Teen Suicide Resources

A friend of my son's committed suicide recently prompting me to search for books and other materials to help all of us deal with the aftermath.  

Updated:  02/17/02 07:14 AM

The following excellent book written for teens:

Grollman, Earl A. & Malikow, Max.  Living When a Young Friend Commits Suicide -- or Even Starts Talking About It.  Beacon Press, 1999.

Grollman, a prolific author and internationally known grief counselor, and his colleague Malikow present a powerful, dynamic resource that covers the issue of suicide from many angles. Using simple language, they maintain a compassionate tone that makes the information accessible to readers, no matter what their personality or stage of grief. Best of all, the text never drifts into vagaries. It consistently and concretely analyzes the grieving process and gives pragmatic advice on everything from talking to family members of the deceased to avoiding unhealthy reactions, such as alcohol abuse. Even in chapters that cover the sensitive issue of religious beliefs, the authors tread confidently and nonjudgmentally, impressively honoring all perspectives. Of great value to the youth who have faced the suicide of a loved one, the book will also be useful to educators, counselors, and parents. Appended material includes books and audiovisual support materials.

I can't recommend this book highly enough.  A must-read for teens and parents!


Some other books that I am finding helpful:

Jamison, Dr. Kay Redfield.  Night Falls Fast -- Understanding Suicide.  Knopf, 1999.

"Suicide is a particularly awful way to die: the mental suffering leading up to it is usually prolonged, intense, and unpalliated," writes Kay Redfield Jamison. "There is no morphine equivalent to ease the acute pain, and death not uncommonly is violent and grisly." Jamison has studied manic-depressive illness and suicide both professionally--and personally. She first planned her own suicide at 17; she attempted to carry it out at 28. Now professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she explores the complex psychology of suicide, especially in people younger than 40: why it occurs, why it is one of our most significant health problems, and how it can be prevented. Jamison discusses manic-depression, suicide in different cultures and eras, suicide notes (they "promise more than they deliver"), methods, preventive treatments, and the devastating effects on loved ones. She explores what type of person commits suicide, and why, and when. She illustrates her points with detailed anecdotes about people who have attempted or committed suicide, some famous, some ordinary, many of them young. Not easy reading, either in subject or style, but you'll understand suicide better and be jolted by the intensity of depression that drives young people to it.

Fine, Carla.  No Time to Say Goodbye -- Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One.  Main Street Books, 1999.

Few events in life are as traumatic as the suicide of a loved one, as Carla Fine knows firsthand. Fine's husband killed himself seven years ago, and she battled with the emotional turmoil so common to survivors of a suicide. Using her experiences, those of other survivors, and advice from mental-health professionals, Fine provides a compassionate guide for dealing with the guilt, anger, and confusion. The pain is made worse by the social stigma attached to suicide, an act that is still considered criminal. Fine herself initially lied to coworkers, telling them her husband died of a heart attack rather than face the embarrassment of the truth. In unearthing the causes of this torment, Fine hopes to foster healing, in part by stressing the importance of forgiving the absent person. Sensitive and curative, this book offers a frank look at a subject many would prefer to ignore.


Berman, Alan L. & Jobes, David A.  Adolescent Suicide -- Assessment and Intervention.  American Psychological Association, 1996.

Slaby, Andrew, M.D. & Garfinkle, Lili Frank.  No One Saw My Pain -- Why Teens Kill Themselves.  W.W. Norton, 1996.

Slaby, a psychiatrist specializing in depression and crisis intervention, presents psychological profiles of eight severely depressed adolescents who attempted or committed suicide, drawing on the teens' journals and diaries and sessions with families and friends. He and Garfinkel detail the manifestations of adolescent depression, describe families' common pathways through the pain to survival, and offer guidelines for recognizing and working with suicidal youth.

 

Some 

Some organizations and their websites:

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program -- Light for Life Foundation of America

The Yellow Ribbon program was founded in 1994 by the parents of a bright, funny, loving teen, Mike Emme, who took his life when he did not know the words to say, or how to let someone know he was in trouble and needed help.

