GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2018 59 O ne day at a local school, an eighth-grade student walked up to Vanita Halliburton and silently handed her a folded piece of paper. Halliburton, co-founder of Grant Halliburton Foundation, had just presented a program on suicide prevention to the eighth- grade students. Grant Halliburton Foundation is a Dallas-based nonprofit that works to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues among children, teens and young adults. “Would you like me to read this right now?” Halliburton asked. The student nodded. On the paper, the student had written: “I was bullied for four years. I self-harmed for three years. I’ve been hospitalized six times. I’ve attempted suicide twice.” Mental health issues like these are increasing among today’s teens, as evidenced by a new research study released by Vanderbilt University. The study shows the number of suicide-related hospital visits for teens is on the rise. Based on a review of more than 115,000 cases between 2008 and 2015, researchers found the percentage of emergency room and hospital visits for suicide-related diagnoses almost tripled, from 0.66 percent to 1.82 percent. Fifty percent of these cases involved 15- to 17-year-olds and nearly 13 percent involved 5- to 11-year-olds. Researchers at Vanderbilt noted the frequency of the hospital visits for suicidal thoughts or actions was higher during the school year and lower in the summer, indicating school may play a factor. In addition, researchers found the rate of increase was highest among adolescent girls. “On average, during the eight years included in the study, only 18.5 percent of total annual suicide ideation and suicide attempt encounters occurred during the summer months,” said Dr. Gregory Plemmons, lead author of the study and associate professor of pediatrics with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “Peaks were highest during the fall and spring.” Sierra Sanchez, director of outreach and education at Grant Halliburton Foundation, says that students experience a significant increase in stress levels during the school year. “What we often see is students feeling lonely and isolated during the school year,” Sanchez said. “It’s easy for teens to compare themselves to others and think, ‘I’m the only one struggling; I’m the only one going through these things.’” Plemmons believes a broad range of factors play a role in the rise of suicide-related hospital visits for teens. "There are many factors that we know contribute – such as cyberbullying and regular bullying, traumatic events and the daily news. It really is a different world for kids growing up. This WHY IS TEEN SUICIDE ON THE RISE As suicide attempts rise, resources give hope to teens By Angelica Ramirez | Contributor Based on a review of more than 115,000 cases between 2008 and 2015, researchers found the percentage of emergency room and hospital visits for suicide-related diagnoses almost tripled…. Fifty percent of these cases involved 15- to 17-year-olds and nearly 13 percent involved 5- to 11-year-olds. Continued on Page 60