KIDS AND COMMUNITY by Judy Shepps Battle:The government should do more to help prevent teen suicide.
By: Judy Shepps Battle
The recent capture of Saddam Hussein indisputably proves our government’s ability to achieve any goal it chooses. Once US leaders made it a top priority to find Saddam and his henchmen, significant manpower and financial resources were immediately allocated to the task.
It’s now common knowledge that Saddam’s sons, Qusai and Odai, were located and killed on July 22. The bounty on these two men was $15 million each. The bounty for Saddam Hussein was $25 million. While few would dispute that this was money well spent, the total of $55 million of US taxpayers’ money is mind-boggling. Clearly, our government will go to great lengths and great expense when it is deemed necessary for national safety.
Unfortunately, the government seems far less zealous about allocating funds for domestic issues such as poverty, the environment, quality of life for the disabled and elderly, and affordable health services. And the consequences of ignoring these important social problems can be devastating.
Recently, a local high school senior jumped from the 31st floor of a New York City hotel. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide. Almost as shocking as the death itself is that the teen (a boy named Vincent) didn’t fit the typical profile of a suicide victim.
According to reports, Vincent was well liked, had a passion for music, and didn’t appear to be in severe emotional distress. But it is not unusual that this young man was an unlikely suicide candidate. Teen suicide does not follow a precise pattern, and unfortunately, it is not a rare event; it is the third leading cause of death of young people aged 15 to 24 (only accidents and homicide are more lethal). And suicide attempts happen even more frequently than the successful act.
Alarmingly, more than one-third of 12- to 17-year-olds attempted suicide in 2002. Little is known about the number of youngsters who think about killing themselves but who don’t act on these thoughts.
Ironically, what is known is that in a room full of high school students, it is impossible to predict which youngsters are most likely to attempt suicide, and this major gap in our professional knowledge has devastating results.
Perhaps our government could redirect its obvious passion for righting international wrongs and turn it toward supporting domestic research on recognizing potential teen suicide victims, as well as allocating funds for programs that both prevent and treat suicidal ideation.
One reason a suicide often comes as such a surprise to family and friends of the victim is because it is one of society’s silent taboos. It is rarely a topic of discussion at home or in school unless a leading public figure or teen icon takes his or her own life.
Still, death among entertainers is often romanticized, as with the suicide of rock singer Kurt Cobain. It simply is not a common occurrence to ask teens if they are feeling depressed or if they are thinking about suicide.
Parents may not be comfortable broaching the subject with their teens, and schools usually offer little in the way of emotional instruction. The nature of feelings from joy to sadness to despair is not a significant part of any public school curriculum that I am aware of. And because we as a society tend to look the other way rather than discuss all the emotions that surround suicide, youngsters lack the language to express warning signs of suicide.
Similarly, students are not educated about depression and the role it plays in suicide attempts. The simple act of teaching middle and high school students to create a geneogram a family history of suicide and suicide attempts would allow this very important topic to come out of the mental health closet.
Such instruction, however, involves bringing in mental health professionals as an integral part of a school system. Counselors and emotional educators would be needed to teach such classes from preschool through high school but the development of such a curriculum would provide ample opportunities for students and their families to talk about suicidal feelings, rather than acting them out.
Am I asking for federal funding of such projects? Yes. However costly, it would be a wise investment of tax dollars. My belief is that emotionally healthy individuals naturally will insist on righting the domestic issues of this country and will develop creative ways of mediating interpersonal conflict. In such a humane environment, both war and suicide eventually will be replaced by new solutions that revere life.
You can begin this process by getting to know your elected representatives, as well as those who want your vote in the next election. Find candidates you can support by asking them the hard questions about creating a healthier America.
Remember, our government has the ability to achieve any goal it chooses. As citizens, it is up to us to help ensure wise choices.
Judy Shepps Battle is a New Jersey resident, addictions specialist, consultant and freelance writer. She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Additional information on this and other topics can be found at her website at http://www.writeaction.com/.