Teen suicide

[Berkut]

In the last couple of months, two boys at my sons high school have killed themselves. One about 6 weeks ago, and another just last week.


Neither case had any kind of indicators that I am aware of, but we were not close to either family, so it is hard to say. Both seemed well adjusted, middle class young men.


This is really kind of freaking me out. I don't think it is possible that either of my kids would do something like that...but I suspect that their parents probably thought the same thing.


I am not even sure how to talk to them about it - and it seems like NOT talking to them about it might be the worst possible choice. I am sure it is being talked about in school.

[dps]

Is it certain that they were suicides?  The reason I ask is that there was a guy I went to high school with that either jumped or fell off a cliff, but there was a lot of speculation among us that he was actually pushed.

[Razgovory]

I imagine the American medical association or similar organizations has lists of warning signs.  Make sure to keep in contact with your kid's teachers.  They typically have the most experience in seeing changes in behavior that precipitates a suicide, and they see the kid everyday and evaluate the kid's work.

[Monoriu]

Happens in Hong Kong all the time, and it isn't just teens.  I read that 15-20 students of all ages offed themselves in the past 3-4 months.  Here, most schools have morning assemblies where all students line up in formation to listen to teachers' lectures.  A few years ago a student chose to jump off the school building during a morning assembly, and made a splash in full view of the entire school. 

[katmai]

It is tough Berkie.
My father's best friend daughter was by all means a happy well adjusted and beautiful kid
(was a member of the swim team, as well as diving, track and weightlifting. She was a member of the National Honor Society)
Yet one day in summer of 2012 her parents went to Home Depot only to return home and find that she had used her dad's handgun to commit suicide.

over three years later and not sure her parents have been able to recover.

[Admiral Yi]

There was an Atlantic article about 6 months back about suicides in the Palo Alto area.  The thesis was that children of high achievers have an impossible amount of pressure to compete.

[Martinus]

There was an Atlantic article about 6 months back about suicides in the Palo Alto area.  The thesis was that children of high achievers have an impossible amount of pressure to compete.

Phew, so Berkut's kids are safe then.








Thank you, thank you, I will be here all week. Try the veal.

[Maladict]

I am not even sure how to talk to them about it - and it seems like NOT talking to them about it might be the worst possible choice. I am sure it is being talked about in school.

I think the important part is making sure that they feel comfortable enough about talking about it, if ever they need someone to turn to.

The few cases I know of personally (attempts only), the feeling of not being able to share their feelings, out of shame or fear of being misunderstood is what made it escalate eventually.

[mongers]

Is it the world we created?

[Grey Fox]

Stress, Fear & the youthful inability to deal with my emotions are what gave me suicidal ideas.

I never talked about it with my parents, nor do I think they ever suspected. Someone at school told the school Psychologist.

I am not being helpful, sorry Berkut. I don't know how to deal with this either.

[Syt]

At my niece's school in Florida, a teenage boy shot himself in the head in front of class. He survived. Apparently he was a victim of bullying.

[DGuller]

There was an Atlantic article about 6 months back about suicides in the Palo Alto area.  The thesis was that children of high achievers have an impossible amount of pressure to compete.

Phew, so Berkut's kids are safe then.








Thank you, thank you, I will be here all week. Try the veal.

Come on, man, that's not cool.

[DGuller]

Apart from anything else, seems like the one obvious thing is to not have guns in the house.  If all else fails and your kid's suicide attempt catches you completely by surprise, at least give your kid a chance to fuck it up.

[Berkut]

Is it certain that they were suicides?  The reason I ask is that there was a guy I went to high school with that either jumped or fell off a cliff, but there was a lot of speculation among us that he was actually pushed.

Yes, it is certain. In both cases there is no ambiguity.

In other news, we got to wake up this morning to the news of a double murder suicide at Genesee College, a SUNY school near Rochester, and the victims were former Rochester high schoolers.

WTF.

[Berkut]

There was an Atlantic article about 6 months back about suicides in the Palo Alto area.  The thesis was that children of high achievers have an impossible amount of pressure to compete.

Phew, so Berkut's kids are safe then.








Thank you, thank you, I will be here all week. Try the veal.

You are such a dick.

Thanks Marty, I actually could use a chuckle.