Suicide rates are highest between the months of April and August according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research director Dan Romer says the analysis debunks the myth of higher suicide rates during end-of-year holidays.
“It’s clearly seasonal in the sense that there’s more sun, longer days, and one theory is that under those conditions people have more energy than they do in the winter months when it’s gloomy,” Romer said.
The CDC identified suicide as the second leading cause of deathfor people between the ages of 10 and 34 in 2014. Ridge Behavioral Health System of Lexingtons’ Geoff Wilson says he thinks social media has a role in increased youth suicide rates.
“All of a sudden something is posted on youtube where thousands of people are going to see it and they’re seeing all these comments that they are seeing. And for an adolescent that’s so overwhelming,” Wilson said. “They may do and act not even necessarily intending for this to happen and it happens.”
Wilson says warning signs include self-isolation, the expression of hopelessness, a lack of attention to appearance, tearfulness, sleep troubles, mood instability, appetite changes and a drop in academic performance. Wilson speaks on teen suicide prevention at the Paducah Rotary Club at noon and at Baptist Health Paducah’s Heart Center at 6:00 p.m. He says he hopes to shed light on the prevalence of suicide rates among youth and adults.
Suicide Prevention Resources:
· National Suicide Prevention Lifeline-
o Online Chat available at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
o Hotline- 1-800-273-TALK
· State Crisis Centers- http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetInvolved/Locator
· Stop Youth Suicide- http://www.stopyouthsuicide.com/help.htm
· National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention- http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/
