See Something, Say Something: Teen Suicide in Arizona

September marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, so we are taking a hard look at some hard truths.

The latest statistics from the Arizona Department of Health Services indicate Arizona's suicide rate per 100,000 people was 35% higher than the nation's suicide rate in 2021.

Suicide prevention month coincides with the start of the school year. While suicide is a serious public health problem among all age groups, suicide is the second leading cause of death in Arizona for ages 10-34 according to the CDC.

We tend to see suicide spikes during the summer months for adults, while suicide rates for children and adolescents see an increase during the school calendar year.

Parents, guardians, teachers, guidance counselors, classmates, peers, everyone should know the signs – the available resources – and be willing to say something when they see something to save a life.

Warning signs to watch out for:

• Withdrawing from activities
• Talking about feeling isolated
• Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increased alcohol or drug use
• Saying goodbye with finality
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression & irritability
• Fatigue

"Paying attention to the change in behavior is one of the biggest warning signs, whether it's being less attentive, not caring for themselves from a grooming perspective, or perhaps changing eating or sleeping patterns," Sharon Unterreiner, Director of Behavioral Health and Special Programs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona said. "Some other common signs are giving away things they treasure, not participating in things they used to, and saying goodbye in a certain manner, not a 'see you later,' goodbye but talking in relation to never seeing someone again or not being able to do something again. Keep in mind, there are not always signs and symptoms, but if there are, it is important to notice them and to try to help."

Suicide is preventable

Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill in 2019 to combat teen suicide. The Mitch Warnock Act requires all school employees who work with students in grades six through 12 to receive training on suicide prevention at least once every three years. The bill was named after Mitch Warnock, an Arizona high school student who died by suicide.

"When you think about the job of a young person, their job is to be a student," Dr. Sandra Zebrowski, Corporate Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona said. "Perhaps they play sports or have hobbies on the side, but their main job is to achieve passing grades and to get through school. It puts a lot of pressure on youth who are not feeling their best. Being in the school environment with large groups of peers is a usual experience for most youth, but can carry its' own pressures to perform and fit in. Teachers change every year, so looking for changes in behavior may not always be possible for teachers and other adults who may not know their new students well. Noticing a change in behavior is key in picking up on someone who may be at risk."

Resources

If you or someone you know needs help, there are resources that provide confidential support 24/7.

Local: notMYkid: 602.652.0163 or notMYkid.org, Teen Lifeline: 1.800.248.TEEN (8336) or teenlifeline.org

National: Call, text, or chat 988. Dialing 988 will reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) from anywhere in the U.S.

To learn more about the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement and its efforts to address mental health, visit: Mental Health (azbluefoundation.org)