Elevated Risk Factors

Although there is no such thing as a suicidal type of young person, the statistics on youth suicide do suggest that there are certain behaviors or characteristics that can alert you to a possible elevated risk of suicidal thought. Some of the most common elevated risk factors are listed below:

Perfectionists – Rigid perfectionism is a risk factor in youth suicide especially when the perfectionist is threatened with not achieving at self – or other demanded levels of perfection²².

Gay and Lesbians – Considered to be at high risk for suicidal behavior because they are the targets of a great deal of victimization. They report not feeling safe in their schools, feeling confused about their sexuality and suffering some form of verbal or physical abuse¹⁸.

Learning Disabled – Youths with learning disabilities had twice the risk of emotional distress, and females were at twice the risk of attempting suicide and for violence involvement than their peers²³.

Loners – When people suffer from emotional distress they cannot resolve, those who have no social support are more likely to consider suicide²⁴.

Low  Self- Esteem – Low self-esteem is often closely related to feelings of depression, hopelessness and suicidal tendencies²⁵.

Depressed  Youths – 60% of those who complete suicide suffer from depression¹⁴.

Students in Trouble – Of more than 11,000 incarcerated youth, over half suffer from diagnosable, yet untreated mental illnesses²⁰.

Abused,  Molested or  Neglected – Abused youths in a study by the AMA showed significantly greater risk factors for youth suicide, including family disintegration, and diagnoses of depression, disruptive behavior disorders and substance abuse and dependence²⁶.