Oregon Health Authority Offers Parents, Teens Ways to Discuss Suicide and Emotional Distress

PORTLAND, OR — The Oregon Health Authority on Monday released a comprehensive statement reminding parents and families about resources and information that could help prevent suicide among teens.

Following the release of Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," a story about a high school girl who leaves a box of cassette tapes explaining the 13 reasons why she killed herself (based on the 2007 novel by Jay Asher), health professionals have noted an increase in students asking questions about how to deal with emotional trauma, according to the statement.

"Parents and health care providers know that television shows, popular movies and other entertainment can have a strong influence on young people's thinking and behavior, and may cause some children and teens to think or talk about suicide," said Ann Kirkwood, suicide intervention coordinator for the Oregon Health Authority. "It's critical that parents and health care providers help kids cope by talking openly and honestly about their thoughts and feelings, about what they're watching, and watch for signs of distress."

It's not that the show addresses suicide or the traumatic experiences suffered by some children, the statement said, it's that the show doesn't do much to provide resources to answer the questions it raises. Also, it doesn't provide any outlet for kids and teens who may want to talk about what they've seen and how they feel about it.

"While these shows may be fictional, they depict traumatic events in the life of a child, and may represent incorrect notions about the psychology behind suicide," said Dr. Ajit Jetmalani, a professor of psychiatry and the head of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine, Doernbecher Children's Hospital. "There's also often a lack of suicide prevention advice or hotline information, which we want to provide and make sure that individuals of all ages know where to turn for information and help."

The OHA statement advises speaking with children "openly and honestly — without judgement — about emotional distress and suicide … to promote an open and honest conversation," adding that children are often relieved to see someone cares enough to take the time to talk to them about what they're experiencing.

"We know that some of the youth calling our support lines are impacted by what they're seeing on TV," said Emily Moser, Lines for Life's YouthLine program director. "Youth need support from parents and other trusted adults to process the difficult topics depicted on TV and to understand the implications of certain choices. We all have a role to play in helping reinforce in our communities that suicide is not the answer to problems and that reaching out to a trusted adult, friend, or crisis line makes an enormous difference in almost every potentially suicidal situation."

But adding another layer of difficulty to addressing teen or adolescent suicide is the growing "Blue Whale Challenge," a trending game that asks participants to do increasingly dangerous challenges over a 50-day period with the final task ostensibly being suicide. The game reportedly originated in Russia, though no actual suicides have been proven, but the fact it exists is enough to put many health professionals, parents, and school administrators on edge.

A school in Danbury, Conn. released a statement recently advising parents of the game's existence.

"While we do not know of any students who have done (The Blue Whale Challenge), we need to make sure that parents are armed with the information necessary to protect their children," the district's statement read in part. "We will do the same in our schools. We are checking computers and speaking with students to make sure that they are not involved or influenced."

From the Oregon Health Authority:

A few key warning signs for suicidal thoughts in youth and others include:
Talking about wanting to die, being dead or about suicide.
Cutting, burning or causing physical harm to the body; Feelings of loss, lack of hope, despair, or a deep feeling of something being "wrong."
Withdrawing from friends, family and activities; and/or becoming more worried or on edge, or seeming unusually angry or not their normal selves.
Parents and families can approach the subject in a number of ways by providing open-ended questions and starting a conversation through a few examples listed below:
You've likely seen suicide mentioned on TV and in the media. What do you think about it and how does it make you feel?
Some conversations on TV suggest that adults in a teenager's life don't care about their emotional challenges. Do you feel there people in your life you can turn to whom you trust?
Do you know about the suicide warning signs in case you feel this way or have friends or classmates who do?
Is there anything you're concerned about now in your own life? A friend or someone that you know? How are you feeling or is there anything that you're upset by?
Reiterate how much you care. Feeling suicidal is a sign that you need to reach out to others. Please know that if you're ever feeling that way, know that we will figure out what to do together.
For more information and resources, please contact:
Lines for Life — Resource for prevention tips and resources at http://www.linesforlife.org/. Teens can text with a peer by texting 839863 or call 1-877-968-8491.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — A confidential service for adults or youth who are in crisis or know someone who is, at 800-273-8255 (TALK) or chat is available at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.
The Trevor Project — Provides crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth at 866-488-7386 or text "Trevor" to 1-202-304-1200 (available Tuesday-Friday between noon and 6 p.m. Pacific time) or at http://www.thetrevorproject.org/.
Veterans Crisis Line — Confidential help for veterans and their families, 800-273-8255 or http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/.

Image via Pixabay.com