American Public
Unaware of Teen Suicide Crisis

NEW YORK CITYVOICES: November/December 2001

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By Alfonso V. Guida, Jr., Executive Director, National Mental Health Awareness Campaign
 

Parents are not discussing depression and suicide with their children. Despite the fact that an estimated 5,000 teens and young adults will commit suicide this year, the nation is still largely unaware of the “real” threat of teen suicide and depression, according to a survey released by the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign’s (NMHAC) Signs for Life teen suicide prevention program. American adults surveyed ranked suicide and mental illness lowest among important problems facing teenagers behind school violence, AIDS and teen pregnancy. The tendency to “downplay” suicide as an important problem contrasts sharply with the 36 percent who report knowing a teen who has attempted or committed suicide.

In addition, the prevalence of teen suicide in the United States has not led large numbers of Americans to discuss teen suicide with their children. Fewer than four in ten parents of teens (39 percent) say they have discussed the topic of suicide with their children, while 25 percent say they have talked about suicide with both their children and other children.

“The findings of this survey set off several alarms. First, Americans say they know the warning signs of teen suicide and depression, yet when asked, they can’t identify many of the most significant signs,” says Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz, founder and director of the New York University Child Study Center and nationally renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist. “Second, it’s of great concern that parents aren’t speaking to their children about mental health. The discussion about depression and suicide should be happening right alongside the discussions about sexuality and drugs.”

While survey respondents are well informed about the most obvious symptoms of trouble — like a previous suicide attempt—they place less emphasis on other, equally important warning signs of depression and suicide, like declining performance in school and changes in eating habits and sleep patterns.

Signs a Teen May Be Contemplating Suicide

If a parent, teacher or friend sees two or more of these warning signs, get help by calling the NMHAC at 877-495-0009 or by visiting www.nostigma.org.

The survey was conducted by phone on September 28, 2001 as part of the NMHAC’s Signs for Life teen suicide prevention program and asked 1,010 American adults about their knowledge and awareness of teen depression and suicide and the warning signs.

The NMHAC launched Signs for Life, a teen suicide prevention program, in September 2001. Signs for Life is designed to raise awareness of teen suicide and how it can be prevented by informing teens, parents and teachers of the problem, sparking conversation, providing a context for discussions and offering information and support. NBC talk show host and former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis and Channel One’s nationwide school network anchor Anrew Yani are speaking about Signs for Life.

U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher has spoken out about the importance of suicide prevention as part of the release last May of his “National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.” He commented: “Only recently have the knowledge and tools become available to approach suicide as a preventable problem with realistic opportunities to save many lives.” One of the primary goals of the strategy is to reduce the stigma associated with being a consumer of mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention services.

NMHAC was founded in 1999 by Tipper Gore to eradicate the fear, shame and stigma commonly associated with mental illness and educate the public about the need to seek help. The Signs of Life initiative is part of the Campaign’s youth outreach effort to educate the public about suicide, how to prevent it and how to recognize the warning depression of depression and suicide.
 

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