Suicidal & Self-Harm Behavior
Suicide is a major public health concern – it is now the 2nd leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24 (4th among adults 18-65), and suicide rates have continued to increase over the past decade. In a given year, 1 in 5 teens seriously considers suicide. Over 10 percent of teens engage in intentional self-harm, and recurrent self-harm increases risk of death by suicide.
Many forces drive suicidal and self-harm behavior, but the common element is often intense emotional pain. Individuals who are suicidal may feel that they are trapped in a room full of suffering with only one way out. When pain seems unbearable and no other ways of coping are available, the urge to escape can be overwhelming. People can often become trapped in a pattern of self-injury especially when this type of behavior leads to greater attention and care from their environment.
Fortunately, treatment of suicidal and self-harm behavior has advanced tremendously over the past two decades. For people who suffer from suicidal and self-harm behavior, and for their families, there is now a set of clearly effective interventions – refined by rigorous science and rooted in compassion and hope.