Comments on: Suicide Risks – Do You Know What To Look For? http://www.volunteeryouthministry.com/2009/09/17/suicide-risks-do-you-know-what-to-look-for/ Youth ministry from a volunteer perspective Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:40:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://www.volunteeryouthministry.com/2009/09/17/suicide-risks-do-you-know-what-to-look-for/comment-page-1/#comment-289 admin Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:28:18 +0000 http://volunteeryouthministry.com/?p=2812#comment-289 Frank, Thanks so much for your input. I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm incredibly thankful you're using your experience to reach your students and help other youth ministries. Dennis Frank,

Thanks so much for your input. I’m sorry you had to go through that, but I’m incredibly thankful you’re using your experience to reach your students and help other youth ministries.

Dennis

]]> By: Frank http://www.volunteeryouthministry.com/2009/09/17/suicide-risks-do-you-know-what-to-look-for/comment-page-1/#comment-277 Frank Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:25:58 +0000 http://volunteeryouthministry.com/?p=2812#comment-277 It's interesting to read this article after an experience my youth group had last year. It talks about all the possible signs of a suicidal teen, similar to many articles I had read as a youth leader, hoping to be prepared for something like this (but hoping I would never have to recognize these signs in any one of my kids). We had a volunteer youth leader who was 2 years out of highschool and seemingly had the perfect life... great family, great girlfriend, great friends, strong faith... a stable life all around. On the outside at least. Then one Sunday afternoon I got a call that he was in the hospital after attempting suicide. They disconnected the life support system the following day. His death had a profound impact on our youth group, and on my life. I tell this story because I was watching for the signs mentioned in this article, even as that young man was still in youth. But there were no visible signs that something like this would happen. It has led me to take on a whole new approach. Now my group talks about the "hard-to-talk-about" things on a very regular basis, which is something that before his death wasn't part of the curriculum (according to church leaders) because it wasn't "fun" and it was "too serious" and would turn the few kids we had in youth away, leaving us with no students at all. My advice for any youth leaders would be to follow your instinct when it comes to talking with students about these serious issues. It won't be "fun" and it will be "too serious"... but it is extremely important, and will go a long way in students understand the importance of talking to someone when they're feeling like the walls are closing in. I pray that God leads those who are in similar situations as what our group has gone through. It’s interesting to read this article after an experience my youth group had last year. It talks about all the possible signs of a suicidal teen, similar to many articles I had read as a youth leader, hoping to be prepared for something like this (but hoping I would never have to recognize these signs in any one of my kids).
We had a volunteer youth leader who was 2 years out of highschool and seemingly had the perfect life… great family, great girlfriend, great friends, strong faith… a stable life all around. On the outside at least. Then one Sunday afternoon I got a call that he was in the hospital after attempting suicide. They disconnected the life support system the following day. His death had a profound impact on our youth group, and on my life.
I tell this story because I was watching for the signs mentioned in this article, even as that young man was still in youth. But there were no visible signs that something like this would happen. It has led me to take on a whole new approach. Now my group talks about the “hard-to-talk-about” things on a very regular basis, which is something that before his death wasn’t part of the curriculum (according to church leaders) because it wasn’t “fun” and it was “too serious” and would turn the few kids we had in youth away, leaving us with no students at all.
My advice for any youth leaders would be to follow your instinct when it comes to talking with students about these serious issues. It won’t be “fun” and it will be “too serious”… but it is extremely important, and will go a long way in students understand the importance of talking to someone when they’re feeling like the walls are closing in.
I pray that God leads those who are in similar situations as what our group has gone through.

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