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Show 13 Thursday, November THE GREEN SHEET 19, 1987 (gfDlls Psychologist Discusses Teen Suicide by Sherma Lind Yeates Green Sheet StMff Writer SANDY. Dr. Abe Singh, psychologist at Valley high school, is involved in building lives. In addition to publishing and researching, he counsels at Valley and other district schools, engages in private consulting and teaches psychology at Valley. As a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington, Abe Singh wrote a paper entitled "Too Young To Die," in which he said "In the time that it will take to read this article, someone in the United States will take his or her life while 10 others attempt to do the same. Over 40,000 when most suicides occur." he added. "It is a common misconception that a patient won't actually commit suicide if he is threatening it. The reverse is closer to the truth," says Singh. "Genuinely suicidal patients will kill themselves with one surge of hatred toward themselves," he states. "They will be blaming everyone else except themselves.. They want everyone else to feel guilty, which they may do, but it is important in this type of suicide to make it clear to the individual that others will feel sad but not guilty. In this type of suicide a person leaves a note of some sort." "In another type of suicide, a person does not leave a note and there are no instructions for disposition of personal items or estate. In this case, the person has been thinking - about suicide and has, perhaps, been mildly depressed for many types of reasons such as drug, peer, parental or religious pressure. The person is focusing very well and then something drastic happens and in a surge the individual may try again. We should realize that fact." "If you detect a problem in anyone you should call a hospital or a doctor. Perhaps they can be treated for depression and will feel much better. Suicide often occurs when patients seem to be recovered. This is because they go home and reality hits them and they figure they are better off dead, "he noted. Dr. Singh reminds that suicide does not happen suddenly without warning. Most potential suicides have a pattern of warning and proj fessional help is needed. that and Warning signals parents others should notice are: 1. A decline in school grades, 2. No participation in family and social activities, 3. Statements such as life is hopeless,, I am lonely, the future is hopeless, nobody cares about me, at times I feel like ending my life, how would it j feel to die, 4. Depression. Ik Americans will kill this year and experts agree there is an urgent need for IF WE DON'T HAVE IT TEWASH YOU DON'T NEED IT N. ISA, Lrttri - litBwwtMti Mmi IffKtlM Nw. H Ilia CtMdu 1917 people, individuals, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, friends. Suicide is not a subject one likes to deal with, but Dr. Singh says it is something society as well as in- dividuals should think about. "Hallucinations are nonreality. People acting under the influence of drugs are not reacting to reality, " he says."Use of drugs influences suicidal thoughts." "The highest incidence of teenage suicide is in Japan where much is required of students and sons and daughters," says Dr. Singh. "Japanese youth are definitely influenced by the pressure to excell." "As parents we don't have a book of rules. Parents should know more 'tf the interests and motivations of their children than another person's. They should know the friends that then child is keeping." "Many times we do know who are our children's friends and we disapprove." Dr. Singh says. "We should disapprove instead of condemning our child for their friends and immediately try to understand and decide why and what is happening to the child." "We should notice failing grades. Getting drunk in the Mormon faith can bring chastisement," explains Dr. Singh. "We should understand instead of chastise. Not accept. Not chastise," he adds. According to Dr. Sinch, all suicide is not preventable. "A certain percentage will succeed regardless of all our precautions, " he says. "I want to clarify that suicide does not only occur with psychotic pa- -' tients but can occur in any psychoanalic disorder," says the doctor. "We all can become insane at one time or another throughout a lifetime. It can happen at any given commits suicide. There is no chance for a note." Dr. Singh explained that it is possible to talk a person out of suicide but "once they get away from you they themselves suicide intervention." Today he says "The statistics are still rising. The proportion of young people taking their lives is greater than ever before." "The number of attempted suicides is much higher than those that are accomplished and are known suicides." "The rate is increasing. Attempts are increasing. Actual completion is increasing. Pack suicide is now popular with teenagers," says Dr. Singh. "Suicide involves a temporary psychosis or loss of contact with reality," he explains. "It could be drug induced or it could result from peer pressure, parental pressure or religious pressure." suicide Among 15 to is the third leading cause of death, , after homicide and accidents. According to Dr. Singh, suicide among adults is even higher than for this age group. Statistics are easily discussed and printed, but statistics translate into Describes Signals CI U Odd TCa GO 00 Erafiro Stafl 9E) level." "Most suicides happen in the early morning hours because we are slow then. We are most depressed. Mondays and Tuesdays are the days Students Are I! Named At Albion SANDY. Cherie Smith, Jimmy White, Steven Packer, Sarai Harris, Laura Hammitt and Glenn Lewis have been named students of the quarter at Albion middle school. According to publicity chairman Jackie Jackman, the students of the quarter are "chosen with great care by the teachers, who look for people who are good leaders, cooperative, responsible and try hard. The individuals nominated are rated on dependability, responsiblity and en- to : thusiasm. Ho?",. Students and parents fill out forms telling about the student and each student is interviewed by a committee which selects the top students. Each student nominated is an outstanding member of the student-bod- y, their homes and their neighborhood. It is an honor to be V Unlmed Blanket jSherpo Lined nominated." Winners of the November Crown drawing are seventh graders Laura Champneys, Eric Browning, Gina Martineau, Melinda Tucker, Laura ! Lined f Anderson, Katie Lee, Tim Vanderlinden, Tracy Weiss, Mike Gill and Eric Stewart. Eighth grade winners are Christa Graves, Shad Ernest, Krysten Anderson, Pattie Frampton, Sara Harris, Brad Simmons, Leona Jeremy Wood Kelly Larsen and Kevin Kochevar. Ninth grade winners are Scot Maloy, Valarie Tapia, Nate Benson, Dax Aran, Jason Strong, Christine Timpson, Lisa Flugge, Juliette Strong, Todd Sadowskl and Mike Dulle. Riz-zut- 17$ o, CDDCCCD. r ft 7 |