PORTLAND, Ore. – A brand new study shows a startling increase in suicidal or potentially suicidal youth in America.
Doctors at Vanderbilt University looked at 115,000 cases nationwide in the past decade.
The study found hospital visits for youth thinking about or attempting suicide had more than doubled -- up 175 percent from 2008 to 2015. Of those, half were kids 15 to 17 years old. Two-thirds were girls.
Cody Welty is a suicide survivor from Clackamas County, featured on the Today Show on NBC. He was a four-sport student-athlete five years ago, but was hurting inside. Cody and his family are sharing their story now, to help others.
“You can be the most successful person in the world and still be depressed you can have a great loving family like I did and still be depressed,” said Cody.
Cody’s mother shared the challenge she faced as a parent.
“After all this happened I didn’t feel like a good mom and I had to say, ‘I am a good mom', I just had to start learning something new”, said Angie Welty.
Cody is set to graduate from Western Oregon University soon. He'll continue his education toward a career in mental health.
We can all learn warning signs of trouble: If our kids withdraw from us or others, find less joy in normal stuff, or develop sleeping or eating issues.
There's no more important to time to connect, according to experts at Lines for Life.
“To be able to know your child well enough where you can notice these little changes and then pick your moments, find the times where you can have a conversation with your child, said Emily Moser, director of youth services at Lines for Life.
Lines for Life provides prevention help for drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. Its youth help line is up 24 hours a day and it is manned from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. by young people. The number is 1-877-YOUTH-911.
The national suicide hotline is 1-800-273-TALK.