Keep kids safe by keeping on the alert for these signals that a teen may be considering ending his or her life.
Use these ten warning signs to determine if any of your students are at risk for a possible suicide attempt.
Suicidal talk. Most teens who attempt suicide let someone else know about their intentions. For that reason, each and every comment that indicates suicidal ideation must be taken seriously.
Comments can be either specific (“I wish I were dead,” or “I should just kill myself,”) or more vague (Everyone would be better off without me,” or “I wish I were never born,”)
Saying goodbye. The teen may be attempting to tie up loose ends, get affairs in order, and give prized possessions away to those close to him.
Plans. Generally speaking, teens who have spent the time and energy developing detailed, specific plans of how they might kill themselves are at a higher risk of attempting suicide than those whose plans are vague and unclear. If the student has a specific time, place, and means in mind, she is at extremely high risk.
Recent loss. Life-altering losses, such as death of a friend or family member, parents’ divorce, or other event can be earth shattering for a teen. But keep in mind that events such as a romantic breakup, moving to a new school, physical illness, failure in school, or other losses can be traumatic for teens as well.
History of depression. Students who are or have been depressed in the past are generally at higher risk. They generally have a more pessimistic world view and fewer emotional resources. These teens may also have thinking distortions that prevent them from seeing other options to their problems.
Previous suicidal talk or action. If this has happened before, that means that the teen views suicide as a rational response to life’s problems.
Friend or relative who committed suicide. Similarly, if someone close to the teen has committed suicide, this reinforces the idea that suicide is a rreasonable option.
Alcohol and drug use. Being drunk or high can impact teens’ judgment and decision making skills. It can also cause them to engage in riskier behavior and lower their inhibitions.
Lack of coping skills. If teens don’t have effective ways to manage their problems and emotions, they are more likely to view ending their life as a viable option.
Lack of support system. Teens who have close relationships that provide strong emotional support are at lower risk for suicide than those who don’t. Having someone to share concerns and feelings with can help kids feel heard and valued, and can help them develop problem-solving and coping skills.
If a student talks about wanting to end their life, a mental health professional should assess the degree of risk and whether or not the teen poses a threat to himself. Your program should have clear guidelines on how to handle these types of situations. Parents should be notified immediately, and the child should never be left alone until the can be assessed by someone trained to do so.
译文:
青少年自杀警示迹象--学生处于危险情况的10大警示
通过警惕这些青少年可能考虑结束他或她的生命的迹象来保护孩子安全。
使用这十个警示迹象来检测你的学生中有没有人处于自杀倾向的危险中。
自杀谈话。大多数企图自杀的青少年会让其他人了解他们的意向。正因为如此，每个暗示着自杀构思过程的评论都应该被重视。评论可以是很明确的（“我希望我死去，”或“我应该杀死我自己，”）或是更模糊（“没有了我，每个人都会更好，”或“我希望我从未出生，”）。
道别。青少年可能会尝试结束一切琐碎的事情，将事情安排的井井有条，并且将自己有价值所有物送给那些和他很亲近的人。
计划。一般说来，那些花时间和精力写出详细、具体自杀计划的人会比那些计划模糊不清的人的自杀风险更高。如果学生在脑中有一个自杀的具体时间、地点和方法，她就有极高的自杀风险。
最近的落差。生活改变的落差，例如朋友或家庭成员去世，父母离异，或是发生其他对于青少年来讲的惊天动地的事情。但是记住，像是感情破裂、转到新学校、身体上的疾病、学习成绩不及格或其他落差都会对青少年产生创伤。
忧郁史。那些曾经抑郁的学生通常危险性更高。他们通常对世界有更悲观的看法，并且少有情感来源。这些青少年可能思想扭曲，让自己无法看到自身问题的其他解决方案。
早前的自杀谈话或行为。如果之前有发生过，它就意味着该青少年将自杀视为对人生问题的合理应对方法。
朋友或亲属中有人自杀。同样的，如果某个亲近青少年的人自杀，这就加强了自杀是合理行为的想法。
酗酒和吸毒。酗酒或吸毒会影响青少年的判断能力和做决定的技能。它还可能使他们参与更危险的行为，削弱他们的抑制能力。
缺乏应对能力。如果说青少年没有有效的方法来管理他们的问题和情绪，他们可能更愿意将结束他们的生命视作可行的方案。
缺少支持。拥有坚强情感支持的青少会比那些没有支持青少年的自杀风险低。有某个人来给予关心和同情会帮助孩子感觉被倾听、被关心，并且帮助他们培养--解决和应对问题的技巧。
如果一个学生谈及想要结束自己的生命，一位心理健康专家就应该评估他的风险等级，并且该青少年是否会对自己产生危险。你的项目在解决这些类型的情况上应该有很清楚的指导方针。家长应当被立即通告，并且孩子在没有被有资质的人评估前，不应该独处。