Risk and Protective Factors 

Our risk factors for "Speak Up Save A Life" include the stigma around mental health and the media idealization around depression and suicide. Our protective factors include finding a reason for living and feeling connected to your school and community! When we first met with Mrs. Ottinger, the school counselor and Mrs. King, our school social worker, in October, 2024, a startling statistic was revealed to us. The number of reports of self harm and suicide attempts at ORHS so far in the 2024-2025 school year is almost greater than the total reports of the previous school year. We knew then that we had make a change!

Often teens can feel uncomfortable talking about mental health to our parents, counselors, and even our friends. We believe that a reason the self harm and suicide rates in youth are higher than any other age bracket is because the topic isn't talked about enough or is idolized in such a way it can seem cool to joke about. The lack of awareness and distorted image around suicide and self harm can make someone feel alone with their struggles. 

"Youth and young adults have high rates of emergency department (ED) visits for self-harm. In 2020, the ED visit rate for this age group was 354.4 per 100,000, compared with 128.9 per 100,000 among middle-aged adults ages 35-64 years." 

CDC- Health Disparities in Suicide, 2025

Individual VS. Societal Risk and Protective Factors 

An important distinction that we want to make is the difference between individual risk and protective factors vs. societal risk and protective factors. For each person this will be different but, the most universal individual risk and protective factors include: a history of mental illness or depression, serious illness, substance use, and adverse childhood experiences. The most common societal risks include, the stigma around seeking help for mental illness, the unsafe media idealization of suicide and/or mental health, and easy access to materials to commit suicide. The most universal individual protective factors include: finding a reason for living and effective coping skills. The most prevalent societal protective factors include: feeling connected to your school or community, access to high quality physical and mental healthcare. Through "Speak Up Save A Life", we wanted to focus on our peers feeling connected to their community and knowing they have a strong support system. We also hope that our daily posts remind our peers that they are not alone in anything and even small steps towards protective factors can make a huge difference! 

General Warning Signs

Sometimes it's hard for us to know when someone who is close to us is considering suicide. Most people will exhibit some general warning signs like isolating themselves, expressing signs of hopelessness, and describing themselves as a burden. It's very important to communicate these concerns with a trusted adult or the 988 lifeline. Remember, you are never alone and suicide is a permanent risk to temporary problems.

Source: Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide CDC