Suicide is the deliberate self-infliction of harm with the goal of dying. When someone makes an attempt at suicide, they damage themselves with the intention of taking their own life but are not successful. Compared to the general population, teenagers and young adults have the most significant incidence of suicide (Manzar et al., 2021). Their social and developmental status are the factors that put them at risk. Teenagers and young adults do not socialize as often as older adults do. Someone who is just getting into their own, residing with companions, or living independently is in a different location emotionally than someone who is engaged, has a long-term relationship, or has children. This paper was written with the aim of analyzing the growth of the suicide rate among the youth in the USA.
Causes
Youth faced numerous mental health issues because of the COVID-19 epidemic, which resulted in unprecedented infection control measures like the closing of all schools statewide. Suicide attempts linked to mental illness were more prevalent than before the pandemic, which may be understood by the cumulative stress brought on by the epidemic’s chronic nature and the sustained restriction of access to medicine and psychological support (Manzar et al., 2021).
Given that young people with mental illness are particularly vulnerable to process theories focus, the pandemic’s prolonged nature may have made these young people’s mental health worse (Manzar et al., 2021). Severe access to mental health care has been a concern for many researchers ever since the pandemic began. Reduced access to health care was, therefore, probably a contributing factor in the mental health issues that young people with mental illnesses experienced.
Signs
The impacts of the coronavirus epidemic and the stress it put on teenagers and school-aged children have been the subject of current warnings concerning the psychological health of youngsters. More than 140,000 children in the United States lost a primary and secondary caregiver, which primarily affected children of color (Asarnow & Chung, 2021). Between 2010 and 2020, both the prevalence of childhood mental health issues and suicidal behavior increased rapidly; by 2018, suicide had overtaken traffic accidents as the second-leading killer of young people aged 10 to 24 (Twenge et al., 2018This issue has gotten worse as a result of the epidemic, with a sharp rise in emergency room visits across the country for potential suicide attempts as well as other sorts of mental health issues. The COVID-19 stress and the continuous fight for social equality are intrinsically linked to the rising problem in children’s psychological health, which is an amplification of trends.
Consequences
Protected environments may establish organizational rules and cultures that support protective surroundings. Such regulations and cultural norms support current management. They could encourage positive social interactions, skill development, constructive social norms, evaluation, referral, and access to support services, decrease the availability of fatal means for those at risk of suicide, and implement emergency preparedness plans, postvention, and other safety-related measures. There should not be such a disparity in access to quality mental and behavioral health treatment across the US (Manzar et al., 2021). Offering government subsidies through the current state and federal initiatives is one of several strategies to enhance the quantity and distribution of mental health practitioners in underprivileged communities.
Solution
It may be necessary for several schools in low-income areas to share a single mental health care practitioner, placing strain on their capacity to meet everyone’s requirements. In the past, many families also turned to religion and prayer to deal with mental illness; while these practices may be beneficial, they may not be a suitable substitute for qualified medical attention (Sher, 2020). Higher rates of attempted suicide result from the interaction of these factors. Schools could offer a crucial lifeline and aid in lowering behavior that contributes to a rising rate of deaths from despair by expanding access to in-school mental health experts (Asarnow & Chung, 2021). Teenage needs-specific investments in prevention are made, as are the accessibility of mental health services, stronger gun laws governing the safekeeping of firearms, and a more diverse staff providing mental health services.
Advice
There is a significant incidence of certain risk variables for mental, emotional, and behavioral illnesses linked to suicide among youth participating in the juvenile justice and childcare systems. Due to their life histories, youth in institutions and foster care are more likely to attempt suicide (Sher, 2020). To treat mental health difficulties, promotion and preventative interventions are also offered. Schools, where children spend most of their time, are an ideal environment for promoting mental health. Specific precautionary actions are essential and can save the lives of adolescents in need because of the increased vulnerability that youth in protective custody and young offenders must experience when engaging in suicidal thinking or activity (Asarnow & Chung, 2021). Campaigns to prevent deaths should highlight getting help, lessen stigma, promote positive behavior change, alert the public to services, and showcase successful therapies and supports.
Conclusion
All age groups are affected by the major public health issue of suicide. The significant years of potential life lost exacts a heavy toll on the young. Teenagers who have a mental illness or have suicidal ideation are more common than those who survive their attempts. Additional pressure brought on by the pandemic, such as remote learning, social isolation, and financial burdens on families, may have exacerbated already-existing mental health issues.
References
Asarnow, J. R., & Chung, B. (2021). COVID‐19: Lessons learned for suicide prevention. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62(8), 919-921. Web.
Manzar, M. D., Albougami, A., Usman, N., & Mamun, M. A. (2021). Suicide among adolescents and youths during the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdowns: A press media reports‐based exploratory study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 34(2), 139-146. Web.
Sher, L. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 113(10), 707-712. Web.
Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018). Increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among US adolescents after 2010 and links to increased new media screen time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3-17. Web.