{"id":42445,"date":"2016-09-08T10:17:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-08T14:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kidshelpphone.ca\/?post_type=publications&p=42445"},"modified":"2021-12-15T15:39:52","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T19:39:52","slug":"one-in-five-teens-in-canada-seriously-considers-suicide","status":"publish","type":"publications","link":"https:\/\/kidshelpphone.ca\/publications\/one-in-five-teens-in-canada-seriously-considers-suicide\/","title":{"rendered":"One-in-five teens in Canada seriously considers suicide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

September 8, 2016 (Toronto, ON) \u2013 A new report released by Kids Help Phone<\/a> \u2013 Teens Talk 2016<\/em> \u2013 has revealed that one-in-five teens in Canada has seriously considered suicide in the last 12 months, and discovered correlations between teens\u2019 suicidal thoughts and specific behaviours or experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Teens Talk 2016<\/em> report is based on the results of a national survey of 1,319 teens aged 13 \u2013 18 \u2013  statistically representative of age and gender across each province \u2013 and explores the issues teens face, such as suicide, body or self-image, relationship issues and bullying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re concerned with how common suicidal thoughts are among teens in Canada, but while our report shows that suicidal thoughts are common in teens, suicide does not have to be,\u201d said Alisa Simon, Vice-President Counselling Services and Programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is absolutely crucial that we work together as a country, within our communities and in our classrooms, to create an open dialogue around suicide and suicidal thoughts, and that we foster understanding and build supports for young people that are there when they need them the most.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report showed that a primary indicator of whether a teen is experiencing an issue was that they had searched the web or social media about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore than half of teens who had considered suicide had also searched the web or social media for related information, and importantly, almost half of teens who had considered suicide did not speak to anyone about it,\u201d said Simon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s when we aren\u2019t aware that a problem exists that we face the greatest barriers to helping a young person address their suicidality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis report\u2019s findings present us with a golden opportunity to work better to meet kids where they are at in their digital world, and provide the supports they need in this space for when they don\u2019t reach out in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report also explored correlations between suicidal thoughts and specific behaviours or experiences, finding that teens experiencing suicidal thoughts are often simultaneously experiencing a second or third issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeens do not experience issues in isolation. The issues they are experiencing, and the behaviours that occur as a result, all interact, connect and overlap,\u201d said Simon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe issues experienced most often by teens who also experienced suicidal thoughts were violence at home or school, body or self-image concerns and addictions to drugs and alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teens who have seriously considered attempting suicide in the last 12 months:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n