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Although suicide is a concern among all age groups, the return to in-person learning and the role social media plays in the lives of young people are raising red flags related to their mental health that need to be addressed to prevent lives from being lost.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death among high school-aged youths aged 14–18 years. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that from 2019 to 2020, the suicide rate among youth increased by 20%. The University of Georgia reported suicide is the second leading cause of death for African Americans between the ages of 15 and 24, based on CDC statistics.
Suicide is particularly prevalent among Black men, who die by suicide at a rate more than four times that of Black women.
CDPH noted that many factors can increase the risk for suicide or protect against it, adding that suicide is connected to other forms of injury and violence. For example, people who have experienced violence, including child abuse, bullying, or sexual violence have a higher suicide risk. Being connected to family and community support and having easy access to health care can decrease suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
The Impact of the Pandemic
According to Dr. Ashley Zucker, a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, reintegration into school through in-person learning has been a significant challenge for many children, causing a strain on their mental health.
“Going back to the classroom resulted in children seeing in person someone who may have been bullying them,” she said. “It has also triggered separation anxiety and, or, social anxiety; increased ease-of-access to illegal substances, as well as some kids having more difficulty keeping grades up. While remote learning was a challenge for many socially, some kids actually performed much better academically in that setting. Another trigger to anxiety or depression many children feel relates to their parents or guardians experiencing challenges in returning to work in person themselves.”
Why Many Kids Aren’t Speaking Up
There can be many reasons why youth experiencing mental health challenges don’t speak up, Dr. Zucker noted. The stigma of mental illness is improving, but continues to be a barrier for children asking for help and seeking care.
“Children and teens are often afraid to discuss their mental health issues with their parents or other adults around them because they’re afraid of the response they may get,” Dr. Zucker explained. “They may fear embarrassment, being ignored, or even being made fun of. Some other kids may be afraid of getting in trouble or being punished by losing privileges such as access to their phones, social media or friends.”
Dr. Zucker emphasized the importance of parents or guardians observing children’s behavior, and when noticing abnormalities – such as changes in eating or sleeping habits, performing poorly in school, or being more withdrawn and isolating themselves – they should open a discussion or seek treatment. This is especially the case if a child mentions or seems to be enamored with the topic of suicide.
“The worst thing you can do is ignore early warning signs,” Dr. Zucker warned. “It’s always better to err on the side of caution. In fact, checking in on your kids even when they appear to be doing well can set the stage for them to share when they are not feeling good.”
The Impact of Social Media
According to Dr. Zucker, social media can positively and negatively impact young people’s mental health.
“Social media can be a way for people to connect and to find community, but it can also lead to access to information that can be harmful,” she said. “There’s a known contagion effect of suicide, and social media can be one avenue where young people are seeing and hearing more about suicide.”
Dr. Zucker added that social media is also known to impact self-esteem for teens as it induces a constant comparison to others, where children may judge their self-worth by the number of “likes” they receive. Additionally, social media has created a 24/7 source of information as well as access to one another, which can include bullying and other forms of victimization, Dr. Zucker said. That can contribute to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Kaiser Permanente offers valuable tips on suicide prevention and symptoms.
