What are the most common reasons for suicide for children under the age of 18?

I’ve meet a good friend as a bereaved parent, and unfortunately her child has died due to suicide.

This blog post is written with a purpose to spread awareness about the most common reasons for suicide within children.
Let’s discuss some of the most common risk factors and situational triggers that appear frequently in cases involving those under 18.

1. Mental health issues and disorders. It’s not a surprise to see this reason first on the list. Depression, of course, is one of the biggest triggers for suicide among our entire population. There are also anxiety disorders that can lead to suicide if left unthreaded. The saddest part about mental health issues is that they are often misdiagnosed within children, especially during the puberty, because everyone believes a puberty must bring unwanted changes in the mood and behavior. Luckily, today we have AI that can often be a good therapist to people that have hard time opening up, or even realizing what is happening to them.
   
2. Social issues. The second reason probably includes bullying, and nowadays in the modern world -cyberbullying. Children who are bullied with time feel helpless and start self-harming. A huge problem can occur if the child is in LGBTQ+ group – they have higher risk for being socially rejected in the teen years.
   
3. Family problems & drama. Some big or tragic events can also be a part of developing suicidal tendencies within children. For example, a child can become depressed and stressed due to various reasons happening within the family, including divorce, neglect, abuse, domestic violence, or simply living daily in a high conflict households. When children don’t have enough emotional support, or live in unstable relationships, that hugely impacts their mental health status.
4. Academic & school pressure. You probably know at least one child that got truly depressed and anxious due to high parents’ expectations. Performance stress is no joke and is always linked with the fear of failure. Perfectionism becomes the goal for high-achieving students. The problem is that these kids can stay like that even in their adulthood, putting pressure on themselves when parents are not even there anymore. This can lead to many mental problems, including suicidal intensions in the end.
5. Loneliness. Children who have no friends will feel socially isolated. With time, this can lead to despair. Some children find it very hard to create new friends and be accepted in the new environment – for example, when moving to a new school.

6. Substance use. We must not forget to mention the effect of substance abuse on the mental health status. They can increase impulsivity, but also cause impair judgment.

7. Identity crisis. When growing up, children can find it hard to develop and stay true to their own identities. In the modern world where beauty is valued above all standards, a lot of young people develop self-esteem issues.

8. Trauma. Sexual abuse is probably the number one cause for suicide within young who have experienced traumatic events in their life. There can also be big life losses, such as
   loss of a loved one – a family member or a close friend. Yet, here I have to say that even the exposure to suicide (e.g., a friend or celebrity) can be triggering.

In the end, children who commit suicide will do it quickly and more easily if they have access to lethal means. Most common ones include firearms, certain medications, but suffocation methods as well. This is a huge problem for impulsive children.