Health Problem
Suicide is the act of trying to kill oneself. Most of the teen that attempt to kill themselves are suffering from mental illness. Some factors contribute to suicide among adolescents. Some of the factors include bullying, loss of family members, and depression from broken relationships. The problem is preventable through early intervention.
Background Information
Suicide is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 48,000 suicide cases in the United States in 2018 (National Institute of Mental Health, n.p). Those between the age of 10 and 34 are at a much higher risk. The suicide rate in the country has been increasing since 1999. The quality of suicide in 1999 was 10.5 in every 10,000 individuals. The amount has increased to 14.2 in every 100,000 individuals as of the 2018 fiscal year (National Institute of Mental Health, n.p). The increasing rate of the problem, especially among the adolescent shows the need for immediate intervention.
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Treatment
Treatment of suicide mainly focuses on the prevention mechanisms. For instance, when a person is feeling depressed, it is essential to avoid isolation. Always make sure that the teen has people surrounding them because they start having suicidal thoughts when left alone. Another treatment strategy is through the use of antidepressants that relieve a person from depression and anxiety. Before committing suicide, most teens have warning signs that indicate that they are likely to kill themselves. For instance, their language and choice of words are essential. Someone might say, “I will not be a bother to you for long.” For a depressed teen, the statement means a lot, and they might kill themselves for them to no longer be a bother. Thus, it is essential to take them through a counseling session if they show any signs and symptoms of committing suicide. The focus of the treatment has been on handling the cause. Most evidence-based standards of care focus on preventing the cause of suicide, such as bullying, instead of dealing with the problem.
Solutions to Health Disparities
In the United States, the focus is on the mental health issue, which is the leading cause of suicide among adolescents. An investigation conducted by Torcasso and Hilt (2017) shows a positive correlation between increased mental health care services and suicide attempts among adolescents. In the research, many adolescents who took part in the multi-screening intervention accessed mental health care services (Torcasso and Hilt, 2017). All the students who obtained the services showed a decrease in suicidal behaviors. Also, the investigation results suggest that 9th-grade students who try to commit suicide are less. Thus, in the country, a solution to the health disparities is towards screening and access to mental health care services. Increased access to the services and provision will be useful in curbing the problem.
Patient Education, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
As a future nurse, my focus on sensitization is providing patient education, health promotion, and disease prevention of the problem. Bazrafshan et al. (2016) suggest that those who committed suicide usually have a psycho-emotional issue in the past. Thus, in the future, my focus will be on both family and social support. Family and social support are the main factors contributing to suicide attempts among adolescents, and intervention in the two will help curb the situation. In my nursing practice, I will focus on understanding the relationships that the adolescent creates with others. It will be effortless to create an intervention strategy by identifying those close to the one affected by the problem. Creation of a toll-free line will ensure there is the support provided to those that have suicidal thought. Most of the adolescent commit suicide because they lack someone to talk to about their problems. A toll-free line will grant them the opportunity to seek help when they feel depressed. Talking about the issue that is depressing them and pushing them towards committing suicide gives them the relief of feeling they are not alone.
Use of Technology
Technology is fundamental in solving the suicide problem among adolescents. The use of technology increases the reach of those who are affected. Most of the affected adolescents are usually shy to talk about the issue, disturbing them. The availability of technology makes it easy to have communicated with the affected and make their identity anonymous. The problem would have been solving even without direct interaction with the affected person. Technology has made it easy for people to share their ideas and thought. Thus, it will be straightforward to identify how they express themselves on the various social medial platforms.
Increase in Knowledge
Future nurses can increase their knowledge through nursing education on ethical considerations while dealing with suicide among adolescents. The two primary ethical considerations that future nurses will need to learn are confidentiality and consent. In privacy, the information and data of the participants should be kept private and confidential. The information should not be relayed to a third party without informing the participant. Most adolescents fail to speak of their issues because of the fear of being exposed. The ethical issue will grant them the safety they need and speak out instead of committing suicide.
References
Bazrafshan, M., Sharif, F., Molazem, Z., & Mani (2016). Exploring the risk factors contributing to suicide attempts among adolescents. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery , 93-98.
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Suicide. NIH. Retrieved from NIMH » Suicide (nih.gov) . Accessed 7 December 2020.
Torcasso, G., & Hilt, L.M.. (2017). Suicide Prevention Among High School Students: Evaluation of a Nonrandomized Trial of a Multi-stage suicide Screening Program. Child Youth Care Forum , 35-49.
