Two Parkland Suicides Highlight the Lasting Impact of Trauma. Here ’s How Parents and Teachers Can Help Teens Who Are Struggling

A pair of recent suicide deaths in Parkland, Fla., serve as a stark reminder of the lingering effects of trauma — and underscore the importance of providing long-term support to those who are living with its consequences. Just days after 19-year-old Sydney Aiello, who survived the mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year, died by suicide, police confirmed that an unnamed current student at the high school had also died by “apparent suicide.” Police did not release details about the second Parkland student’s death or say whether they were enrolled at the school during last year’s rampage, but Aiello’s family has spoken openly about the survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) they say she suffered after the tragedy — highlighting the lasting consequences of mass traumas that have become all too common. Mental health experts and school district leaders, who convened an emergency meeting in Parkland on Sunday to address suicide prevention, have urged parents to talk to their children and identify signs of crisis, using questions from the Columbia Protocol to ask about thoughts of suicide. Parents, please talk to your children. Students, talk to each other. Ask the important questions below. Call for help. In Broward dial 211 or call the hotline at 1-800-273-8255. If you don’t want to talk, you can text “FL” to 74141. #EndTheStigma https://t.co/c5YfgW2f4...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Florida Mental Health/Psychology Source Type: news