Now is the time to address youth suicide

One each week.

One crisis per week involving a student in Cape Girardeau public and private schools that led to an official Community Counseling Center assessment from July to January.

These aren't situations in which someone didn't get the right invite to prom or that teacher is unfair or somebody said something about somebody else.

These are interventions when suicide might be on the table.

Suicide in the age group of 10 to 24 might not seem too prevalent, but it is the No. 2 cause of death nationwide for young adults. Missouri's suicide rate is higher than the national average, and more than a thousand Missourians take their own life each year.

What leads a young person to consider suicide?

Paula Johnston, a school-based supervisor and therapist for Community Counseling Center, pointed to one ever-present factor.

"Social media is a common area of struggle, often adding significant pressure for adolescents to keep up with certain trends, interactions or knowledge, simply because their other cohorts are also seeing and engaging with these same things online," she explained. "A growing concern as well is increased online presence and relationships solely in this setting. It is not that having online friendships or relationships is necessarily a bad thing; however, there is a different set of interactive and communication skills needed for online vs. in-person relationships, and I have seen many adolescents turn more and more toward their online relationships when in-person settings become overwhelming or stressful. This can lead to overall avoidance of social settings outside of the home or online world."

Young people can develop a "co-dependent relationship with the technology and their online presence", and if the tools to access those digital societies — cellphone, tablet or computer — are not available, depression, anger and suicidal thoughts can increase.

Another significant factor is the fallout from trauma, past or present. Trauma can be physical or emotional. It can stem from a variety of experiences and manifest itself in ways not obviously connected to a particular incident.

"The increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal ideations often come from a lack of resolve and healing from these experiences, or the trauma is ongoing in the adolescent's life and they do not know how to manage or escape from these situations," Johnston said.

These and other factors can lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, hopelessness or helplessness — and thoughts of suicide.

So, what is a parent or other concerned adult to do if they believe a young person they know might be in a dangerous mental state?

• Acknowledge negative feelings.
• Validate concerns while reminding that problems are temporary.
• Promote social connectivity beyond a screen.
• Ask questions and talk about depression and anxiety — and, yes, suicide.
• Seek professional help.

Community Counseling Center has a variety of programs to deal with these issues. Learn more about them at www.cccntr.com/child-and-adolescent-services.

Anyone considering suicide, having suicidal ideation or struggling with mental health issues may call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 to speak with a professional. The resource is free, available at all times and confidential.