Teen Suicide

Suicide awareness is an important part of suicide prevention. We must recognize that teen suicide is a growing problem in the United States. There are 5,000 teens who take their own lives each year. In fact, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24, behind motor vehicle accidents and homicide. Alarmingly, it is estimated that for every completed suicide, there are 25 more suicide attempts. Understanding the risk factors and warning signs of teen suicide may help people know when to intervene and save a life before it's too late.

There are certain factors that make suicide seem a more desirable option for some teens. Untreated clinical depression is present in the majority of all cases. A family history of suicidal tendencies, mental disorders, and substance abuse problems also put a teen at greater risk. In addition, a teen is more likely to attempt suicide if they have fallen victim to mental, physical or sexual abuse, have suffered a loss, or have a stressful home life. Incidentally, suicide is more prevalent in males. However, females make more suicide attempts, while males are more likely to die from them.

Suicide threats or talking about suicide should always be taken seriously. However, often teens isolate themselves from others and the warning is not so clear. Signs of depression, behavioral changes, giving away possessions, taking excessive risks, drug use, and loss of interest in usual activities may all be precursors to a suicide attempt. Teens who are in danger may exhibit a preoccupation with death and dying. They often don't want to commit suicide, but feel that there is no hope for a better future and that it is their only option.

In order to prevent teen suicide, it is important to keep an active line of communication with your teen. If you suspect that they are depressed, ask them directly about suicidal thoughts. Listen openly without judging and offer support. If your child or someone you know appears to be in imminent danger of hurting him/her self, do not leave them alone. Get professional help immediately.

Heroin Abuse Amongst Teens

It is encouraging to know that heroin use amongst teenagers was on a steady decline for awhile. With anti-drug campaigns and drug education, teens demonstrated that they were understanding the risks associated with the drug. In 2001, the total number of teens that reported using heroin in their lifetime was 3.1%. That number decreased to 2.4% by 2007. However, according to national statistics, heroin use among teens has all of a sudden doubled over the past 2 years.

Substance abuse in teens typically begins with smoking and drinking. Although heroin is considered a “hard” drug and is a lot less common, it's rise in popularity appears to be linked to Oxycontin, a prescription pain killer. The abuse of Oxycontin has been steadily increasing over the years and is said to be the gateway to heroin abuse. Like heroin, it is an opium based drug and highly addictive. It is believed by many that teens who develop a dependence on Oxycontin often switch to heroin because it is cheaper and provides a more intense high.

Heroin can be identified as a powder that varies in color from white to light brown, depending on what country it comes from. However, the majority of it resembles light brown sugar. Identifying heroin use in teens can be difficult. Although, the warning signs that are often present with any substance abuse include a change in attitude, friends, issues at school, and the desire to be more isolated. Due to the fact that heroin is most commonly injected, paraphernalia such as needles may be found. Also, track marks are usually seen at the site of injection.

If your teen or someone you know is abusing heroin, it is time to act quickly. Addiction recovery can be very difficult and highly unpleasant. However, success rates for recovery increase with early intervention. Due to the nature of heroin withdrawal and the severe physiological cravings for the drug, it is important to seek professional help. Under professional care, medications can lessen the symptoms of withdrawal and behavioral counseling can break the patterns of addiction.

Youth Bullying Problems - From Children to Teenagers

Bullying has become a major issue that is found worldwide in all walks of life. From the new kid on the playground to the over-powering neighbor. We will specifically address the issue among children and teens and how parents can help.

A good place to start is to talk to your kids about bullying. Let them know what it is and how you feel about it. Make sure that they understand it is not ok for someone to bully them, for them to bully others, or for them to stand by and watch while someone else is being bullied. Then continue talking to them everyday. Ask them about their friends and activities at school. Watch for clues on how they are feeling when they tell you about their activities and the people they are spending time with. If they seem nervous, depressed, or upset try to get more information from them.

Set a good example while parenting your kids. Children and teenagers learn a lot from watching other people and particularly their parents. If they see you treating someone unkindly they will assume that it is ok and appropriate behavior and will follow your example. If you are consistently kind and respectful to everyone that you deal with, they will learn to treat others the same way.

If you are already having behavior issues with your child or teen you may want to consider looking into a behavior contract that will give them specific information on what is acceptable and unacceptable and what the consequences are for each action. If we all work together and are more conscious of what is going on around us we can help stop the violence and bullying problems that are becoming so prevalent in the world today.