Suicide in young people: facts and characteristics of this phenomenon.

A summary of the most important information to keep in mind about suicidal behavior in young people.

Unfortunately, youth is a stage of life in which suicidal behavior is not a rarity, at least statistically. Especially if we look at adolescence, this psychologically complex transitional stage has a negative impact on the mental health of many people.

In this article we will focus on the phenomenon of suicide in young people, as well as on the psychological processes in adolescence.as well as on the psychological processes linked to it.

What is suicidal ideation?

To understand the phenomenon of the suicide from the point of view of the Psychology, it is essential to know before the concept of the suicidal ideation. This is the tendency to think recurrently about the idea of taking one's own life, in varying degrees of detail and which has nothing to do with a simple exercise of creativity (for example, "practicing" to write a novel by thinking about how the protagonist thinks).

Moreover, suicidal ideation can be passive or active; in the first case, the person thinks about the fact that he/she is not interested in continuing to live, and in the second case, he/she reflects on possibilities about how to commit suicide, that is, he/she carries out "experiments" in his/her imagination about the technical aspects of how he/she would do it.

It should be kept in mind that not everyone who attempts suicide will go on to develop suicidal ideation on a consistent basis; for example, it is possible that a person who attempts suicide may be suicidal in the first instance.For example, it is possible that a person may try to take his or her own life more or less spontaneously and unexpectedly during a psychotic break or when he or she sees a relative die unexpectedly.

On the other hand, suicidal ideation is difficult to detect; many people actively hide the fact that such ideas are going through their minds, and it is estimated that about 60% of those who commit suicide had not reported having been experiencing suicidal ideation.

Key ideas about suicidal behavior in young people.

These are the keys to understanding how adolescents tend to experience suicidal ideation.

1. How often do young people think about suicide?

It is estimated that, in Western cultural countries and their areas of influence, between 5 and 25% of young people think about suicide, between 5 and 25% of adolescents experience or have recently experienced suicidal ideation.

In addition, it is estimated that in adolescence, of those with persistent suicidal ideation, approximately 47% report having planned in detail how to commit suicide and about 24% go on to attempt suicide at least once. In addition, most (about 70%) of those who reach the point of attempting suicide and have developed suicidal ideation do so in the same year in which it begins to occur.

On the other hand, the part of adolescence in which suicidal ideation is most likely to occur is between the ages of 13 and 19, i.e. from the last phase of suicidal ideation to the last phase of suicidal ideation.that is, from the last phase of puberty to post-adolescence.

2. There is not always a disorder behind the desire to kill oneself.

Assuming that all people who commit suicide or attempt suicide have a diagnosable disorder implies assuming a very simplistic idea of this reality. It is not necessary to meet the diagnostic criteria of a psychopathology to suffer suicidal ideation.although it is a symptom of many of them.

The psychological disorders that most overlap with suicidal ideation are major depression, bipolar disorder, dysthymia, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder.

3. Self-esteem problems are of particular importance in suicidal behavior during adolescence.

In the case of adolescence, self-esteem problems caused by the changes the body goes through and identity crises due to the transition between childhood roles due to the transition between childhood and adult roles, as well as the need for acceptance by the peer group, seem to be an important factor in suicidal ideation.

4. Previous attempts are a major risk factor

The fact that an adolescent has previously attempted suicide is the main predictor of reattempting it againover and above whether or not there is a diagnosis of a psychological disorder.

In addition, people who are not heterosexual and/or are not cisgender also present a higher risk of suicidal ideation. The latter is relevant, because it is in adolescence that one begins to become aware of one's sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Related article, "What is sexual identity?"

Looking for psychological support for youth and adolescents?

If you want to have psychotherapeutic support for young people who feel bad or may have developed suicidal ideation, please contact us.

We attend in person in Malaga and also through online therapy.