Sobering CDC Survey Serves as a Call to Action
In recent years, a growing number of young people have experienced worsening mental health, with teenage girls in particular facing a concerning trend. According to new results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey from 2021, approximately one in three high school girls in the U.S. have seriously considered attempting suicide. This is up from less than a fifth of teenage girls in 2011, making it a critical time to act in support of suicide prevention.
Gabriel’s Light Knows that Mental Health is as Important as Physical Health
Due to stigma and misunderstanding of mental health, some people feel it is not real or that those who are suffering can just “snap out of it.” Brains are organs and need care just as the rest of our bodies do. When considering how to manage a mental health issue, compare it in your mind to decision making around a chronic issue like diabetes or a diagnoses like cancer. We should take mental health issues as seriously as physical health issues.
The CDC survey also revealed that over half of teenage girls (57%) reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless, a record high number. In contrast, 29% of teen boys reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year and 14% said that they had seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021, up from 13% in 2011.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, data from the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that these trends were already moving in the wrong direction before the pandemic. “These data show a distressing picture. America’s teen girls are engulfed in a growing wave of sadness, violence and trauma. Over the past decade, teens, especially girls, have experienced dramatic increases in experiences of violence and poor mental health,” the CDC’s chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry said.
Overall, 22% of high schoolers said that they have seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. This is slightly better than the 29% reported when the CDC first began its biennial survey in the 1990s, but is an increase from the record low 13.8% reported in 2009.
The survey also found disparities among LGBTQ+ students: close to 70% reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness while 45% seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year.
What Schools Can Do:
Contact Gabriel’s Light for brief school presentations on the importance of kindness and what kids can do to help it spread!
Contact Gabriel’s Light for teen Mental Health First Aid training (grades 10-12) and Youth Mental Health First Aid training (for adults that oversee youth). Learn more about the program on the website of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Bring the SOS Progam (Signs of Suicide) to your school from Elyssa’s Mission. SOS Signs of Suicide teaches students how to identify signs of depression and suicide in themselves and their peers, while training school professionals, parents, and community members to recognize at-risk students and take appropriate action.
Create a Hope Squad at your school (this program is offered by Elyssa’s Mission and funded by Gabriel’s Light). Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer program that aims to reduce youth suicide through education and peer intervention. Hope Squad members are nominated by their classmates as trustworthy peers and trained by faculty advisors.
What Parents Can Do
“Parents: YOU can make a difference and help us fight the ‘Silent Epidemic’ of youth suicide. Talking about suicide doesn’t encourage suicide. Below is a list of things you can do with your own children and in your own community to make a difference.” - Carol Hufford Deely, Co-Founder Gabriel’s Light
Talk to your child about suicide (and keep the conversation going).
Know the warning signs of suicide and how to help.
Be willing to seek professional help and guidance if you feel your child is becoming depressed or contemplating hurting him/herself.
Encourage your local school system to incorporate evidence based SOS Signs of Suicide curriculum into their guidance or health/wellness programs. In Illinois, Elyssa’s Mission provides hands on support through partnerships with MindWise Innovations, Hope Squads and Gabriel’s Light.
Encourage your local service organizations, churches and community centers to become aware of the problem of youth suicide and its prevention opportunities.
Download our free Resource Guide “Navigating a Mental Health Crisis” for additional guidance
Find resources through your local NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapter. Click here for Chicago area resources.
Educate others and stay in touch: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
What Peers Can Do:
Know that you are not alone: even though there is sometimes still a stigma around mental health issues, almost a third of Americans suffer from poor mental health in their lifetime.
Text or call 988 if you or someone you know needs help or just to talk. This is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number and is available 24/7.
Know the warning signs of suicide and how to help.
Find teen resources through your local NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapter. Click here for Chicago area resources.
Educate others and stay in touch: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
The findings of the CDC report highlight the urgent need for action on suicide prevention. We cannot afford to wait any longer to provide support and resources for young people struggling with mental health issues. Gabriel’s Light is dedicated to working to ensure that young people have the resources they need to thrive. By taking action now, we can help prevent suicide and support the well-being of our young people.
Click here for the full CDC Report: The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021
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About Gabriel's Light
In 2019, Carol and Brendan Deely founded Gabriel’s Light in honor of their son who died by suicide at age 12. In honor of Gabe and all those lost to suicide, they share their journey with the hope that others may learn and grow from their tragedy. Focusing on three pillars of cyber safety, suicide prevention, and kindness campaigns, through outreach, programs, partnerships, and funding, they raise awareness and inspire youth, parents, and educators to take action and help forward their mission.