Youth Suicide

What Works

• Currently no medications/psychological treatments meet this criteria.

What Seems to Work

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for co-occurring disorders: Necessary to closely monitor youth taking SSRIs because of the risk that SSRIs can increase suicidality in youth and young adults.
• Outperformed the treatment for the control group in reducing suicide attempts. However, it did not help reduce depressive symptoms.
• Psychotherapy, while not by itself an evidence-based practice, is an important component to the treatment of suicidality in youth. All are options when choosing a treatment modality.

What Does Not Work

• No-suicide Contracts: Study findings are diverse; there have been results that have found that contracts reduce suicidal behavior and others suggesting that they increase it.
• Tricyclic Antidepressants: Effectiveness has not been demonstrated. They can potentially be lethal due to the small difference between therapeutic and toxic doses.
• Benzodiazepines: Should be used with great caution as they may result in impulsivity.
• Barbiturates: Should be used with great caution as they may result in impulsivity.

http://www.ohiomindsmatter.org/documents/5c%20Evidence-Based%20Treatments.pdf 

There are numerous warning signs and risk factors for suicide. You can review those at this website run by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/ You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You do not have to be in a suicidal crisis to call. You can call professionals on this line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year round.

Resources 

Cha, C. B., Franz, P. J., M Guzmán, E., Glenn, C. R., Kleiman, E. M., & Nock, M. K. (2017). Annual Research Review: Suicide among youth – epidemiology, (potential) etiology, and treatment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12831

Glenn, C. R., Franklin, J. C., & Nock, M. K. (2015). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in youth. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 44(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2014.945211