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Since the CDC released its survey findings last month showing alarmingly high rates of sadness and suicidal thoughts among adolescent girls and teenagers who identify as gay or bisexual, there has been finger pointing from the political left and right about what’s brought about this crisis. Some have argued that escalating climate issues have created an existential threat and accompanying anxiety and dread. Others have said today’s more secular, permissive culture has uprooted and confused our most vulnerable young people. But neither side seems to grasp the real urgency of the issue.
According to the CDC’s findings, more than one in five of the 17,000 high school students surveyed reported attempting suicide. Their rates of sadness and hopelessness are the highest in a decade, reflecting an escalating trend made worse by the isolation and stress of the pandemic.
The severity of the issue has been confirmed by pediatricians across the country who have seen a spike in patients reporting high levels of anxiety and depression, and by hospitals that have seen a dramatic rise in admissions for suicidal adolescents. New York Times reporting includes stunning statistics from the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, where there were 8,000 emergency room visits by suicidal adolescents in 2022. There were 3,000 in 2010 and 250 in 1982.
It's time to stop the finger-pointing and focus our collective attention on this generation of struggling teenagers. That means putting aside our differences and approaching this issue like it’s the life-and-death matter it is.
As a start, we must, as a society, evolve our thinking on how to respond to mental health challenges. Instead of merely reacting when young people indicate the extent of their hopelessness, we need to take more proactive measures. For example, rather than waiting for teenagers to admit they’re having violent fantasies or engaging in suicidal ideation – which, of course, represent major warning signs – we must engage with them when we see early red flags: dramatic behavioral changes, sharp declines in grades, a greater tendency to isolate, etc. We shouldn’t assume such challenges represent mere teenage angst.
Parents and other caregivers, as well as teachers and others who have direct contact and exposure, must all embrace this preventive approach. Crucially, they must not be afraid to ask direct questions about suicidal thoughts or intentions, resisting the false notion that raising the issue of suicide creates a risk that wasn’t there previously. It’s also particularly important for parents to understand the help that is available to their children. For instance, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals can provide clinical care; case managers help access wrap-around services; and mental health attorneys guide families through the complex legal framework of our mental health system and, in some cases, conduct carefully staged, clinically and legally sound interventions. Hospitalization might also be appropriate when the person in question poses an immediate danger to themself or others.
At the macro level, our country can do so much more to help individuals struggling with mental health challenges and their families. For example, we can demand parity, meaning insurance coverage for behavioral health issues that is no less generous than coverage for physical ailments, thus lessening the financial burden associated with therapy and other forms of treatment. We can also press our representatives for funding for crucial community-based behavioral health programs and exploration of how to expand the pipeline of individuals seeking careers in the mental health field.
It is time that those who have the power to amplify their voice and drive change focus on helping teenagers and families access the help they need, and work toward changing our systems to reduce the burden on these individuals. Put the politics aside. There are lives in the balance.
