CHRISTIAN
COUNSELING
MINISTRIES
OF WNY
HErE to HElP
Individual, Marital &
Family Counseling
Helping our clients achieve mental,
emotional, relational, and spiritual
wholeness for life.
9070 Main Street | Clarence | NY
716.632.3200
www.ccmwny.org
— by Dr. Mark Goulston
What’s Driving the Rise of
Mental Health Issues and
Suicide in Teens?
S
uicide is now the second-
leading cause of death
for teens (after accidental
injury). Further, a new study shows that
the number of children and teens in the
U.S. who visited the ER for suicidal
thoughts and attempts doubled between
2007 and 2015. It’s time to untangle the
causes of mental health issues in teens
and start saving lives.
Modern life creates a perfect storm
that can lead to teen depression, anxi-
ety, and sometimes, suicide. To stop it,
we must understand where their pain
is stemming from. This is why the new
documentary Stay Alive, available on
YouTube, was created. It serves at-risk
populations and features suicide survi-
vor Kevin Hines and suicide preven-
tion advocate Rayko (#StayAliveNow).
Once everyone can empathize with their
38 WNY Family July 2019
isolation, pain, and fear, we can offer
understanding, and help them feel far
less alone.
How Did We
Get Here?
Babies arrive half-baked. When
babies are born, nature’s work is done.
Their nurturing in the first six months —
the other half of being baked — wires
them for life.
Babies are somewhat aware of their
own helplessness, and look to their par-
ents to provide security, comfort, and
emotional support. When looking into
their parents’ eyes, they are essentially
asking, Can I trust you?
For the last few generations, babies
have not gotten the deep connection
they need with parents, and this has led
to anxiety, insecurity, and fear later on.