Suicide can be prevented.

Through honest conversation and by providing kids who need it with help, we can prevent suicides and save lives. Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. Suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.

FACTS ABOUT SUICIDE:

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 5 - 25 (AACAP)

• 44,965 people die by suicide each year (AFSP)

• Based on the 2015 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, 8.6 percent of youth in grades 9-12 reported that they had made at least one suicide attempt in the past 12 months (AFSP)

• Every 2 hours and 11 minutes, a young person under the age of 25 contemplates suicide (Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas)

• 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) seriously considered suicide in the past year.

• LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.

• LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.

• Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth.

• Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.

• In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.

• LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.

• Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.

Facts About LGBTQ Youth Suicide

LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.

The Trevor Project Dec. 15, 2021

Risk Factors

• A recent or serious loss

• A mental health disorder, particularly a mood disorder such as depression

• Prior suicide attempts

• Alcohol and other substance use disorders

• Stigma associated with asking for help

Learn more about risk factors here.

Protective Factors

• Strong connections with family, friends and community

• Good problem-solving abilities

• Access to appropriate clinical intervention

Learn more about protective factors here.

Warning Signs

• Talking about suicide

• Making statements about feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless

• A deepening depression

• Preoccupation with death

• Taking unnecessary risks or exhibiting self-destructive behavior

Learn more about warning signs here.

What to Do if You’re Worried

• Tell your child or friend how important they are to you

• Validate feelings and express empathy

• Don’t be afraid to talk openly about your concern

Read a more detailed guide to helping children in distress here.

Crisis Resources:

TrevorCares: call: 1-866-488-7386; text START to 678-678

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741

• Central Coast HOTLINE: (800) 783-0607

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255 or chat with a counselor online

Treatment

Mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder may increase the risk of suicide. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential. Treatments include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and mindfulness, as well as medication. Learn more about treatment here.

Learn More

• How to Talk to Your Parents About Getting Help
  Speaking up for yourself is the first step to getting better.

• How to Support a Friend With Mental Health Challenges
  While still taking care of yourself.

• Signs a Child Might Be Suicidal
  What to watch out for and how to help.

• Teen Suicides: What Are the Risk Factors?
  Temperament, family and community all play a role.

• What to Do if You’re Worried About Suicide
  A parent’s guide to helping a child in distress.

• LGBTQ Teens, Bullying and Suicide
  What are the causes and how can we help?

• Parenting a Depressed Teenager
  Start by listening without judgment.

• Signs of Depression During the Coronavirus Crisis
  Kids who seem stuck in a negative mood may need help to bounce back.

• Help for Cutting and Other Self-Injury
  When kids hurt themselves as a way to manage difficult emotions.

• Helping Resistant Teens into Treatment
  And why they need to want to get better.

• Taking Your Child to the Emergency Room
  What the ER can (and can’t) do for your child in a psychiatric emergency.

• OCD and Suicide
  How a form of OCD can be mistaken for being suicidal.

• Coping With a Parent’s Suicide
  How to help the children who are left behind.

• Supporting Children After the Suicide of a Classmate
  Responding to a painful loss in the healthiest way possible.

Additional Resources

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  Free, confidential 24/7 support.

• The Trevor Project
  Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ young people.

• Crisis Text Line
  Free text line with 24/7 support.

• Veterans Crisis Line
  Support for veterans, service members and their family and friends.

• JED Foundation
  Resources and support for teenagers and young adults.

• NAMI Helpline (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
  Free peer-support resource for information and referrals.

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  Education and support services for those affected by suicide.

• National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
  Resources and information for suicide prevention.

• SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education)
  Programs and services for suicide awareness and prevention.

• DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
  Education, tools and peer support programs.