Increasing self-harm & suicide among youth: be aware & take action
We recently released a new data dashboard (linked here) on the calls we take about adolescents who have ingested (eaten or drank) a substance for self-harm or suspected suicide reasons. These calls have increased substantially over the last 3 years, particularly among younger ages and adolescent girls.
Youth are living in unprecedented times as they continue to face new and ongoing challenges to their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. While our increasing trends aren’t new — we’ve been monitoring increases in adolescent self-harm and suspected suicide for over a decade — they reinforce the importance of being aware and taking action to help the adolescents in our lives.
When we compared patients in 2021 to those in 2019, we saw the largest increase in self-harm or suspected suicide ingestions among younger adolescents. The number of 6–12 year old patients increased 58%, with most patients between the ages of 10 and 12 years.
In the context of all of the 6–12 year old patients we help, other poison exposure reasons are much more common than self-harm or suspected suicide. For example, in 2021, we treated 300 6–12 year olds with a self-harm or suspected suicide ingestion, compared to over 1,500 with an accidental exposure to a substance (“accident” and “unintentional misuse” in the graph below. See our data term glossary for definitions of exposure reasons.).
Even though self-harm or suspected suicide ingestions are less common, the increases in this young age group highlight the importance of monitoring and checking in with children and adolescents of all ages. Take note of any changes in their mood or behavior, engage them in discussion on their lives and mental health, and seek help if any warning signs appear.
Warning signs that an adolescent may be thinking of suicide:
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Increased substance use or other high-risk behaviors
- Talking about feeling empty, hopeless, or being a burden
- Giving away important possessions
- Researching ways to kill themselves
Most of the adolescent patients we treat with self-harm or suspected suicide ingestions are female. In 2021, we helped 2,344 female patients between the ages of 6 and 17 years, compared to 431 male patients. The number of male adolescents we treated with a self-harm or suspected suicide ingestion has remained fairly consistent over the last 3 years. The number of adolescent girls, however, increased 48% from 2019 to 2021.
The top substances used by adolescents in self-harm or suspected suicide attempts are common over-the-counter and prescription medications. These substances are easily accessible in the home, oftentimes in large quantities. To help prevent and reduce harm from these substances, parents and caregivers can implement two strategies in their homes:
- Lock up all over-the-counter and prescription medications. Use a medication lockbox, a locking toolbox, a safe, or any other secured storage area. If locking up all medication is too challenging, keep a small quantity out (for example, one week’s supply) and lock up the rest.
- Dispose of any leftover, unneeded, or unwanted medications. Find a secure medicine return location near you at takebackyourmeds.org.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800–273-TALK (8255). Adolescents may also call or text Teen Link at 1–866-TEENLINK (833–6546). Call the WA Poison Center (1–800–222–1222) if someone has taken a substance for self-harm or suspected suicide reasons. If the individual is unresponsive (you can’t wake them up or they are not breathing), call 911.
