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.