Thread by @tylerblack32

CW: Suicidology education

**MINITHREAD: Suicidality in kids"

Many youth, parents, teachers, & physicians I work with don't understand the scope of *suicidal thinking* in youth. It's actually relatively common, and it does NOT mean that the child is going to die of suicide.

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Suicide is a top cause of death for children, but at the same time, death is quite rare for children. It's important to put this into perspective.

Using 🇺🇸 CDC mortality & youth survey data, we can see that last year, 18.8% of high school kids "seriously considered suicide."

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But the context is key. In 2018 (the last measured year available), the suicide rate was 0.0075% of youth 10-19. Overall, youth are about ~2900 times more likely to consider suicide than to die by suicide.

(🇨🇦 10-19 rate 6/100k, 🇺🇸 rate much higher at 7.5/100k)

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That being said, suicidal thinking does have a moderate correlation with suicide rates. Here, by changing the axis - blue (left) is suicides per 100k and orange (right) is % seriously considering suicide - we can see a moderate correlation, with an r^2 of 0.33

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It is hard to hold on to scope and relative large numbers like that, so I'll try to do some quick math.

In a class of 30 kids, about 6 will seriously consider suicide. But in 450 such classrooms of 30 kids each, there will be one suicide.

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Parents, teachers, doctors: do not panic if a child expresses suicidal ideation. IT DOES NOT mean they need hospital or medication. Take it seriously. Listen. Discover risk factors/stresses. If you suspect depression or another mental health issue psychiatry is available.

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If you are worried about immediate safety, or there is a health reason, please help the child get to the nearest hospital or urgent service.

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Youth: if you are thinking suicide, you aren't alone, just seeking attention, or strange. It is common, & feeling "unlike others" is how these thoughts can grow.

Please hear: Your stress matters, your pain is real, and you can&will get through this.

kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/how-c…

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Youth:

🇨🇦
text CONNECT to 686868 or call 1-800-668-6868

🇺🇸
text HOME to 741741 🏳️‍🌈1-866-488-7386

⚧️ 1-877-565-8860

🇬🇧
text SHOUT to 85258

🇮🇪
text HELLO to 50808

You do NOT need to be "majorly" suicidal to reach out to these #'s. Anxieties, sadness, struggles, it's OK.
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