Depression & Suicide Quiz

2.

LaShonda is a 19-year-old student who has been feeling sad lately. Things just haven’t been going her way. In fact, she told her friend, Rebecca, “I can’t stand it anymore. I’d just be better off dead.” What should Rebecca do?

Help LaShonda find a way to kill herself that won’t be too painful.
Change the subject so LaShonda stops talking about death.
Express her concern for LaShonda and find a trusted adult or professional whom LaShonda can talk to about her feelings.
Listen to LaShonda and hope things work out for the best.

Correct Answer

A. Express her concern for LaShonda and find a trusted adult or professional whom LaShonda can talk to about her feelings.

Explanation

When a friend talks about ending his or her life, it’s not something that should be taken lightly. Rebecca should listen carefully to LaShonda and provide her with support. However, she should also take the next step by asking LaShonda if she would be willing to talk to an adult who could be of help such as an MTSU Counseling Services professional, professor, minister or her [Rebecca or LaShonda’s] parents.

Visit the link below to watch a video of how a student helps his friend who is thinking about committing suicide (produced by Outreach Arts).
http://www.outreacharts.com/never_enough.htm

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3

3.

Adolescents and young adults don’t commit suicide as often as the media would lead people to believe.

True
False

Correct Answer

A. False

Explanation

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide was the third leading cause of death among children (aged 10 – 14), adolescents (ages 15 – 19) and young adults (ages 20 – 24) in 2004. More detailed information can be found on the American Association of Suicidology website.
http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=21

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2

4.

Which of the following are risk factors for teenage suicide?

Stressful situations (e.g., breaking up with a boyfriend/girlfriend)
Depression and/or substance abuse
Exposure to other teenagers who have committed suicide
All of the above
A & b only

Correct Answer

A. All of the above

Explanation

According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, stressful life events oftentimes precipitate extreme reactions in adolescents and young adults including suicide attempts and completions. Individuals who have been struggling with depression are quite vulnerable especially if they abuse alcohol or drugs as this lowers inhibitions and fuels poor decision-making resulting in deadly consequences. In some cases, teenagers and college students commit suicide after friends have killed themselves as they cannot bear the thought of living life without their closest friends. ULifeline is an excellent online resource center for college students pertaining to mental health issues and includes suicide prevention information.
ULifeline - http://www.ulifeline.org/main/Home.html

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1

5.

Taking antidepressant medication is the best way to treat depression.

True
False

Correct Answer

A. False

Explanation

Although antidepressant medication is oftentimes an important component in the treatment of depression, research has shown that a combination of counseling + antidepressant medication is the most effective treatment option.

Visit the link below to watch a video regarding how antidepressant medication affects brain “chemicals” to reduce symptoms of depression (produced by the Mayo Clinic).
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660

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