the teen brain and suicide prevention ed 513 child and adolescent development week 8 seminar dr....

The Teen Brain and Suicide Prevention

ED 513 Child and Adolescent DevelopmentWeek 8 Seminar

Dr. Melissa Clairday


"One Reason Teens Respond Differently to the World: Immature Brain Circuitry," by Sara Spinks http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/

Spinks suggests that teens process emotional information differently.

Why?


Researched how adolescents perceive emotion as compared to adults.

Adolescent brains of 10-18 years old were compared to adult brains using an MRI.

Both groups were shown pictures of adult faces and asked to identify the emotion on the faces. Using MRI, the researchers traced what part of the brain responded.


Teens and adults used different parts of their brains to process what they were feeling.

Adults correctly identified the expression as fear. The frontal cortex helped the adults distinguish fear from shock or surprise.

The teens seemed not only to be misreading the feelings on the adult's face, but they reacted strongly from an area deep inside the brain. The teens answered "shocked, surprised, angry."


Teens mostly used the amygdala, a small almond shaped region that guides instinctual or "gut" reactions.

Adults used the frontal cortex, which governs reason and planning.


Often called the executive or CEO of the brain, the frontal cortex gives adults the ability to distinguish a slight difference of an expression.

As the teens got older, the center of activity shifted more toward the frontal cortex and away from the cruder response of the amygdala.


Reactions, rather than rational thought, come more from the amygdala, deep in the brain. These results help to explain why teens are so emotionally turbulent.

Neuroscientists suggest that an immature brain leads to impulsivity, or what researchers dub "risk-taking behavior."

Frontal cortex matures more slowly than other brain structures.


Compare and contrast what Spinks says with what we know.

Thinking back to your own adolescence, consider how this information about the brain and emotions might have helped you to understand how you behaved.


How would this information help us to look at:

Multiple selves?

Identity status?

Gender identity?


Implications: Development data banks of normal, healthy

children. Outlining the changes in normal function and

development helps researchers determine the causes of psychiatric disorders.

Parenting issues Learning environment


Field Trip:

Go to: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId

=120705583

Watch: Parents Go On 'Track Watch' After Calif. Teen Suicides by Elaine Korry


What role can teachers play if something like this happens in their districts?


Suicide affects people of all ages. For Americans, suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death. It resulted in 34,598 lives lost in 2007. The top 3 methods used in suicides included firearm (50%), suffocation (24%), and poisoning (18%).

More people survive suicide attempts than actually die. In 2008, more than 376,000 people received medical care for self-inflicted injuries at Emergency Departments across the United States.


Several factors can put a person at risk for suicide. However, having these risk factors does not always mean that suicide will occur.

Some of the risk factors identified by research include: History of previous suicide attempts Family history of suicide History of depression or other mental illness History of alcohol or drug abuse Stressful life event or loss Easy access to lethal methods Exposure to the suicidal behavior of others Incarceration


Brace for powerful emotions: ■Shock. Disbelief and emotional numbness may set in. ■Anger. You may be angry with your loved one for abandoning you

or leaving you with a legacy of grief — or angry with yourself or others for missing clues about suicidal intentions.

■Guilt. You may replay "what if" and "if only" scenarios in your mind, blaming yourself for your loved one's death.

■Despair. You may be gripped by sadness, depression and a sense of defeat or hopelessness. You may have a physical collapse or even consider suicide yourself.

You may continue to experience intense reactions during the weeks and months after your loved one's suicide — including nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty concentrating, social withdrawal and loss of interest in usual activities — especially if you witnessed or discovered the suicide.


Adopt healthy coping strategies Keep in touch. Reach out to family, friends and spiritual leaders for

comfort, understanding and healing. Grieve in your own way. Do what's right for you, not necessarily

someone else. Be prepared for painful reminders. Anniversaries, holidays and other

special occasions can be painful reminders of your loved one's suicide. Don't rush yourself. Losing someone to suicide is a tremendous blow,

and healing must occur at its own pace. Expect setbacks. Some days will be better than others, even years after

the suicide. Consider a support group for families affected by suicide. Sharing

your story with others who are experiencing the same type of grief may help you find a sense of purpose or strength.


Know when to seek professional help. If you experience intense or unrelenting anguish or

physical problems, consider asking your doctor or mental health provider for help. Seek professional help is especially important if you think you might be depressed or you have recurring thoughts of suicide.

Depending on the circumstances, you might benefit from individual or family therapy — either to get you through the worst of the crisis or to help you adjust to life after suicide. Medication can be helpful in some cases, too.


Face the future with a sense of peace

In the aftermath of a loved one's suicide, you may feel like you can't go on or that you'll never enjoy life again. In truth, you may always wonder why it happened — and reminders may trigger painful feelings even years later. Eventually, however, the raw intensity of your grief will fade.


Do you agree that talking about suicides can encourage copycat behavior?

Can we use strategies or information to help prevent suicide?


Warning Signs Unbearable feelings: Depression causes some people to

have powerful, extreme feelings of hopelessness, despair and self-doubt. The more intense these feelings become, and the more often they are described as “unbearable,” the more likely it is that the idea of suicide may enter the person’s mind.

Taking care of business, making final plans, preparing wills or life insurance or arranging for the family’s welfare is another warning sign. The person may give away valued possessions or make reference to what others will do “after I’m gone.”


Rehearsing suicide, seriously discussing one or more specific suicide methods, purchasing weapons and collecting large quantities of medication are all signs. Even if the person’s suicidal thoughts seem to come and go, it is important to step in early and help.

Drug or alcohol abuse is often a separate, treatable condition that must be addressed along with the mood disorder in order for treatment to be successful. Intoxication may cause impulsive behavior and make a person more likely to act on suicidal thoughts.

Isolation: If a person seems determined to cut off friendships and social connections, there is a chance that the person might be experiencing serious depression and/or preparing for suicide.

Sudden sense of calm: A person with a mood disorder may be most likely to attempt suicide just when he or she seems to have passed an episode’s lowest point and be on the way to recovery. If a person who was recently feeling upset or hopeless suddenly seems very calm and settled, it may be a sign that he or she has decided on a plan.


Most people are uncomfortable with the topic of suicide. Too often, victims are blamed and their families and friends are left stigmatized. As a result, people do not communicate openly about suicide. This attitude limits the amount of information available to those working to prevent suicidal behavior.

The good news is that research over the last several decades has uncovered a wealth of information on the causes of suicide and on prevention strategies.


References

Korry. E. (2009). Parents Go On 'Track Watch' After Calif. Teen Suicides by Elaine Korry http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120705583

Medline Plus website. (2010). http://

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/suicide.html Spinks, S. (2010). "One Reason Teens Respond

Differently to the World: Immature Brain Circuitry.“ Frontline website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/onereason.html

the teen brain and suicide prevention ed 513 child and adolescent development week 8 seminar dr....

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