Prevalence of suicide among adolescent females
Young people across the United States are among the most vulnerable when it comes to suicide risks. In fact, it is the second most common cause of death among youth ages 10-19 – taking more than 85,000 lives from 1975-2016.
A Nationwide Children’s Hospital study posted in JAMA Network indicates that the suicide rate among girls ages 10-14 was “three-fold” from 1999-2014, according to Forbes.
The study pulled data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing the need to scrutinize the increased suicide rates among young females – especially suicide by suffocation or hanging. Historically, females had higher rates of only contemplating or attempting suicide, while males had a higher rate of actually dying by suicide.
“Overall, we found a disproportionate increase in female youth suicide rates compared to males, resulting in a narrowing of the gap between male and female suicide rates,” said Donna Ruch, PhD and lead author of the study, in a press release.
Youth suicide and its connection to social media
The development and socialization of young females, as well as the prevalence of social media among tweens and teens, is considered a risk factor that should be scrutinized. The prevalence of social media has raised some concerns regarding how it impacts the mental health of adolescents.
Excessive use of social media not only inhibits the ability of children and teens to develop a healthy social life, it opens the door for exclusion and cyberbullying.
“Kids text all sorts of things that you would never in a million years contemplate saying to anyone’s face,” said Dr. Donna Wick, a clinical and developmental psychologist.
In addition, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair attributes the risk to low self-esteem to the need for adolescent females to compare themselves to others.
“Girls are socialized more to compare themselves to other people, girls in particular, to develop their identities, so it makes them more vulnerable to the downside of all this,” she said.
For adolescents in general, acceptance and “being liked” is a monumental part of their identity. Adolescent females mostly care about their appearance and may spend hours scouring through photos to decide which ones to post on social media. Simply not getting enough “likes” in comparison to someone else, or receiving negative comments, can be enough to make adolescent girls feel alienated.
Behaviors and warning signs to watch out for
It’s important that parents monitor what their children do on social media. Feelings of hopelessness or being excluded can manifest in ways that may seem rather subtle.
There are several behaviors and warning signs that may indicate contemplation of suicide, according to Healthline.
These include:
- Making threats or comments about taking own life
- Socially withdrawing from friends, family, and community
- Abusing alcohol or drugs
- Engaging in aggressive, impulsive, or reckless behavior
- Exhibiting dramatic mood swings, anxiousness or agitation
- Talking, writing or thinking about death
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, or being trapped
- Giving away possessions
Adolescent years can be a difficult time, especially among females. It may be difficult to see their point of view and why the need for social acceptance is so important for teenagers – it’s an inevitable a part of their development and identity.
Parental involvement simply isn’t enough to curtail the suicide rate among teens. Suicide prevention takes cultural change and awareness in our schools and communities.
The Law Offices of Skip Simpson not only seeks to promote such awareness in our culture but treat cases of adolescent suicide with the utmost care and help families find answers. If you have lost a loved one to suicide, we’d like to discuss your matter with you. You can contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation.