"Don't blame yourselves, Mom and Dad, I love you." It was signed, "Love Mike 11:45pm". In a move that totally stunned all who know him, Mike shot himself at a time of deepest despair. At 11:52pm his parents pulled into the driveway behind that bright yellow Mustang, - seven minutes too late!

The Samaritans

The Samaritans is a registered charity based in the UK and Republic of Ireland that provides confidential emotional support to any person who is suicidal or despairing; and that increases public awareness of issues around suicide and depression.

Includes an online publication, The Youth Pack -- Helping You Help Young People

SA/VE

SA\VE is dedicated to education about suicide.
Its mission is as follows:

"The mission of SA\VE is to educate about the brain diseases that, if untreated medically and psychologically, can result in suicide death. To make statements by members’ presence through events like the Annual Awareness Day, protest, letter writing or other activities. To honor the memory of people who died by suicide. To eliminate the stigma on suicide."

SA/VE was started in 1989 when five suicide survivors (people who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide) met and agreed on the need for an organization. SA\VE has expanded over the years and the present membership is about 300 active members and includes some other organizations that have common interests. The organization is comprised mostly of suicide suriviors, but does include people that have suffered from depression. The major event for the organization is an Awareness Day held every spring in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network

SPAN, a non profit, 501(C)(3) organization, is dedicated to the creation of
an effective national suicide prevention strategy. SPAN links the energy
of those bereaved by suicide with the expertise of leaders in science,
business, government and public service to achieve the goal of significantly
reducing the national rate of suicide by the year 2010.

American Association of Suicidology

Welcome to the website of the American Association of Suicidology, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. This site is designed as a resource for anyone concerned about suicide, including AAS members, suicide researchers, therapists, prevention specialists, survivors of suicide, and people who are themselves in crisis.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to advancing our knowledge of suicide and our ability to prevent it. The Foundation's activities include: 


Media Articles:

Illuminating the Reasons for Suicide
Psychport News Service, 7/21/00

Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is the author of Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. The book, published last year, has won popular as well as critical acclaim, which is all the more notable given society's discomfort with the subject and disdain for the act itself.

And yet suicide is the third-leading cause of death among age 15-24 in the United States and the second-leading cause among college students. Approximately 30,500 Americans kill themselves every year. (Roughly 1,300 people each day make an attempt serious enough to require medical treatment.) By contrast there are roughly 20,000 homicides a year.

Jamison's work on the subject has shattered many misconceptions about suicide, one of which is that it is an inexplicable act. The road to suicide is well-marked, Jamison argues. And because suicidal behavior is so predictable, Jamison says, it is all the more regrettable that more medical professionals do not recognize suicide as a preventable public health crisis.

Youth Suicide -- Saving Kids from Themselves
San Francisco Examiner, 5/19/00

Teenagers are getting a lot of publicity these days. There has just been a White House conference devoted to them. They were the subjects for a Newsweek cover story, which describes the 22 million members of this age group as "spiritual, optimistic, and ambitious."

Why then, do 12 American teenagers kill themselves each day? And what, if anything, can be done about it?

Drake Grad's Life Snuffed Out by Suicide
Marin Independent Journal, 5/19/00

His mother described him as a 3,000-watt filament in a 100-watt light bulb.

With a grade point average of 4.18 in his senior year at Drake High School, Grant Perrizo graduated fourth in a class of 143 students in 1995. He was class salutatorian and a National Merit Scholar. He won an outstanding achievement award in calculus and physics, a Bank of America award for science and math and more.

He ran track, played soccer and won the Drake Scholar-Athlete Award for varsity tennis and cross country. He served as photo editor for the school newspaper and was elected homecoming prince.

But last week, Perrizo, 23, took his own life after a five-year battle with an illness that eluded diagnosis by numerous doctors and left him with "the energy of a 90-year-old," said his mother, Lea Perrizo of Chico.

Parents Link Suicide to Columbine Massacre
Denver Post, 5/19/00

Greg Barnes, the Columbine High student who committed suicide earlier this month, may have suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome from last year's shootings, his family said.

