The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a
worrying reverse in suicide trends among preteens and teens, US figures
showing the highest level in 15 years among
girls committing suicide; also hanging took guns’ place as means of suicide.
The alarming boost of 76 percent was recorded to girls aged 10
to 14, from 2003 to 2004, 94 suicides in this age group in 2004, compared to 56
in 2003, meaning a rate smaller than one per 100,000 population.
Though overall suicide rates among US young population aged
10 to 24 met a significant reduction between 1990 and 2003, with a 28 percent
drop, 2004 reversed the situation, with high figures of suicide cases among 10-19-year-old girls and boys aged 15-19.
Dr. Ileana Arias, director of the CDC's National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control highlights that these figures don’t show a bright
situation. “In surveillance speak, this
is a dramatic and huge increase,” she said.
Suicide cases account for 4,599 deaths in 2004, being the
third leading cause of death among American youngsters, after car accidents and
homicide, as Arias explained.
Another alteration in suicide cases is the method used.
While in 1990 guns were the most frequent method used by preteens and teens, half
of young females having used them, in
2004 death by hanging or suffocation represented the most common. They account
for 71 percent of deaths of girls aged 10
and 14, 49 percent of those aged 15-19 and 34 percent of those between 20-24.
Though it cannot be considered that death by hanging or
suffocation constitutes a trend, the high number of cases still raises concern.
Researchers speculated that it is preferred because it appears to be more accessible
than the rest of methods.
The CDC study also pinpoints that measures were taken to
curb the use of weapons, pills or other lethal instruments, neglecting that
access to other means is available. Researchers recommend suicide-prevention programs
on girls aged 10-19 and on boys 15-19 to reverse the new-discovered trends.
Arias also suggested that the decrease in antidepressants prescriptions
might account for the spike, but it surely isn’t the sole cause. Given the fact
that officials warned four years ago about the use of antidepressants, alleging
that they raise the suicidal behavior
among teens, black box warnings were put on the drug packaging. This might have
hindered those who were in need of treatment to receive it, making their
condition worse.
Risk of suicide is increased also by factors like alcohol and
drug use, family and/or relationship problems or history of mental illness.
