By IANS,
London : Rising teen suicides have prompted demands for improved prevention strategies, in which the family physician or the general practitioner is expected to play a pivotal part.
Researchers from Umeå University have identified the phenomenon of cluster suicides where one suicide appears to trigger similar acts among other teenagers in a community.
Parents and relatives of suicide victims affirmed that post-suicide support was often badly timed and insufficient, especially for younger siblings and said they would welcome earlier assistance from friends, family and the clergy.
Based on data on unnatural teenage deaths in northern Sweden (1981-2000), the team led by Per Lindqvist retrospectively analysed 10 cases.
Researchers examined the qualitative aspects of loosing a teenage family member due to suicide, including post-suicidal reactions, impacts on daily living, and the families’ need for support after the event.
At the time of the research, participants were still struggling to explain why the suicide had occurred. Although most had returned to an ostensibly normal life, they were still profoundly affected by their loss.
Lindqvist comments: “There is a need for better understanding and treatment schemes for families who have lost a teenage family member in suicide, and especially for the younger siblings who often are forgotten.”
These findings were published in the open access journal, BMC Psychiatry.