Mental health education needed for students

Suicide rates are on the rise. Young people are an especially vulnerable population, with suicide the second leading cause of death for those ages 10-24, according to the CDC. Locally, 13% of 10th and 12th graders in suburban Cook County reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey.

These statistics are important, but don't illustrate the emotional impact of suicide. After a friend killed herself in high school, I felt crushing guilt that I hadn't been there, and overwhelming worry for everyone close to her. When I talked to friends about her, we danced around the topic of suicide. We talked about how much we missed her, but never about why she killed herself or how we felt about her death.

Suicide prevention in high schools can change discussions around suicide. High school students should know warning signs that precede a suicide attempt, like feeling trapped, and risk factors, like social isolation and knowing someone who has killed themselves. Getting peers involved gets at-risk students help faster. While many high schools in suburban Cook County have resources for suicidal teens available, more can be done. Discussions about suicide and mental health should be commonplace in classrooms so students are more likely to speak up.

Illinois House Bill 205 strives to increase student understanding of mental illness and was recently passed in the House. The bill, which would require mental health education, was sponsored by local Democratic representatives, including Mary Edly-Allen, Mark Walker and Jonathan Carroll, but my state representative, Republican Tom Morrison, did not bother to vote. I guess Morrison doesn't consider suicide prevention that important.

Kathryn Jefferson

Palatine