I have had parents tell me their concerns for their children, and when they are recommended to take their child/ren to the hospital, they hesitate.  Some say it is because the child wants attention, but every threat for suicide should be taken seriously by family and friends! Let the professionals intervene and help your family or loved ones. Some parents say they can’t take their children to the hospital because they would miss school. Other people say they can’t go to the hospital because they would miss work. These common concerns don’t recognize the severity of the situation. School and work attendance will mean nothing if a family member or loved one chooses to follow-through with suicide.

Kids in middle school and high school talk about suicide so frequently now that it is scary.  I have had people who share that their friends tell them they are suicidal but don’t share it with an adult.  That is a huge burden for that child to carry around, as they in turn feel they are responsible for the safety of their friend.  Parents, if you hear your child talking about a friend having suicidal thoughts, please make sure your child knows he/she is not responsible for that friend and cannot keep such a secret from that friend’s parent/guardian/school counselor/teacher. Let’s allow our children to be children and not give them such responsibilities.

Here are some warning signs to look for when it comes to suicide:

• Threatening to hurt or kill oneself or talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself.
• Looking for ways to kill oneself by seeking access to firearms, pills, or other means.
• Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide when these actions are out of the ordinary for the person.
• Feeling hopeless.
• Feeling rage or uncontrolled anger or seeking revenge.
• Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities—seemingly without thinking.
• Feeling trapped – like there’s no way out.
• Increasing drug or alcohol use.
• Withdrawing from friends, family, & society.
• Feeling anxious, agitated, or unable to sleep or sleeping all the time.
• Experiencing dramatic mood changes.
• Seeing no reason for living or having no sense of purpose in life.
• Increase or decrease in appetite.
• Giving away of personal items of value.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above symptoms or signs, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call your nearest Health Center or doctor.

Don’t let another day go by without getting help for you or loved one. 

Post by Bhumi Bhavsar, Behavioral Health

Check out Preventable Tragedy: A Hawaiian Teen’s Suicide after Foster Care,” an article written by Natalie Wendt.  In this article Natalie Wendt speaks about a 19-year-old from Hawaii who had just committed suicide.  Natalie further explains how the 19-year-old had just been phased out of foster care and fell on hardship when his Medicaid coverage ended on his 19th birthday.  So, he was without the possibility of mental health treatment because of the expenses.

This article got me thinking about other hardships that young adults who are too old for foster care may come across when they are suddenly thrown into the real world.  Luckily, Natalie linked back to an article written by her colleague, Josie Raymond.  The article was called “Foster Care Fosters Homelessness,” and this struck me as pretty logical.

Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago actually did a study on former foster youth, and the results follow the logic that is pointed out in Raymond’s article title.  Foster children were followed starting when they entered foster care at 16, were still in care at 17, and were placed because of a reason other than delinquency.  The Executive Summary reports the outcomes of these children when they were interviewed at the ages of 23 and 24.

• 24% of these kids were homeless at least once since they left foster care; half of these were homeless MORE THAN ONCE in that time
• Only 48% were currently employed
• 57% had health insurance; and two-thirds of these were insured by Medicaid

There is a gap here.  A gap that needs to be filled by support services of some kind.  Read the articles above, become aware, and spread awareness.  Help our community fill this gap.

Learn more about what services HealthNet’s programs provide.  Or, donate directly to one of their programs by clicking here.