Understanding
some of the basic facts about suicidal behavior and mental
illness, like depression, and young people, can help with
understanding how to best communicate and take proper action
(Reference 4):
Suicide
is a preventable tragedy, one that often occurs as a result
of untreated depression .
Teens
who abuse alcohol or drugs are likely
self-medicating a depressive mood disorder or other mental
illness.
According
to the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM) IV-TR, substance abuse is “A maladaptive pattern
of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment
or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following,
occurring within a 12-month period:
Recurrent
substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill
major role obligations at work, school, or home
Recurrent
substance use in situations in which it is physically
hazardous
Recurrent
substance-related legal problems
Continued
substance use despite having persistent or recurrent
social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated
by the effects of the substance (Reference 3)
Students
who have volatile mood swings may be exhibiting
early signs of clinical depression or Bipolar disorder.
They may be sullen, silent and withdrawn; or angry and acting
out.
Teens
that are in unhealthy, destructive or abusive relationships
(either at home or with peers) may be prone to
depression.
Teens
that are typically conscientious about their school work
yet are skipping assignments , cutting
classes or missing school days may be experiencing an episode
of depression.
Students
that are engaging in excessive self-mutilation
like, tattooing, piercing or the most severe cutting may
do so to cope with the overwhelming mental "psyche-ache"
they feel from a mental health disorder.
Teens
that appear fixated on death or violence
may express their feelings in poetry, essays, doodling or
other artwork. They may be preoccupied with violent movies,
video games and music, or fascinated with weapons - guns,
knives or other. This fixation can be evidence of depression
and propensity for self-harm or aggression toward others.
Students
that act out in the classroom or seem
to crave attention by exhibiting immature or disruptive
behaviors may have depression.
Teens
whose circle of friends changes , who lack
friends, or who begin hanging out with unhealthy peers may
be reacting to deterioration in their mental coping because
of depression. Their destructive behaviors may discourage
more stable friends from being with them. And they may reject
these former friends who "don't understand them anymore.
Teens
that engage in illegal or risky behaviors
such as unprotected or promiscuous sex, drug or alcohol
use, driving recklessly or without a license, petty theft
or vandalism, burglary, weapons possession may have depression.
Teens
that struggle with gender identity issues or eating
disorders are prone to depression.
Most
people that are depressed do not kill themselves. But depression
significantly increases the risk for suicide or
suicide attempts.
It
may be surprising to learn that over 8.3 percent of all US
adolescents struggle with clinical depression every year.
The NIMH reports that over 6% of all youths between the ages
of 9 and 17 experienced a depression of 6 or more months in
duration (Reference 4).
Children
and teens do get depression. They do suffer from mental illness,
and if left undiagnosed and untreated, that illness can block
a student from succeeding not only in the classroom, but long
into the future as well. At its worst, depression can threaten
your student's life.
Keep
in mind that there is no one sign or symptom of depression
or warning sign for the potential for suicide. Rather it's
a cluster of changes in behavior, mood, energy levels, school
performance or friendships.
Recently
David has become extremely extraverted, so much so that she
regularly needs to make him sit in his own chair and do work,
while the rest of the class works in groups. Additionally
Marianne has noticed that David gets angry easily and she
saw him punch a locker last week.
Marianne
decided to speak with some of David's other teachers to see
what his behavior has been like in their classes. She
found out that his other teachers have been having similar
problems and have noticed that his writing work is erratic
and he has shown a lot of frustration with his classmates.
Marianne
spoke to the school counselor and suggested that David come
in for an appointment. The school counselor urged Marianne
to bring David down at a convenient time and tell David that
she was concerned about him and thought that he might benefit
from talking to someone. The school counselor said
that this might make David feel more comfortable and would
assure him that he hasn't done anything wrong.
Marianne
observed, consulted with her colleagues, and sought the assistance
of a health care professional in the school. She eased
her mind and made sure to follow up with David over the next
few weeks.
This may not represent
an exact example for you in your place of work, but as a teacher
you should be able to recognize some of the potential situations
that you may be in and which require you to act quickly and
proactively to ensure the safety of a student.
Electronic,
print, and multimedia resources are provided to help you to
find additional authoritative information on What to look
for as a Teacher. These resources are available from such
national organizations as The National Institute of Mental
Health as well as professional organizations, not-for-profit
organizations, and educational institutions.
Internet
The
National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC)
The
NYVPRC is a not-for-profit organization whose sponsoring organizations
are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well
as numerous other federal agencies in the United States.
The NYVPRC is a central source of federal information on prevention
and intervention programs, publications, research, and statistics
on violence committed by and against children and teens.
The
NYVPRC Web site is available at the following Web address:
The
National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC)
The
NYVPRC is a not-for-profit organization whose sponsoring organizations
are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well
as numerous other federal agencies in the United States.
The NYVPRC is a central source of federal information on prevention
and intervention programs, publications, research, and statistics
on violence committed by and against children and teens.
The
NYVPRC provides a Web page dedicated to Educators available
at the following Web address:
