SUICIDAL ADOLESCENTS - LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM EARLY INTERVENTION

In France as in most developed countries, suicide is the second leading cause of adolescent deaths. Suicide attempts are estimated to be at least 30 times more common than completed suicides. Adolescent suicidal behaviours are a most sensitive subject Fear, defensive attitudes, and lack of consensus as to management are detrimental to a good understanding of and an appropriate approach to the problems involved. Our adolescent medicine experience with several hundred adolescent victims of suicide attempt shows that most come from troubled or abusive environments, most did not clearly intend to die and are asking for some help. Only a minority appear to be mentally ill and need inpatient psychiatric care. These patients are best approached when hospitalized like any other adolescent and offered a thorough health screening, within an integrated and multidisciplinary framework which allows working with both the patient and his family.