Suicide Prevention

Ch. 5 Lesson 3

Case ScenarioO Alex has been feeling down lately. Even

though Alex is a good student, he failed several important tests. As a result, he was suspended from the basketball team. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Snaps broke up with him. Alex seems depressed all the time and doesn’t care about anything anymore. When friends try to talk to him, Alex says he just wants to get away from it all.

Alienation (Vocab)O Feeling isolated and separated from

everyone else.

O May be unable to cope with with difficult life experiences.

O May lack support from family and friends.

O May seek to escape from pain and consider ending their lives.

Suicide (Vocab)O The act of intentionally taking one’s

own life.

O 3rd leading cause of death among teenagers ages 15 to 19.

O A permanent solution to a temporary problem!

Suicide Risk FactorsO More than 90 percent are suffering

from depression or another mental disorder.

O Have a history of abusing alcohol or other drugs.

Cluster Suicides (Vocab)

O A series of suicides occurring within a short period of time and involving several people of the same community or school.

O Account for about 5% of all teen suicides.

O Some result from pacts made among peers or because of tragic events in school or community

Warning signs of Suicide

O ”I wish I were dead.”

O “I can’t take it anymore.”

O Songs, poems or diary entries that deal with death

O Withdrawal from friends.

O Giving away personal belongings.

O Substance abuse.O Deterioration in

schoolwork or recreational performance.

How you can help?O Initiate a meaningful conversation.

O Show support and ask questions.

O Try to persuade the person to seek help.

ReviewO What is alienation?

O What 2 risk factors have the strongest association with suicide?

O Name 5 warning signs of suicide?