It is no secret that in Northern Virginia there has been an epidemic of suicides among adolescents over the past several years. In fact, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds, and the fifth leading cause of death for 5-14 year olds. If you visit almost any high school, students can tell you about a peer who committed suicide during their enrollment. In most cases, the teens that completed suicide did not tell anyone and were not receiving professional help at the time they killed themselves. The first rule of suicide prevention is there is no such thing as crying wolf. Any and every communication that mentions suicide or self-harm must be taken seriously, including notes in journals, text messages, emails, on Facebook, or involving other social media. Even the person who says they are joking about suicide should be taken very seriously.
The best way to find out if a person close to you is thinking about suicide is to ask. There is a misperception that bringing up the subject might start the person thinking about doing it. Years of research show that asking is the first step in preventing suicide, and I recommend bringing up the subject to anyone close to you if you suspect they may be having suicidal thoughts. There’s no need to water it down. Phrases such as, “Have you ever thought about suicide?” or “Are you thinking about hurting yourself, or about killing yourself?” may seem rather blunt, but being direct and honest could start a life saving conversation. Of course, if the answer is “yes” or anything but a very convincing “no,” it’s a medical emergency and should be handled by going to the nearest emergency room or calling 911 and telling the operator that you have a suicidal person in need of emergency help.
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOT-LINE
Are you in crisis? Please call 1-800-273-TALK
Are you feeling desperate, alone or hopeless? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 800 273 TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.
- Call for yourself or someone you care about
- Free and confidential
- A network of more than 150 crisis centers nationwide
- Available 24/7
At Fairfax Mental Health, our psychiatrists treat this and other conditions. Call us at 703-830-1500 to discuss your needs or schedule an appointment.
