Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people, after accidents. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), 90% of suicidal acts are committed in a depressed mood or state. Teresa Rudzińska, director of the Psychological and Educational Counseling Centre in Bolesławiec, decided to describe the problem. She reacted after the latest suicide attempt by a teenager from Bolesławiec. Every parent and child struggling with depression can turn to the counseling centre for help.
Depression without depression
Depression manifests itself in various ways, often far removed from the common understanding of it, which is most often associated with sadness and apathy. Aggression, absent-mindedness and motor restlessness, however, are difficult to associate with depression. The atypical nature of the symptoms of adolescent depression prompted psychiatrists to introduce the term depression without depression.
In children aged 6–12, depression is characterized mainly by physical complaints: weakness and fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, stomachaches and muscle pain. Apathy and difficulty concentrating predominate, leading to problems at school. In younger school-age children, symptoms of depression often include anxiety, irritability, distractibility and constant, excessive activity without a break for rest, which is mistakenly interpreted as ADHD.
During adolescence, depression manifests itself in the most dramatic way through suicide attempts and completed suicides. Most factors increasing this risk originate in the family or at school. They include hormonal changes, pressure from parents, teachers and peers, conflicts of interest, taking on new social roles, as well as building one’s own identity.
Those at greater risk of developing depression include children whose parents are divorcing or are in constant conflict, children who are excessively controlled, children from families with low socioeconomic status, and students with low intellectual ability who experience learning difficulties.
There are many factors predisposing a child to depression, while there are far fewer protective factors; therefore, knowing them is particularly important in order to try to effectively support one’s child or student.
Protective factors against depression include good relationships with peers, a good relationship with at least one parent, and interests, hobbies, passions and extracurricular activities.
A stable home protects against suicide
Factors protecting young people from suicide include a family based on respect, cooperation and support. They include a sense of satisfaction resulting from academic achievements, a sense of connection with school, good relationships with peers, the ability to seek help and advice from others, interpersonal skills such as impulse control and the ability to resolve conflicts, a sense of belonging to the school community, responsibility for oneself and others, a sense of meaning in life, and trust in oneself and others. A stable, safe family and school environment, access to psychological, educational and medical assistance, as well as religious faith, are also helpful.
Research by suicidologists—scientists who study suicide, suicide attempts and self-destructive behavior in the broad sense—shows that 80% of people intending to die by suicide first try, in various ways, to notify those closest to them.
Many students who come to the Psychological and Educational Counseling Centre because of behavioral difficulties reported by their school or parents reveal to therapists during conversations that they have had suicidal thoughts and attempts for a long time.
Calls from people contemplating suicide
People contemplating suicide inform those around them about their condition. It is therefore worth learning to recognize behaviors signaling a young person’s risk of suicide, so that one can respond while there is still time.
In the early stage, warning signs may include withdrawal from contact with family and friends, an interest in death, major mood changes, difficulty concentrating, problems at school, eating disorders (loss of appetite, overeating), sleep disorders (insomnia or excessive sleepiness), loss of interest in entertainment, frequent complaints of physical ailments, constant boredom, and loss of interest in things and matters that were previously important.
Signals that should alarm everyone include: talking about suicide or planning it; increased aggression and violence; rebellious behavior; sudden episodes of alcohol or drug use; rejecting help; self-accusation and saying, “I am a bad person”; statements about the hopelessness of life, having no way out or hopelessness; rejecting rewards and praise received; and statements such as: “Soon I will no longer be a problem for you,” “There is no point in this anymore,” “We will never see each other again,” “I am nothing,” “It is not worth bothering with me,” “I would like to die,” “I should never have been born.”
Sudden transitions from depression to cheerfulness and contentment can also be dangerous, as can giving one’s favorite possessions to friends and placing pets in good homes. Revealing suicidal thoughts and tendencies in literary and visual artworks, and fascination with the music of musicians who died young, often by suicide, are also warning signs.
If, over the past several weeks or longer, a teacher or classmates have observed at least four of the signals listed above in a student, the school should take immediate action so that the parents take the child to a Mental Health Clinic, where a psychiatrist can verify the suspicions and initiate appropriate treatment.
(information: Teresa Rudzińska/Grażyna Hanaf)
See also
Article on the website of the Psychological and Educational Counseling Centre in Bolesławiec