Hoosier teenagers are more likely to consider suicide than any other group of teens throughout the country.
And Indiana high school students rank No. 2 when it comes to carrying out suicide attempts.
Those statistics are being released today as part of the Indiana Youth Institute’s KIDS COUNT 2015 study, which is designed to show a snapshot of the state’s young people when it comes to poverty, child abuse and overall well-being.
According to the study – which cites government statistics from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Mental Health – 19 percent of teens in Indiana have considered suicide during the past year.
Eleven percent of Indiana high school students have attempted suicide – the national average is 7.8 percent – while 3.9 percent saw a medical professional as a result of their suicide attempt.
While the topic can be uncomfortable to many who deal with teenagers on a regular basis – i.e. teachers, school workers and parents – those rates have also begun to spark change in how suicide is viewed and, ultimately, dealt with.
In the past, the reality of suicide or its very idea was kept quiet in the hallways of schools and elsewhere. When a student or a classmate died from a suicide, it was only whispered about at best, never open for discussion by the adults and ultimately kept quiet.
There were always fears about other students following their classmate’s lead if the topic was even broached.
Now, though, many mental health professionals are advocating a more active approach, meeting the idea of suicide head on before it can become a problem and urging those involved with teens to be more open about disturbing thoughts or feelings.