Some teens will attempt to straighten out their affairs, exemplified by returning long overdue library books or by giving away prized possessions, before acting out. Common motivational factors that play into teen suicide are self punishment and retaliatory abandonment. In both cases emotional pain and resultant anger are clear contributors. The young suicide victim may have felt such an intense need for self punishment that this self inflicted murder appears to be the only recourse. Prevention is the key to teen suicide reduction.
True prevention begins with eliminating the causative factors such as family disturbance.
Recognizing the signs of depression and the clues expressed by the suicidal person are also essential. Early identification and treatment are the best approaches to slow this national epidemic. The parent, sibling or friend who recognizes the warning signs can help by taking action that will assist the adolescent change the direction of the developing or existing crisis. The intervention can take the form of first acknowledging the messages received from the teen, no matter how covert they are. Next, the adolescent and the family must be encouraged to seek the assistance of an expert.