800 deaths each year, this is what youth suicide among 15 to 24-year-olds represents in France, at a minimum and for certain. At first glance, this figure might seem less than half the number of young people of the same age killed on the roads, but Guy Darcourt tempers this analysis. “The number is actually higher. Some accidents, notably road accidents, are actually suicides. Similarly, certain risk-taking behaviors – excessive consumption of alcohol, drugs, and any use of hard drugs, also represent, in their own way, suicidal behaviors.” He then describes, to a studious and attentive audience, the enumeration of youth suicides in different European countries. An observation is then necessary: the further south one goes, the fewer the number of suicides. The most affected countries are the Nordic countries, with Greece and Portugal being the least affected. “Luminosity plays a role,” acknowledges Guy Darcourt.
He then points out the paradox of suicide among 15-24 year-olds: more suicide attempts by girls, but more deaths among boys. The difference lies in the crisis that precedes the suicide attempt. “This kind of crisis, which occurs during adolescence, happens more often to girls. Hence, suicide attempts by girls are more numerous. But the case of boys is also very concerning: if fewer boys experience this pre-suicidal crisis, they more frequently proceed to the act than girls. And they use more violent means – hanging, firearms – to end their lives.”
Guy Darcourt shared his experience as a psychiatrist in Nice, where he was confronted with young people with suicidal tendencies. “Among the motivations that recur for proceeding to the act are guilt, self-esteem disorder. But most often, it’s losses, grief, abandonment, violence suffered during childhood that lead to the act.” He adds: “For those around, it is always difficult to intervene before the act. Because there is a period of calm between the crisis and the suicide: the individual has made their decision.”
Finding a Trusted Person
There is no benignity in the case of a suicide attempt. An attempt that does not result in death makes the individual more vulnerable: the risk of subsequent accidents is much higher. To restore the desire to live in a person with suicidal tendencies, it is necessary to help them “put words to their pains,” as they say at SOS Amitiés. “2 attitudes to avoid, explains Nicole Dravet, are abstention and intrusion. The intention of suicide is often known in advance. It is then necessary to contact a doctor, not to remain passive. Communicating with the person is already a form of therapy.” Although the preferred interlocutor is often a doctor, a parent or a friend can also fulfill this role. “What matters is that the youth trusts this person. If this person has also experienced a similar crisis in their life, communication will be easier.”
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