Below are 10 Young Adult novels that address suicide and can been used to help cope, and even be a catalyst for a community discussion. What we do know is the hole that he has left in so many by ending his life so unexpectedly is deep.īooks are often a mechanism to let people know they are not alone and to validate their questions and emotions. Maybe there were signs that people missed or he hid his pain. Maybe Evan’s suicide could have been prevented. At the same time, show the person you care by sharing your concerns and listening carefully to their feelings. So, if a friend or child or sibling or student mentions suicide or shows one (even many) of the warning signs take it seriously. Seeking out pills, firearms, or other ways to kill themselves.Hinting at not being around in the future or saying good-bye.Increased alcohol and/or other drug use.Signs of depression, such as moodiness, hopelessness, withdrawal.Saying things like, “I’d be better off dead,” “I wish I could disappear forever,” or “There’s no way out.”.Engaging in reckless behavior or having a lot of accidents resulting in injury.Writing stories or poems about death, dying, or suicide.Strong wish to die or a preoccupation with or romanticizing death.Current talk of suicide or making a plan.The Youth Suicide Prevention Program lists the following signs that may indicate that someone is thinking of suicide: His friends were as dumbfounded as I was, maybe even more so, compounded by heartbreak and mourning. Why would this seemingly smart, popular, and all around good kid do something like this? How could no one not notice anything. I thought how can that be possible.Īnd two weeks later the news that Evan committed suicide rocked my community. Her response to me was she receives hundreds of tweets and letters from teenagers telling her that they do not have an adult who cares or they can turn to. Niven why she did not have anyone help these two teens when it was clear that they were struggling with suicidal thoughts from the beginning of the novel. In a twitter book chat with the author I asked Ms. Yet, in the book there were no adults, parents, siblings, friends, teachers who were keen enough to help these two teens.
Both characters are battling inner demons and throughout the story the warning signs were like bread crumbs dropped along the pages insinuating what is to come. I recently read All the Bright Places, a young adult novel by Jennifer Niven ( Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015) about two teens who develop a friendship over suicidal thoughts. The organization also reports that four of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs.īut what about the one who shows no clear warning signs? The one who was seemingly happy, gregarious, friendly, caring, family-oriented and then hanged himself in his bedroom. More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined as reported by the Jason Foundation, a nonprofit organization for the awareness and prevention of youth suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24. Over 1,000 people attended his funeral in shock, despair, awe, grief, that this sixteen year old took his own life. He left no note and no signs that he was putting this thought into action. He liked to go hiking and was active in his Temple Youth Group.īut on January 31, 2016, Evan committed suicide. He started an initiative in elementary school called “Cupcakes for a Cause” to raise awareness and money for hospice care after his father had passed away from brain cancer. He was a solid student with lots of friends. Disclaimer – This article addresses the topic of teen suicide and includes some sensitive information.Įvan was the class president of his high school.
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