Suicide Myths & Facts Quiz

Test your knowledge of suicide awareness and prevention, and find out if you know the facts behind common myths and misinformation about youth suicide.
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2. It is inaccurate and sexist to suggest that there is a difference in suicidal behavior between boys and girls.

The answer is FALSE. There is a difference, with boys making 3 times more completions than girls, and girls making 4 times more attempts than boys. This difference remains consistent across the life cycle and is primarily related to the choice of method.

Boys use more violent and lethal means, like guns, while girls usually choose pills or wrist slashing. What is becoming worrisome in the U.S. today, however, is that more girls are using guns, which is an extremely lethal means.

Even though there is a difference in suicide rates between boys and girls, it's important not to dismiss the seriousness of an attempt by less lethal means like pills or wrist cutting. What is really an issue is something that is called the 'perceived lethality' of the method, as opposed to its actual lethality.

The perceived lethality is what the young person expects to happen when she takes those pills or slashes her wrist. If her perception is that what she did would have resulted in her death, that attempt is considered serious, regardless of means.

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The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, Inc.

Provided in partnership with The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. The mission of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide is to reduce the number of youth suicides and attempted suicides by encouraging public awareness through the development and promotion of educational training programs.
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