In their first public statements since the May 4 death of their 17-year-old son, Mark and Judy Barnes on Thursday thanked the community "for all the support during this difficult time. The outpouring of love and sympathy has been tremendous."

They also urged the community to understand "that the ramifications of the Columbine tragedy run much deeper than we may realize."

Hoop Star's Death Stuns Columbine
Denver Post, 5/5/00

Columbine High School's star basketball player committed suicide Thursday, stunning a community still struggling to heal from last year's massacre.

Greg Barnes, a 17-year-old junior and the Rebels' top scorer, hanged himself in the family's Jefferson County home. His father found him about 12:15 p.m.

 


Teen's Suicide a Call to Action
Denver Post, 5/5/00

Barnes was well-liked, a basketball star who was a friend to his peers and a star in the eyes of younger schoolmates. His future in basketball and in the world appeared limitless.

"He was the premier player in the state coming back next year," said retiring Chatfield coach Gary Osse.

Barnes would seem to be the least likely candidate for suicide, the third-leading cause of death among people aged 15-24.

But to Franklin, Barnes' record of high achievement may have made him even more vulnerable to despair.


Song Only Clue to Student's Dispair
Denver Post, 5/6/00

The only clue as to why Columbine High basketball star Greg Barnes cut short such a promising young life may lie in lyrics found playing over and over in his garage.

Barnes hanged himself there Thursday morning after setting a CD player to continuously play a song with the words, "I'm too depressed to go on."

Barnes had a bright future as a basketball player. As a junior, the shooting guard averaged 26 points a game and was named by The Denver Post to the All-Colorado team. He was a 17-year-old seen by rival coaches as probably the best high school basketball player in Colorado next year.

He was also a teenager who lost a close friend, Matt Kechter, in last year's massacre and witnessed the fatal shooting of Columbine teacher Dave Sanders that day.

Thursday morning, Barnes used an electrical cord to hang himself, according to teammate Dave Mitchell.

"Adam's Song," by the group Blink 182, was playing when Greg's parents found the body, Mitchell told The Associated Press. The lyrics include the phrases, "I never thought I'd die alone" and "I'm too depressed to go on. You'll be sorry when I'm gone."

Mitchell said he had seen no indication that his teammate was despondent.

Teen Suicide -- A Silent Epidemic
Special Report, Education Week Magazine

This two-part special report, the result of a five-month project by Assistant Editor Jessica Portner, focuses on the causes of youth suicide and the possible solutions. It involved more than 100 in-depth interviews with the families of victims, survivors of suicide attempts, educators, mental-health-policy experts, psychiatrists, epidemiologists, government researchers, and law-enforcement officials. Senior Editor Sandra Graziano edited the report. Education Week's librarian, Kathryn Dorko, assisted in finding the families profiled in Part 1. Editorial Assistant Meghan Mullan gathered photographs and compiled information about the suicide victims pictured in the series.

Part I -- Complex Set of Ills Spurs Rising Teen Suicide Rate
Education Week, 4/12/00

Two teenagers burst into their Colorado high school one year ago this month and gunned down 13 people. But nearly lost in the avalanche of reaction to the shootings at Columbine High School was the fact that the young men were also on a suicide mission.

Suicide has become one of the leading causes of death for young people in this country. Part I of the report looks at why the youth suicide rate has ballooned in the past few decades. It also profiles three teenagers who killed themselves: Jason Flatt, Mekye Malcolm, and Kerby Guerra.

Part II -- Many Schools Fall Short on Prevention
Education Week, 4/19/00

Schools' approaches to suicide prevention vary greatly. But even with some districts paying dearly in court, too few educators are casting a serious eye on students' mental health. Part 2 will examine:

  • One system's front-line approach to prevention.
  • A kinder, gentler school in Los Angeles.
  • Districtwide support in Memphis.
  • The inadequate number of school psychologists.
  • Mental-health spending.
  • The vulnerability of gay students.

 

 

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