Sexual Minority Teens More Likely to Consider Suicide, Finds Study

1. Sexual Minority Teens More Likely to Consider Suicide, Finds Study Sexual Minority Teens More Likely to Consider Suicide, Finds Study Suicide, a major public health concern, claims one American life every 12.3 minutes, with approximately 1.1 million attempts during a year. Considered to be the 10th leading cause of death nationwide, the suicide rate among American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents and young adults (aged 15-24) were 1.5 times that of the national average in the year 2016. Often linked to a diagnosable mental health illness or a substance use disorder, suicide attempts among teens can also be associated with stress and self-doubt, loss and disappointment, financial uncertainty and the pressure to succeed. Some of the risk factors associated with suicide include exposure to trauma or violence, bullying and peer pressure, sexual abuse, family history of suicide attempts as well as sexual orientation. Teen years is a time when many people start to discover their sexual identity. However, questioning one’s orientation and coming to terms with their sexuality can create a lot of complications for teens. For there is always the pressure to confess and talk openly, the fear of being mocked by friends and family, and the inner turmoil that often leads a young child to believe that living is no longer of any worth. young sexual starters, According to a recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network on Dec.19, 2017, the teens who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or queer were 63 percent more likely to consider suicide than their heterosexual peers. Increased risk of suicide among sexual minorities The current study took into account the nationally representative survey of U.S. high school students. The authors took data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Youth Behavioral Risk and used it to calculate the link between a teen’s sexual orientation and suicidal thoughts or attempts. In the 2015 survey, 89 percent of the www.teenmentalhealthhelpline.com

2. study participants had identified themselves as heterosexual, 6 percent as bisexual, 2 percent as gay or lesbian, while 3.2 were unsure about their sexual identity. To examine the suicide risk, the participants were asked the times they had seriously considered suicide, planned or tried to kill themselves in the past year. The results offered a stark contrast between the two groups. As compared to 15 percent of heterosexual teens, 40 percent of sexual minority teens had considered suicide. Additionally, the researchers also observed an increased risk of suicidal attempts with 35 percent of sexual minority teens having made an attempt as compared to only 12 percent of heterosexual teens. The increased risk was also evident in males and females separately. For instance, as compared to heterosexual young women, lesbians were more than twice and bisexuals more than three times likely to attempt suicide. Whereas, as compared to heterosexual males, gay teens were more than four times and bisexuals more than five times as likely to attempt suicide. Although the study did not look at the reasons behind suicide attempts among sexual minority teens, some of the reasons that are identified as possible risk factors are a high risk of physical bullying, social stigma, verbal harassment, discrimination and the underlying sense of insecurity experienced at school. According to the researchers, it is imperative for parents, clinicians and caregivers to discuss sexual orientation with children and provide all the support. It is equally important for the policymakers to allocate appropriate mental health resources to address the issue of suicide among sexual minority adolescents. Teen suicide is preventable While suicide risk factors may vary with age, gender, family dynamics and environmental influences, parents, peers and school authorities can recognize the warning signs and take immediate action to nip the problem in the bud. One can seek professional help from certified child and youth mental health expertsand prevent the worse nightmare from coming true. Getting help for your teens’ mental health disorders is possible by calling the Teen Mental Health Helpline. A call at our 24/7 helpline (866) 831-9220 can connect you to the finest rehab centers in your area that specialize in treating mental disorders among children. Get in touch today for more information on outpatient or residential mental health facilities for teenagers. www.teenmentalhealthhelpline.com