After a decade of decline, youth suicides soared by 18 percent between 2003 and 2004. New figures from 2005, the most recent year available, show that teen suicide rates dropped slightly but remained significantly higher than expected, suggesting the spike is not an anomaly.
Experts are now examining factors which may account for this increase. The report, which released in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, recommends examining the effects of Internet social networking and suicide rates among teenage soldiers. Notably, the report also recommends examining the decrease in antidepressant medications following the 2003 and 2004 box warnings that these medications may increase the risk of suicide in teens.
ABSTRACT: Suicide Trends Among Youths Aged 10 to 19 Years in the United States, 1996-2005