Suicide, Adolescent

[Page 3424]Suicide, or the act of intentionally ending one’s own life, is a serious mental and public health concern that affects individuals across the lifespan. Although suicide is a rare occurrence prior to puberty, the incidence of suicide attempts drastically increases in the teen years and is highest in midadolescence, making suicide the third leading cause of premature death in adolescents and young adults. The top three methods for adolescent suicide deaths are (1) firearms, (2) suffocation (which includes hanging), and (3) poisoning (which includes overdose). The most common method for suicide attempts (in which the adolescent survives) is ingestion of medication. There are gender and ethnic differences in suicide attempters and completers—girls are more likely to attempt suicide, whereas boys are more likely to ...