Authors
PhD in Public Health, Deputy CEO for Academic Affairs at Nazareth & Galilee College
Master’s student in Clinical Psychology from An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Abstract
In this article, we will present the topic of suicide among adolescents as a phenomenon that can be prevented. The article reviews the issue of suicide risk assessment, a clinical evaluation that it is important for every professional to know how to perform. Additionally, the section describes the three levels of suicide prevention:
- Primary Level – Population Immunization: This level includes training students in schools as “gatekeepers,” hotlines operated by professionals specializing in suicide prevention, limiting access to lethal means, building and maintaining a continuum of care, and similar actions.
- Secondary Level – Treatment for Adolescents at Risk: This includes adolescents suffering from depression. At this level, professionals need to undergo training focused on proven pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for reducing depression among adolescents, as well as treatments for preventing depression. The involvement of parents in these treatments is crucial.
- Tertiary Level – Treatment for Adolescents After a Suicide Attempt: This involves care for adolescents after a suicide attempt and in settings where a suicide has occurred, to prevent contagion.
It is very important for professionals to know how to work with adolescents at risk of suicide, with their parents, and with their educational environments, to specifically focus on suicide prevention. These treatments require specialization, experience, teamwork, and a lot of empathy and hope. Treatments characterized by all these elements have the potential to save lives.