This video emphasizes the hopeful message that suicides can be prevented. It focuses on the preventative actions that students can take if they are having thoughts of suicide or know of others who are at risk. It features the real stories of young people who found help after making an attempt or having suicidal ideation. Evidence and research-based, the program helps students:
- Understand protective factors that decrease the risk of suicide.
- Recognize the importance of seeking help and identifying trusted adults who can provide that help.
- Identify the factors that increase the risk of suicide.
- Know the warning signs that a friend or classmate may be thinking of suicide.
- Realize the importance of not "keeping a secret" when a friend or classmate is at risk.
- Appreciate that there are effective treatments for depression and other mental health problems.
Includes:
video, plus teacher’s resource book, student handouts and pre/post tests in digital format
BONUS FEATURE: A second video on the DVD is directed at parents and teachers. A leading suicide prevention expert will help them understand the extent of the problem of suicide by teens. The expert dispels common misconceptions, describes how to identify at-risk students and emphasizes what parents and teachers can de to prevent suicides. Click on the View Video button below to watch Preventing Teenage Suicide: A Film for Teachers and Parents
View Video
Reviews
In this extremely sensitive and well-done video, four teens share their stories of depression; they are poised, honest, and excellent speakers. There’s no over-the-top emotionality, just the frank sharing about what happened to each of them as a result of their depression. Jordan came very close to dying and still has physical issues from his suicide attempt. He reveals how he got to that point and what he’s done since to maintain his recovery, including the importance of music and giving back as a speaker about depression and recovery. He stresses that a big roadblock earlier for him was his fear of humiliation if peers learned he was depressed. Maggie never got to the point of taking her life, but she describes how her belief that she had to be “perfect” made her feel trapped and isolated. Her realization that she was a lesbian and that she didn’t know how to deal with it further isolated her. She credits seeking counseling in college for turning her life around. David was lucky because his school counselor realized he was in trouble and involved his dad in the intervention, while Max used his own experience with depression to save a suicidal friend. This would be an excellent choice for any school/library and anyone concerned about the threat of suicide associated with depression in adolescents. While geared for high schools, it would be appropriate for middle school students as well. In addition to exercises that that will engage students, the PDF worksheets have both a print bibliography and a list of very good online resources.
—John R. Clark, Hartland Public Library, ME
School Library Journal