Youth Suicide: A Crisis That Needs Our Voice
- staceylandstra
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
Youth suicide continues to be a leading cause of death among young people worldwide (Glenn et al., 2019) — a heartbreaking and urgent reality. Yet as a society, we still shy away from discussing it openly. We keep the topic hidden in the shadows, wrapped in stigma and shame, when what we truly need is honesty, compassion, and action.
Suicidal ideation can stem from many different causes — mental health struggles, trauma, social pressures, identity conflicts, bullying, or isolation, just to name a few. The most dangerous thing we can do is ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist.
The World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) refers to suicide as a “serious global public health issue.” They found that suicide among youth continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide, year after year.
We are growing as a society and beginning to shine a light on mental health concerns. Conversations that once felt taboo are now being held with compassion and openness. However, while we have made strides in discussing mental health, the topic of suicide still lags behind — hidden in the dark, clouded by fear and shame.
As the world evolves, more and more topics are “on the table.” There is less shame around mental health, relationships, and trauma than there was even a decade ago. But suicide remains one of the final frontiers — a topic that continues to evoke silence.
Client after client, I witness the hesitation, shame, and guilt that surface when I bring up suicide in therapy. I feel their discomfort, their fear of judgment, and their struggle to find words. This silence exists because suicide is still a topic we keep hidden.
We don’t teach our youth that symptoms of depression can include suicidal thoughts — and that these thoughts are not their fault. We don’t teach new mothers that postpartum depression can bring moments of hopelessness so deep that they may not want to keep fighting. We don’t create spaces where people can ask, learn, and talk openly about suicidal ideation.
When we keep these conversations in the dark, we allow shame, guilt, and secrecy to feed the very thing we are trying to fight. But when we shine a light — when we educate, talk, and equip our youth with tools to understand and cope — we take away suicide’s power to isolate.
If we know better, we can do better. That starts with education, empathy, and safe spaces where people feel heard and supported. It means teaching the facts about suicidal ideation, encouraging open dialogue, and ensuring that asking for help feels safe — not shameful.
When we normalize the conversation around suicide — not just in moments of crisis, but as part of everyday mental health awareness — we create a world where those struggling can reach out instead of withdrawing.
We can’t keep this conversation in the dark any longer. It’s time to shine a light, raise our voices, and make a real difference — because awareness saves lives, and every single life is worth saving.
References
Glenn, C. R., Kleiman, E. M., Kellerman, J., Pollak, O., Cha, C. B., Esposito, E. C., Porter, A. C., Wyman, P. A., & Boatman, A. E. (2020). Annual research review: A meta‐analytic review of worldwide suicide rates in adolescents.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 294–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13106World Health Organization (WHO). (2018). WHO mortality database. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/mortality_data/en/
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