走出青少年自殺與防治的迷思

和大人一樣，青少年用各種方法企圖自殺，包括上吊、跳樓（海）、故意撞車或割腕；但是每當自殺案件發生時，週遭親友或師長經常看不出自殺者事前有自殺的跡象，也往往在事委過後才開始反省自殺者可能自殺的因素。事實上，我們在認知上已存在一些錯誤資訊或不經反省的思考模式（迷思），對青少年自殺的線索或可能自殺的訊息視而不見，其結果將影響正確處理問題的時機。本文根據文獻整理出與青少年自殺與防治上有關的各種迷思，例如我們以為兒童不會自殺，自殺者都有精神疾病，自殺會遺傳等；並指出人們相信迷思的原因，進一步釐清迷思背後的事實，提供影響青少年自殺的生理、心理相關因素探討，希金投入自殺防治工作者能正視自己的迷思，共同努力營造一個讓憂鬱的人可以不憂鬱，想自殺的青少年找到生命出口的生活環境。

關鍵字

青少年自殺；自殺防治；自殺迷思

並列摘要

Like adults, the adolescents try to kill themselves in many ways, including hanging themselves, jumping off the building (into the sea), deliberate car-crashing, and slitting the wrists. But usually when such incidents happen, none of their family, friends and teachers can detect any signs in advance. Indeed, we cognitively harbor some mistaken information or unreflecting ways of thinking (myth), and ignore the clues that imply adolescent suicide; all these may result in influences on the right timing to deal with the problem. This paper sorts out, from documents, various myths about adolescent suicide and suicide prevention, for example, the assumptions that children don’t kill themselves, that those who commit suicide have mental illness, and that suicide is genetic. Besides, we point out the reasons why people believe in those myths, clarify the facts behind the myths, explore the physical and psychological factors of adolescent suicide, so as to make those devoted to suicide prevention look at their own myths and collaborate to create an living environment where the depressed can be cheered up and the suicide-attempting adolescents can find out the way to live.