Why do kids take their own lives?

Paula Fontenelle
Nov 1 · 6 min read

Among 10–14 year-olds, the US Suicide rates nearly tripled in ten years. What are the warning signs and how to approach this population

For most of us, the idea of a young child taking their own life is unthinkable, but unfortunately, from 2000 to 2017, this was the reality for more than five thousand families in the United States (5,527 deaths). And this is only for children within the 10–14 age group alone. If we look at the 10–24 year-olds, the numbers reach the alarming sum of 88,744 people. For this population, suicide is the second leading cause of death.

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Paula Fontenelle

Written by

A therapist who specializes in suicide prevention. Believes in sharing experiences with compassion and empathy. www.understandsuicide.com

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