keithdebolt | 
09 13th, 2008| 
Teen suicide is a much bigger problem than you are aware of, I’ll bet.
Why is this?
The media, for one, has a responsibility to keep some of the more frightening and disturbing aspects of suicide very low-key… statistics show that, after a news story about a suicide, the number of suicides goes unnaturally higher for a time.
Same with things like spree killings, or racial attacks…
It seems that by publicizing a deviant or taboo behavior, the media manages to validate the behavior for those who might already be struggling with
the desire to act out.
Result?
Less is made of the shocking truths about teen suicide than perhaps should be. For example:
- The third leading cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds is suicide.
- Every day, more than 80 Americans commit suicide- and 1500 more attempt it.
- America lost more teens to suicide last year than the total number of soldiers lost in the Iraq war.
Don’t you think this problem might be taking more seriously if more people could be made aware of these facts?
While it is not the intent of the Impact Team to shower the media with these chilling statistics, we do feel it is vital to bring more awareness to this quiet killer.
Some of the obstacles we’re facing as a society in dealing with teen suicide…
“Not MY Child…”
Sometimes as parents we tend to deny with our mind what our heart is telling us. There are obvious indicators in almost all cases of suicide attempts.
(A comprehensive list of warning signs can be found on this website.)
- It may be that we feel personally responsible for our child’s happiness and well being, and refuse to accept what we see when our teen seems unhappy, maladjusted, or withdrawn.
- It may be that we don’t connect with our teen at a level that is comfortable for them.
- It may be that we tried too hard to be the enforcer, or tried too hard to be the friend, and didn’t get the balance right.
Whatever the case- as a parent we have a duty, born of love, to listen and respond to the needs of our children… even when the need is communicated in an unspoken way.
We must be sure to be accepting - of our shortcomings and our childrens’.
The ‘Troubled Teen’ Years
I was there. You were there… Remember that awful confusion as bones stretched, hormones changed, teeth shifted, social pressures grew tenfold while your social skills grew in tiny increments?
Some of the struggles of simply being a teen can mirror the struggles of a teen thinking suicidal thoughts. Feeling left out, not pretty, not good at sports, not smart enough… these are depressing issues for a teenager.
I know I may have said it out loud a couple of times when the world seemed too hard as a teen: “I wish I were dead.” Now, I never had a real suicidal moment in my life- but I felt a lot of despair in my time.
Because these years are already so emotionally volatile, it can be a real challenge to spot these warning signs for what they really are.
We must strive to be aware - of what our children are facing and feeling.
Who To Turn To
Teens themselves have a hard time understanding their feelings, let alone communicating them to someone else! Often coming from an “everybody hates me, nobody gets me, no one understands” place, a teen considering suicide has already more than likely decided there are few, if any, people that are trustworthy enough to reach out to. In many cases, it might be another teen– who may not be equipped to help- who is the potential lifeline for a suicidal teen.
A teen in trouble may want to reach out, but have no real knowledge of where to turn. This is another one of our jobs. To be available and accessible.
The Impact Action team, and the family it is building, hopes to accomplish many things on this journey.
Two of our primary goals are:
- A greater awareness of the severity of this silent killer, and
- To offer to anyone the following simple plan for proactively and positively creating IMPACT in your daily life, using the GIVE method:
- Greet-say hello, make eye contact, pass a smile on to the people you encounter.
- Include- Include yourself in the world around you, and invite others to be a part of what you are doing. Reach out, especially if you see someone starting to withdraw.
- Validate- This can be as simple as a ‘thank you’ or a genuine complement. Let others know you
appreciate them. - Empathize- Be a listening ear. We can’t always relate to the problems or stories of another, but often all you need to do is be fully present as you hear them to truly help the person sharing!
Honestly, use this simple acronym to remember what you can do every day to make a difference and perhaps save a life!
Each of us needs all of us… and all of us need each of us.
Keith deBolt-
Impact Action Team
Keith teaches new marketers and business owners how to think, live and work like The Boss…watch for his upcoming book, “Oh, No! I’m The BOSS!”. Keith can be found at: marketingstep1.com and TheMarketerMindset.com
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