HELPING TEENS COPE WITH GRIEF AND LOSS RESPO NDING TO SUIC IDE - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

HELPING TEENS COPE WITH GRIEF AND LOSS RESPO NDING TO SUIC IDE

HOW TEENS COPE WITH LOSS & GRIEVE • Grie f is pe rso na l • T he re is no rig ht o r wro ng wa y to g rie ve • I nflue nc e d b y de ve lo pme nta l le ve l, c ultura l tra ditio ns, re lig io us b e lie fs, me nta l he a lth, disa b ilitie s, fa mily, pe rso na l c ha ra c te ristic s, a nd pre vio us e xpe rie nc e s

HOW TEENS COPE WITH LOSS & GRIEVE • Grie f is influe nc e d b y the na ture o f the lo ss. • Wa s the de a th • Antic ipa te d = Grie f • Sudde n a nd une xpe c te d = T ra uma + Grie f

HOW TEENS COPE WITH LOSS & GRIEVE • Grie f is influe nc e d b y the na ture o f the lo ss • Wa s the de a th a suic ide ? • Uniq ue re a c tio ns • Guilt a nd sha me • Mo re de pre ssio n a nd c o mplic a te d g rie f • L e ss vita lity a nd mo re pa in • So c ia l stig ma , iso la tio n, a nd lo ne line ss • Po o re r so c ia l func tio ning , a nd physic a l/ me nta l he a lth • Se a rc hing fo r the me a ning o f the de a th • Be ing c o nc e rne d a b o ut the ir o wn inc re a se suic ide risk

HOW TEENS COPE WITH LOSS & GRIEVE • Grie f is influe nc e d b y the na ture o f the lo ss • Wa s the de a th a suic ide ? • Multiple le ve ls o f g rie f re a c tio ns • Co mmo n g rie f re a c tio ns • e .g ., so rro w, ye a rning to b e re unite d • Une xpe c te d de a th re a c tio ns • e .g ., sho c k, se nse o f unre a lity • Vio le nt de a th re a c tio ns • e .g ., tra uma tic stre ss • Uniq ue suic ide re a c tio ns • e .g ., a ng e r a t de c e a se d, fe e ling s o f a b a ndo nme nt

HOW TEENS COPE WITH LOSS & GRIEVE • Grie f is influe nc e d b y the na ture o f the lo ss • Wa s the de a th a suic ide ? • So c ia l Stig ma • Bo th yo uth a nd c a re g ive rs ma y b e unc o mfo rta b le ta lking a b o ut the de a th • Yo uth ma y re c e ive muc h le ss so c ia l suppo rt fo r the suic ide de a th. • T he de a th is vie we d mo re ne g a tive ly b y o the rs a s we ll a s the mse lve s • T he re ma y e xist a re luc ta nc e to pro vide suppo rtive se rvic e s

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT RESPONSES TO DEATH • Grie f is c ha ra c te rize d b y sa dne ss, e mo tio na l pa in, a nd intro spe c tio n in a dults. Childre n’ s g rie f re a c tio ns diffe r a c c o rding to a g e a nd de ve lo pme nta l le ve l: • Pr esc hool - Re g re ssive b e ha vio rs, de c re a se d ve rb a liza tio n, inc re a se d a nxie ty • E y - De c re a se d a c a de mic pe rfo rma nc e , lementar a tte ntio n/ c o nc e ntra tio n, a nd a tte nda nc e ; irrita b ility, a g g re ssio n, a nd disruptive b e ha vio rs; so ma tic c o mpla ints; sle e p/ e a ting disturb a nc e s; so c ia l withdra wa l; g uilt, de pre ssio n, a nd a nxie ty; re pe a te d re -te lling o f the e ve nt • Middle and High Sc hool - De c re a se d a c a de mic pe rfo rma nc e , a tte ntio n/ c o nc e ntra tio n, a nd a tte nda nc e ; a vo ida nc e , withdra wa l, hig h risk b e ha vio rs o r sub sta nc e a b use , diffic ulty with pe e r re la tio ns, nig htma re s, fla shb a c ks, e mo tio na l numb ing o r de pre ssio n

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT RESPONSES TO DEATH • Grie ving do e s no t ha ve a time line • Pa re nts sho uld b e a wa re o f a nnive rsa rie s, b irthda ys, de ve lo pme nta l mile sto ne s, a nd o the r fa c to rs tha t c o uld a ffe c t stude nts mo nths o r ye a rs a fte r the lo ss

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT RESPONSES TO DEATH • Grie ving invo lve s me e ting spe c ific mile sto ne s • I ndividua ls a re like ly to e xpe rie nc e (a nd o fte n re - e xpe rie nc e ) so me o r a ll o f the fo llo wing a djustme nts/ re spo nse s: • Ac c e pting the de a th • E xpe rie nc ing the fe e ling s a nd e mo tio na l pa in a sso c ia te d with de a th a nd se pa ra tio n fro m the de c e a se d • Adjusting to c ha ng e s a nd a n a lte re d e nviro nme nt tha t no lo ng e r inc lude s the de c e a se d • F inding wa ys to re me mb e r a nd me mo ria lize the de c e a se d

TEENAGERS’ RESPONSES TO A SUICIDE • Grie f • T ra uma tic stre ss • I n so me c a se s, suic ida l thinking • While ra re , o ne suic ide de a th c a n le a d to o the r suic ide s • T his is kno wn a s “suic ide c o nta g io n” • I t is impo rta nt to kno w suic ide risk fa c to rs a nd wa rning sig ns

