Last week on Therapy Thursday, we had Michelle Tijerina from Voz y Corazón to talk about suicide prevention and wellness for youth.
Voz y Corazón focuses on empowering youth voices and hearts through art and connectedness. It is a free community-based support group for youth, focused on self-acceptance, group connection and mentorship – all supported through artistic expression.
It was an impactful and very important conversation. Suicide is it’s not an easy topic to talk about, but it is so important.
Watch some clips from the conversation below:
Mental Health Statistics
- 1 in 3 (30.6%) young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 experienced a mental, behavioral, or emotional health issue in the past year (SAMHSA, 2021).
- 26.9% of teens ages 12-17 have one or more mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems (NSCH, 2019).
- 36.7% of high school students reported feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. This percentage is higher for females (46.6%), Hispanic students (40.0%), and lesbian, gay or bisexual students (66.3%) (CDC, 2020).
- Among college students, 29.1% have been diagnosed with anxiety and 23.6% have been diagnosed with depression (NCHA, 2021).
Suicide Rates
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Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teens and young adults, ages 10-34 (
CDC, 2022).
- 25.5% of adults ages 18-24 reported having seriously considered suicide in the past month. This is a higher percentage than any other adult age group (CDC, 2020).
- 18.8% of high school students reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year. This percentage is higher among females (24.1%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (46.8%) (CDC, 2020).
- 8.9% of high school students attempted suicide in the past year. This percentage is highest among females (11.0%), black teens (11.8%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (23.4%) (CDC, 2020).
If you have an immediate mental health crisis, please call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255. Or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also chat with the Lifeline.
More resources: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/suicide-prevention/youth-and-young-adult-suicide-prevention