More Than “Teen Angst”: What to Watch For

And what about the rest of us? What can we, as health care providers, do to stem this tide of teen suicide? The importance of early prevention strategies to reduce onset of suicidal thoughts and help identify persons who are at risk for or are currently contemplating suicide cannot be overemphasized. We need more health care practitioners who are trained to assess suicide plans and to intervene with young persons. This involves education in recognizing risk factors and making appropriate referrals, expanding access to social services, reducing stigma and other barriers to seeking help, and providing awareness that suicide prevention is paramount.

It is incumbent on us as health care providers to screen for and ask our teenaged patients about those subtle behaviors. As adults, it is our responsibility to support and watch over our youth. In the words of former Surgeon General David Satcher, “We must act now. We cannot change the past, but together we can shape a different future.”¹⁴