All your body systems powered by these organs shut down, too, so that they're no longer capable of carrying on the ongoing processes understood as, simply, living.
What is the #1 killer of college students? ›
In colleges and universities in the United States, suicide is one of the most common causes of death among students. Each year, approximately 24,000 college students attempt suicide while 1,100 students succeed in their attempt, making suicide the second-leading cause of death among U.S. college students.
What is the number one killer of college aged people in America? ›In 202 responding institutions providing information on 327 deaths over 10 years, the five leading causes by proportion were accidents (26.3%), suicide (8.0%), heart and circulatory diseases (7.7%), pneumonia (7.3%) and tuberculosis (6.4%).
What are the three main categories of causes of death? ›Causes of death can be grouped into three categories: communicable (infectious and parasitic diseases and maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions), noncommunicable (chronic) and injuries.
What is the most common cause of death in the adolescent age group quizlet? ›Communicable disease such as diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, and meningitis are among the leading causes of adolescent mortality.
Is suicide the leading cause of death among 15 24 year olds? ›Suicide affects people of all ages.
In 2021, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 20-34.
Accidents are the most prominent cause of death for young men and women.
What degree has the highest suicide rate? ›- Medical Doctors.
- Dentists.
- Police Officers.
- Veterinarians.
- Financial Services.
- Real Estate Agents.
- Electricians.
- Lawyers.
College Suicide: Statistics and Risk Factors
Students with lower GPAs, disabilities, or who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, are at increased risk. Other risk factors include: Mental health disorders, especially mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and certain personality disorders.
Many college students feel isolated and alone, and may not have anyone to turn to when they are struggling. This can make it difficult to cope with mental health issues and can lead to thoughts of suicide. Students from marginalized backgrounds carry more unseen burdens that put them at elevated risk for suicide.
What is the leading cause of death in children 14 and under? ›Injuries (including road traffic injuries and drowning) are the leading causes of death among older children and young adolescents. In fact, injuries rank among the top causes of death and lifelong disability among those aged 5–14 years.
What are the 7 most common causes of death in children under five years? ›
The leading causes of death in children under 5 years are preterm birth complications, birth asphyxia/trauma, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, all of which can be prevented or treated with access to affordable interventions in health and sanitation.
What is the second leading cause of unintentional death for teenagers? ›Suicide is the second overall leading cause of death among adolescents and is a growing problem.
Which behaviors caused the most deaths? ›Comment: According to a study in the March 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, preventable behaviors such as tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity are the underlying cause of half of deaths in the United States.
What is the most common cause of death in middle and late childhood? ›Accidents and falls are the most common cause of severe bodily injury and death in middle and late childhood.
What is the most serious risk of childhood depression? ›Factors associated with childhood depression include inconsistent parenting, stressful life experiences, and a negative way of viewing the world. Research suggests that parental patterns of irritability and withdrawal lead to low self-esteem in the child, and this poor self-image predisposes the child to depression.
Are you still a parent if your child dies? ›Our lives can easily be defined by our children and our role as a parent. Who are you now that your child has died? You are still a parent; a grieving parent. Your child will always be a part of you and your family.
At what age does a child begin to accept the fact that death is permanent? ›Older children between the ages of 6 and 11 years start to understand that death is forever (though some 6-year-olds will still struggle with this concept) and may worry that other loved family members and friends will die. They may start to ask more questions and want to understand what happened.
What age is considered an early death? ›What is Premature Death? Early death, also called premature death, occurs earlier than the average age of death in a population. In the United States, that age is around 75 years old. A lot of illness can happen in the first 74 years of life, yet the majority of early deaths have just a handful of causes.
Which type of mental disorder has the highest risk of suicide? ›Depression is a common thread throughout the articles, also known to be the most common disorder among people who die by suicide.
What were ancient thoughts on suicide? ›In ancient Greece suicide was considered a disgraceful act. A person who had committed suicide thus did not receive the death rites accorded common citizens. Life was considered a gift bestowed by the Gods, and life and death was subjected to the will of the Gods.
What is the root cause of suicide? ›
Individual Risk Factors
History of depression and other mental illnesses. Serious illness such as chronic pain. Criminal/legal problems. Job/financial problems or loss.
Between 2007 and 2017, nine Harvard undergraduates in Massachusetts took their own lives, according to an investigation by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting. Six of them, including Tang, were of Asian descent. Asian Americans only make up about 20 percent of Harvard's undergraduate student body.
What is the 2nd leading cause of death for college students? ›Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, with approximately 1,100 suicides occurring each year in the U.S., and depression increases a person's risk by 70%. Other common causes include alcohol-related accidents (2%), hazing (7.8%) and motor vehicle accidents (4%).
How much does academic pressure affect suicide rates? ›The results showed that the addition of academic stress accounted for an additional 3 % of significant variance in suicidal ideation.
What is the most frequent cause of death during childhood? ›The information below is from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Accidents (unintentional injuries) are, by far, the leading cause of death among children and teens. 0 to 1 year: Developmental and genetic conditions that were present at birth.
What is the most frequent cause of death in middle adulthood? ›In middle and late adulthood cancer and heart disease become the leading killers.
What is the fourth leading cause of death in 15 29 year olds? ›Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide among 15–29-year-olds (WHO, 2021).
In which age group is suicide the is the fourth leading cause of death? ›Suicide was the third leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24, the fourth leading cause of death for ages 35 to 44, and the seventh leading cause of death for ages 55 to 64. Although suicide has historically been among the top 10 leading causes of death, it was not in 2020.
What is the third most common cause of death in the 15 to 24 year old age group quizlet? ›Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in the United States and the 3rd leading cause of death in ages 15-24 years.
What is the leading cause of death in the US for children ages 5 to 14? ›Injuries (including road traffic injuries and drowning) are the leading causes of death among older children and young adolescents.
What are the top 15 causes of death in the USA? ›
- Heart disease: 695,547.
- Cancer: 605,213.
- COVID-19: 416,893.
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 224,935.
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 162,890.
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 142,342.
- Alzheimer's disease: 119,399.
- Diabetes: 103,294.
U.S. death rate falls as COVID slips to 4th most common cause of death.
What are the three leading causes of death for all age groups? ›- Heart disease. 24.2%
- Cancer. 22.5%
- Unintentional injuries. 7.4%
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases. 5.2%
- Stroke. 4.2%
- Diabetes. 3.1%
- Alzheimer's disease. 2.5%
- Suicide. 2.5%
On a national scale, not only is trauma the leading cause of death for people ages 1 – 44, it's also the #1 cause of loss of productivity and loss of lifestyle for that same age group.
Which drug do high school seniors use most? ›High school students in the United States abuse alcohol more than any other drug. By the 12th grade, more than 2/3 of students have tried alcohol.
What is the leading cause of death in the under 40? ›Accidents. Better safe than sorry is an important adage as accidents are the leading cause of death in this age group. Knowing that 22% are from auto accidents is another cause for concern. Buckle up, drive responsibly, and put your cell phone down to save lives, including your own.