Hard Talks: Su*cide

The correlation to fatherlessness and self-destructive behavior is evident. We have to do better. This episode addresses how important dad's are to the well being of their kids and how to talk to your kids about suicide and self harm.

STATS: 19.5% of teens aged 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode in the past year.  (SAMHSA, 2023) 42% of high school students reported feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. This percentage is higher for females (57%), Hispanic students (46%), multiracial students (49%), and lesbian, gay or bisexual students (69%) (CDC, 2023) Among college students, 36% have been diagnosed with anxiety and 30% have been diagnosed with depression (Healthy Minds Study, 2023)Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teens and young adults, ages 10-34 (CDC, 2023).22% of high school students reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year. This percentage is highest among females (30%), American Indians/Alaska Natives (27%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (45%) (CDC, 2023).10% of high school students attempted suicide in the past year. This percentage is highest among females (13%), American Indians/Alaska Natives (16%), black teens (14%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (22%) (CDC, 2023).

Correlation to FatherhoodUK STUDY: We found evidence that father absence in childhood is persistently associated with offspring depression in adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship varies by sex and timing of father's departure, with early childhood father absence emerging as the strongest risk factor for adverse offspring mental health trajectories Further research is needed to identify mechanisms that could inform preventative interventions to reduce the risk of depression in children who experience father absenceNational Library of Medicinehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10666570/The researchers found that adolescents whose fathers were more rejecting tended to have more social anxiety later on, and in turn experienced more loneliness."We found that father rejection predicted increases in adolescents' social anxiety, even when we controlled for social anxiety at an earlier time. In turn, this predicted increases in loneliness later on," said Mak. "This suggests that fathers' rejecting attitudes toward their adolescent children may make them more nervous about approaching social situations, which in turn is related to more social isolation and feelings of loneliness.Science Dailyhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171213095537.htm Across America, 2022 data indicates there are approximately 18.3 million children who live without a father in the home, comprising about 1 in 4 US children.About 80% of single-parent homes are led by single mothers.Children from single-parent families are twice as likely to suffer from mental health and behavioral problems as those living with married parents.In one study, 70% of youth in state operated facilities were from single-parent homes.Children with an actively engaged father perform much better in school, some data shows that they are 33% percent less likely to repeat a class and 43% more likely to get As in school.In a study of 56 school shootings, only 10 of the shooters (18%) were raised in a stable home with both biological parents. Eighty-two percent grew up in either an unstable family environment or grew up without both biological parents together.https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/issue-brief-fatherlessness-and-its-effects-on-american-society