Youth Suicide Prevention + Resources

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Adolescence is a time of growth and new milestones, as well as a critical period of transition and change in terms of mental, physical, and social health. However, transitions like this can spark mental health challenges that can be associated with increased risk for suicide. Youth and young adults ages 10-24 accounts for 14% of all suicides. While the suicide rate for this age group is lower than other age groups including middle-aged and older adults, suicide is the second leading cause of death for children ages 10-14 (CDC.gov).

There is an incredible amount of work to be done in keeping our youth safe. No one individual can implement suicide prevention efforts on their own. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Walk In Sunshine hopes to share resources and participate in these efforts to address mental health issues in our youth. The first step to take is to understand the warning signs.

Warning signs of suicide may include, but are not limited to*:

  • Talk
    • If a child talks about killing themselves, having no reason to live, being a burden to others, feeling trapped, or unbearable pain
  • Behavior
    • Social isolation
    • Sleeping too much or too little
    • Withdrawing from activities
    • Giving away prized possessions
    • Aggression
    • Fatigue
  • Mood
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Loss of interest
    • Irritability
    • Shame

*via afsp.rg

Resources + Support

Caring Contact is a crisis hotline and listening community, providing support and education to the central and northern New Jersey community 24/7. For individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, and other sources of stress or suicidal thoughts, Caring Contact provides a non-judgemental and supportive ear. Call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at (800) 273-8255, the Caring and Crisis Line 7:00AM – 11:00PM at (908) 232-2880, or text “heart” 24/7 to 741-741.

Walk In Sunshine provides resources to help families cope with losing a child. Our section on suicide loss features more than 100 unique resources including support groups, organizations, books, videos, and articles. To access this library, please click here. Walk In Sunshine also supports families in New Jersey who have lost a child by helping offset the cost of funeral arrangements. 

If you’re interested in contacting Walk In Sunshine, please write to us at info@walkinsunshinecharity.org. You may also donate to us digitally here. For more information and resources, connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.