Suicide Rates For Adolescents Are Rising. Here’s What We Know.

A recent study released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has showed a startling rise in suicide rates among young people ages 10 to 24 years old.

There is a “lack of education around being able to feel multiple emotions at once.” – Julie Weatherhead, Weathervane Counseling

Deaths by suicide increased by 56% in the decade between 2007 and 2017, making suicide the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. It’s no secret Generation Z faces an increasingly complicated and hectic world, but are there other factors contributing to this crisis and what can we do about it? 

Listen: Is there a mental health crisis among young people and how can we fix it? 

Guests

Kiesha Jackson, founder of Caleb’s Kids, lost her brother to suicide in 2015 and is now committed to helping youths navigate and address issues surrounding mental health.

Jackson says it was not apparent to her how much her brother was struggling leading up to his passing.

“When suicide occurs, it leaves so many unanswered questions.”

After the loss of her brother, Jackson poured herself into mental health advocacy. She now works to normalize mental health struggles by holding workshops that provide young people with the tools to manage their own wellbeing and encouraging them to seek prolonged help if needed.

Julie Weatherhead, Director at Weathervane Counseling, works to assist people processing grief and trauma and also has experience as a counselor in a school setting.

“I like to compare the school counseling office to the ER.”

In her work with young people, Weatherhead says she tried to help educate students on emotional intelligence and the ability to navigate feelings of low self-worth, anxiety, panic, and depression. 

Weatherhead says there is a “lack of education around feelings and being able to feel multiple emotions at once.”

Are You Struggling With Suicidal Thoughts?

If you or someone else is feeling suicidal, needs to seek an emergency evaluation, in-patient treatment or counseling referrals you can call Common Ground at 1-800-231-1127 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). 

You can also

• Text talk to 741-741 
• Enter a live chat with someone at commongroundhelos.org 
• Visit your primary care doctor and seek referrals from them.
• Ask one of your mental health professionals like a psychologist, social worker or counselor at your child’s school for resources 
• Check out Caleb’s Kids for proactive education, workshops and referrals specifically around suicide prevention 

Local resources

• Weathervane Counseling and Consulting
• Journey to Healing 
• The Michael Organization
• Sandcastles of Henry Ford 
• Where Do Black Women Go to Grieve Group (part of Good Grief Detroit)