Each year, about seven lives are lost area-wide to suicide. While this is a very serious topic, local school districts are learning the hard way how to talk about the issue without glorifying it, as well as dealing with the aftermath.
Over the course of the school year, Schenectady High School has lost three students to suicide, two of them in the past month.
"It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem," said Patty Kilgore, Clinical Director at The Prevention Council. "It's a huge myth to believe that suicide shouldn't be talked about. Always ask."
If a young adult is showing signs of distress, depression or hopelessness, it should always be discussed, said Dr. Richard DiMartino, school psychologist at Saratoga Springs High School.
"What it really boils down to is humans knowing humans. If there is even a suspicion that something is wrong, talk about it. Most of the time, someone is looking for help," he said.
Sudden changes in behavior, such as withdrawing from activities, problems sleeping, increased impulsiveness or substance use are warning signs that should not be ignored.
Other things that may put a young adult at risk of depression or suicidal thoughts are traumatic events at home, being continuously bullied at school, sexual identity issues and not finding acceptance among peers and family.
Parents who suspect their child may be suicidal should do their best to get lethal means such as medications or guns out of the house or in a place that isn't easily accessible.
"Thoughts of suicide can come impulsively," Kilgore said. "Dangerous items should be in a safe place in case the child acts on the impulse."
At Saratoga Springs High School, every case where a student is potentially suicidal is taken very seriously.
"The thought of suicide is normative among teenagers. It's a completely different thing to act on that thought by making a plan or talking about it. That's a cry for help," DiMartino said.
Each year, 10 to 15 students in the Saratoga Springs City School District are referred to outside sources for help with depression and thoughts of suicide. When dealing with high school students and suicide, there are three phases: prevention, intervention and post-vention.
Prevention opens the lines of communication for all students to raise awareness of suicide and give everyone a basic knowledge of the signs to look for in peers and when to ask for help. Intervention takes place when a student is displaying characteristics that may suggest he or she is depressed or suicidal. This is when the student is evaluated by counselors and referred to outside help if needed. Post-vention happens when a student doesn't get help in time and carries out the act of suicide or even attempts suicide. It is a response to the crisis at hand, be it a response to a student who has attempted suicide by getting them the help they need, or the help the community needs if a student actually commits suicide. Each plan is tailored to the specific case, DiMartino said.
When dealing with the aftermath of a suicide, it is tricky to deal with it properly without glorifying the situation, Kilgore said. "From the outside, it may look like the person is getting more attention after death than when they were crying out for help. It's important to honor the dead, but we can't make suicide look like an attractive option to another student who may already have suicidal thoughts," she said. "It's hard for a school district to find the balance, and no matter what they do, someone won't be happy."
The most important thing to remember is to open lines of communication. A child who is displaying signs that he or she may be contemplating suicide is crying out for help.
"Simply ask if he has thoughts of hurting himself. If you promised him you wouldn't tell anyone, break that promise and tell an adult. That is the one promise you cannot keep."
"It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem," said Patty Kilgore, Clinical Director at The Prevention Council. "It's a huge myth to believe that suicide shouldn't be talked about. Always ask."
If a young adult is showing signs of distress, depression or hopelessness, it should always be discussed, said Dr. Richard DiMartino, school psychologist at Saratoga Springs High School.
"What it really boils down to is humans knowing humans. If there is even a suspicion that something is wrong, talk about it. Most of the time, someone is looking for help," he said.
Sudden changes in behavior, such as withdrawing from activities, problems sleeping, increased impulsiveness or substance use are warning signs that should not be ignored.
Other things that may put a young adult at risk of depression or suicidal thoughts are traumatic events at home, being continuously bullied at school, sexual identity issues and not finding acceptance among peers and family.
Parents who suspect their child may be suicidal should do their best to get lethal means such as medications or guns out of the house or in a place that isn't easily accessible.
"Thoughts of suicide can come impulsively," Kilgore said. "Dangerous items should be in a safe place in case the child acts on the impulse."
At Saratoga Springs High School, every case where a student is potentially suicidal is taken very seriously.
"The thought of suicide is normative among teenagers. It's a completely different thing to act on that thought by making a plan or talking about it. That's a cry for help," DiMartino said.
Each year, 10 to 15 students in the Saratoga Springs City School District are referred to outside sources for help with depression and thoughts of suicide. When dealing with high school students and suicide, there are three phases: prevention, intervention and post-vention.
Prevention opens the lines of communication for all students to raise awareness of suicide and give everyone a basic knowledge of the signs to look for in peers and when to ask for help. Intervention takes place when a student is displaying characteristics that may suggest he or she is depressed or suicidal. This is when the student is evaluated by counselors and referred to outside help if needed. Post-vention happens when a student doesn't get help in time and carries out the act of suicide or even attempts suicide. It is a response to the crisis at hand, be it a response to a student who has attempted suicide by getting them the help they need, or the help the community needs if a student actually commits suicide. Each plan is tailored to the specific case, DiMartino said.
When dealing with the aftermath of a suicide, it is tricky to deal with it properly without glorifying the situation, Kilgore said. "From the outside, it may look like the person is getting more attention after death than when they were crying out for help. It's important to honor the dead, but we can't make suicide look like an attractive option to another student who may already have suicidal thoughts," she said. "It's hard for a school district to find the balance, and no matter what they do, someone won't be happy."
The most important thing to remember is to open lines of communication. A child who is displaying signs that he or she may be contemplating suicide is crying out for help.
"Simply ask if he has thoughts of hurting himself. If you promised him you wouldn't tell anyone, break that promise and tell an adult. That is the one promise you cannot keep."
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