Learn Suicide Warning Signs & Risk Factors

Most children and adolescents spend a good chunk of their day in school under the supervision of teachers and staff.

And it’s up to all of the adults at school to help create a culture and climate of inclusion.

Today, more than ever, it’s crucial for all school staff members to be familiar with, and watchful for, risk factors and warning signs of suicidal behavior.

The entire school staff should work to create an environment where students feel safe sharing such information. Research shows this is more likely to happen when there’s an appropriate and positive relationship built on trust and respect.

The fact is, about 80% of students give a clear warning sign prior to a suicide attempt. And about 90% of people who die by suicide show one or more risk factors, including depression and other mental health disorders, and substance-abuse disorders, and often a combination of these.

And what happens in many cases is a student battling with an INTERNAL struggle experiences EXTERNAL stresses. Common stressors include disciplinary problems, a romantic breakup, family conflict and violence, sexual orientation confusion, physical and sexual abuse and being the victim of bullying.

When any of these risk factors combine or start to pile up, suicide ideation and attempts tend to jump significantly. So, this is where school staff and educators play a vital role. As you walk down the halls, observe interactions and watch for those who repeatedly appear withdrawn, emotionless, or lonely, and make mental notes about students or situations that just don’t feel right. Then communicate any warning signs to school counselors.

In your classes, pay attention to student’s body language and facial expressions as well as how much they talk in class or talk with others in class. You can even check in with a student one-on-one and ask questions.

And one of the clearest warning signs is noticing drastic changes in their countenance, their behaviors, their grades on assignments, their personality, their mood, and especially their emotions. Changes are often a signal that something isn’t quite right.

And yes, children and adolescents do experience normal ups and downs and all kinds of moodiness, right? And while they may not be thinking about suicide, something is off, so pay attention to whether these changes are persistent and consistent. And again, don’t be afraid to pull them aside and ask questions, such as, “Hey, I’ve noticed you haven’t been quite yourself lately, is everything okay?”

Remember, listening can be life-saving.