Re: Brian's Loss
joew94th<br />Todays adolescent has to deal with and react to stress. It can relate to choosing a girl/boyfriend, self body image (a biggie these days), college, job seeking, job demands, social expectations, childrearing, marriage, and independent decision making. <br />Coping with change taxes a person both physically and psychologically and is observable in a number of ways.<br />Youll have some local records that will show the sickness level of a community raises whenever theres a known increase in stress for teenagers like school exams, social functions, and of course the big game.<br />Likewise the self destructive behaviour increases in relation to stress. Self destructive behaviour can be as simple as getting a haircut, or tattoo, or it can be more severe like using drugs, alcohol, or cutting all of ones hair off. Finally it can show as the obvious events like cutting oneself, self inflicted injuries, right up to death by suicide or a set up accident.<br />The rate of suicide is increasing every year despite all the moral taboos against it.<br />I think suicide is the third leading cause of death in the USA for teens, and if all accidents were examined then that figure would climb dramatically.<br />I have known a number of people who have concealed their suicide as an accident by driving into a tree, or off the road.<br />Women make the majority of unseccussful attempts, but men are successful more frequently. <br />Remember that suicide is a means of expressing aggression, and, or manipulating relationships or events in the environment, often it is unsuccessful on purpose. However look out for the person who dies by accident or by parasuicide. You know the story man on ledge says he wants to jump. Rescue service gets to him and he says hes scared and wants to come indoors. At the last moment he slips and falls to his death.<br /><br />Both in the fire brigade and as a nurse I have been involved in rescues and each successful rescue has resulted in the victim showing his/her appreciation, they al;ways seem to change their mind.<br />To this end, when your son/daughter is making any transition to their external environment or is having difficulty adjusting to their internal one, they need contact, communication and love. They must feel they can trust a member of the family. Thats two way also, they must know the family member can trust them!.<br /><br />Signs to look for,<br />Traditionally girls/women prepare for suicide. They usually plan it carefully, usually a non violent method. They often plan for events following the death, like giving away favourite items or doing goodbye work. Beware friends/ family who seem to be saying goodbye as if going away.<br />Boys/men are usually more violent in the method of suicide. They may show signs of withdrawl from family/friends. Usually they dont do Goodbye work and they are more inclined to be impulsive. The common male is a college pupil, from average to above average education, is not happy with present achievements, and spends much time alone. Suicide occurs more often in graduate students than in undergrads.<br />Three golden rules for the prevention of suicide in teens <br />1 Educate yourselves about early warning signs so that high risk people can be more easily identified.<br />2 Compensate for stressors a significant relationship with a close relative is necessary here.<br />3 Participate have your teens participate in extracurricular activities that help prevent social isolation.<br /><br />Sorry for the lecture but this one is a biggie over here as well and I for one hurt every time I hear of another suicide amongst our young. The treasure lost each time alongside with the pain and suffering the family goes through is severe and no one wins!<br />Ross