TEEN SUICIDE RISK FACTORS • No n-suic ida l se lf-injury (AK A “c utting ”) • Ho pe le ssne ss • Me nta l illne ss (e .g ., de pre ssio n, PT SD) • Dissa tisfa c tio n with we ig ht • Po o r pa re nta l re la tio nship(s) • I nte rpe rso na l c o nflic t • Bullying vic tim, b ully pe rpe tra to r, o r b ully/ vic tim • L o ss o f re la tio nship • Prio r suic ide a tte mpts, prio r a tte mpts b y fa mily me mb e rs o r frie nds • Sub sta nc e a b use • Ha ving run a wa y • Se xua l a b use

TEEN SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS 1. Dire c t ve rb a l thre a ts (“I a m g o ing to kill myse lf.”) 2. I ndire c t ve rb a l thre a ts (“I wish I c o uld fa ll a sle e p a nd ne ve r wa ke up,” o r “Yo u wo n’ t ha ve me to wo rry a b o ut a ny mo re .”) 3. Cha ng e s in mo o d, b e ha vio r, a ppe a ra nc e • Sudde n/ dra ma tic c ha ng e in mo o d • Anxie ty a nd a g ita tio n; re c kle ss b e ha vio r; ra g e a nd unc o ntro lle d a ng e r; wa nting re ve ng e • I nc re a se d a lc o ho l/ drug use • Giving a wa y prize d po sse ssio ns • Withdra wing fro m frie nds, fa mily, a nd a c tivitie s • Re fusing he lp, a nd/ o r b e lie ving tha t the re is no he lp fo r the m • E xpre ssing de a th/ suic ide the me s in writing s, a rt, o r via so c ia l me dia • Disturb e d sle e p • De c line in a ppe a ra nc e a nd hyg ie ne

THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN PROVIDING SUPPORT • Grie ving is a no rma l re spo nse to lo ss, b ut ma y re q uire so me suppo rt. Additio na l a ssista nc e sho uld b e pro vide d whe n the fo llo wing a re no te d: • Ma rke d lo ss o f inte re st in da ily a c tivitie s • Cha ng e s in e a ting a nd sle e ping ha b its • Wishing to b e with the de c e a se d • F e a r o f b e ing a lo ne • Sig nific a nt de c re a se s in a c a de mic pe rfo rma nc e a nd a c hie ve me nt • I nc re a se d so ma tic c o mpla ints • Cha ng e s in a tte nda nc e pa tte rns (e .g ., c hro nic a b se nte e ism)

THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN PROVIDING SUPPORT • T hing s to a vo id • E uphe misms whe n re fe rring to the de c e a se d suc h a s “the y a re sle e ping ,” o r “the y we nt a wa y” • Minimizing sta te me nts suc h a s “it wa sn’ t yo ur b e st frie nd” • Pre dic ting a time fra me to c o mple te the g rie ving pro c e ss suc h a s, “it ha s b e e n a mo nth, yo u sho uld b e g e tting o ve r this,” o r “the pa in will fa de so o n” • Ove r-ide ntifying , (e .g ., “I kno w e xa c tly ho w yo u fe e l”) • T o o muc h se lf-disc lo sure (e .g ., I lo st my mo m to c a nc e r) a s no t e ve ryo ne ha ndle s se lf-disc lo sure the sa me wa y a nd the fo c us sho uld re ma in o n the te e n’ s g rie f • F o rc ing the te e n to ta lk

THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN PROVIDING SUPPORT • T hing s to do • Ma inta in ro utine s a s no rma lly a s po ssib le • Ask q ue stio ns to a sc e rta in the te e n’ s unde rsta nding o f the e ve nt a nd e mo tio na l sta te • Give the te e n pe rmissio n to g rie ve • Co nne c t the b e re a ve d with he lping pro fe ssio na ls, o the r truste d me nto rs a nd a dults, a nd c lo se frie nds • E nc o ura g e te e ns to a do pt a da ptive c o ping stra te g ie s, pa rtic ula rly o ne s tha t will invo lve inte ra c tio n with o the r yo uth (e .g ., spo rts, c lub s)

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS • I am flu vs • I have the flu • I am de pre sse d vs • I have de pre ssio n • While up to 1 in 5 te e ns ha ve a me nta l he a lth c ha lle ng e , o nly a b o ut 20% g e t a ny tre a tme nt

WHAT IF I THINK MY CHILD IS SUICIDAL? • Ask if the y a re ha ving tho ug hts o f suic ide • Be g in with c le a r a nd no njudg me nta l q ue stio ning a b o ut whe the r the te e n ha s suic ida l tho ug hts • Yo u mig ht a sk: • “Ha ve yo u e ve r wishe d yo u c o uld g o to sle e p a nd no t wa ke up a g a in? ” • “I s dying so me thing yo u’ ve tho ug ht a lo t a b o ut re c e ntly? ” • “So me time s whe n pe o ple ha ve ha d yo ur e xpe rie nc e s, a nd a re fe e ling a s yo u do no w, the y ha ve tho ug hts o f suic ide . I s this so me thing yo u a re thinking a b o ut? ” • Avo id sta te me nts suc h a s: • “Yo u a re no t thinking o f killing yo urse lf, a re yo u? ” • Suc h sta te me nts c o uld b e vie we d a s judg me nta l a nd ma y disc o ura g e the te e n fro m b e ing ho ne st