RCN America Network wants to the time to share the following article by Dalene Dutton, the executive director of Five Town Communities That CareOn Aug. 22, I wrote a widely-shared article about one of the factors that increase the risk for suicide for adolescents (media contagion). I shared that I was motivated to do this because I have mourned the death of far too many of our community's young people. I don't want to have to mourn another, especially if the loss is due to suicide. Not only because the loss is so tragic, but because people suffering from depression and anxiety—and from suicidal ideation—can be successfully treated if reached in time.
I continue to speak out so that more members of our community will learn about warning signs and how to bridge those who need help to those places with the expertise to provide it. As I stated in my last article, suicidal behavior is complex and frightening and the frequency of suicide in Maine is real cause for concern; there is one suicide every two days on average. For Mainers aged 15-34 years of age it is the second leading cause of death. As frightening as it is to talk about, for me it is more frightening to do nothing.
As always, I encourage local readers to visit the Maine Suicide Prevention Project's website at http://www.maine.gov/suicide/about/index.htm , as it contains a lot of important information and links to local resources for help. You can also visit The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by going to http://www.afsp.org/.
I don't believe that we can stop at learning about warning signs and resources. There is considerable evidence that we can prevent suicide and other tragic behaviors before they cause pain and suffering. I am writing again because media contagion is not the only risk factor contributing to youth suicide. In fact, there are several.
Transitions and mobility can increase the risk for suicidal ideation — and for substance abuse, violence, delinquency, and school drop out. Most adults I speak with understand that constantly moving from one community to another (as military families or agricultural workers are often forced to do) can contribute to a higher likelihood that the children of those families will experience problem behaviors. They understand that uprooting families can lead to the loss of the kinds of supports that come from spending enough time in a place to develop healthy relationships with community members outside of the family unit. We know that we need to reach out and actively help children who have recently moved to our community so they might find their niche and connect with effective mentors here.
What I find often overlooked is the other part of the label... transitions. Adolescents undergo a staggering
number of transitions even when their families are intact and they live in the same houses and communities from birth. Puberty, increasing responsibility, brain maturation processes, and shifts in social circles all create change. The start of the school year also marks a period of transition for students entering public schools, especially for those entering a new building or district. For some students the sum of all these changes can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, delinquency, or even violence. For those who do not get help, problems can progress to the point where they consider suicide.
Having risk factors like a high number of transitions or high mobility does not mean that all teens will engage in problem behaviors. Many of our young people also have a considerable array of protective factors at work that buffer their exposure. Having adults who are actively engaged in their physical and emotional well-being, being connected to positive opportunities in the community, receiving recognition for skills they are learning, and having role models for healthy behaviors reduces the likelihood of real problems emerging.
As a community we can learn how to reduce risks where possible and raise awareness. We can ensure that we provide as many opportunities for young people to learn the skills they need to be actively engaged. We can model healthy behaviors and communicate our standards clearly. As a community we can regularly recognize the efforts and contributions of our youth.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY:
1) If you have a close relationship with adolescents who are starting back to school this month (or experiencing other transitions), please take the time to discuss it with them. Gently explore whether their experience and mood indicates that they might need some extra support.
2) Consider providing the opportunity for young people in the community to learn skills that will help them become actively engaged in the community. If you need some ideas on what this might look like, give Five Town CTC a call at 207-236-9800.
3) Program the Maine Crisis hotline phone number (1-888-568-1112) into your cell phone's memory. Try calling the number BEFORE you need it to get a sense of what happens when you make a call for help. If you travel often, also program the national suicide prevention lifeline number into your phone (1-800-273-8255).
4) Spread the word to parents you know in the community. Make sure that they have this information and are sharing it in their networks.
Dalene Dutton is executive director of Five Town Communities That Care
dalene@fivetownctc.org www.fivetownctc.org
Twitter: FiveTownCTC
Blog: www.fivetownctc.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FiveTownCTC
The mission of Five Town Communities That Care is to promote healthy youth development and to prevent problem adolescent behaviors such as substance abuse, suicide, violence, delinquency, school drop-out, and teen pregnancy. It also seeks to foster increased collaboration and cooperation in communities in order to best serve the needs of their youth.
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