Offering a new way of understanding the high self-harm and suicide rates among sexual and gender minority youth, this book prioritises the perspectives and experiences of queer young people, including those who have experience of self-harming and/or feeling suicidal. Presenting analysis based on research carried out with young people both online and face-to-face, the authors offer a critical perspective on the role of norms, namely developmental norms, gender and sexuality norms, and neoliberal norms, in the production of self-harming and suicidal youth. Queer Youth, Suicide and Self-Harm is unique in the way it works at the intersection of class and sexuality, and in its specific focus on transgender youth and the concept of embodied distress. It also examines the implications of this research for self-harm reduction and suicide prevention.

Despite increasing tolerance, legal protections against homophobia, and anti-discrimination policies throughout much of the western world, suicide attempts by queer youth remain relatively high. For over twenty years, research into queer youth suicide has debated reasons and risks, although it has also often reiterated assumptions about sexual identity and youth vulnerability. Understanding the cultural context in which suicide becomes a necessary escape from living an unliveable life is the key to queer youth suicide prevention. This book uses cultural theory to outline some of the ways in which queer youth suicide is perceived in popular culture, media and research. It highlights how the ways in which we think about queer youth suicide have changed over time and some of the benefits and limitations of current thinking on the topic. Focusing on identity, Queer Youth Suicide, Culture and Identity also investigates why queer young men continue to attempt suicide. Drawing on approaches from queer theory, cultural studies and sociology, it explores how sexual identity formation, sexual shame and discrepancies in community belonging and exclusions are implicated in the reasons why some queer youth are resilient while others are vulnerable and at risk of suicide. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology, media studies, queer theory and social theory with interests in youth, gender and sexuality, and suicidology.

This book provides a comprehensive review of the complex, growing mental health challenges faced by culturally diverse populations of children and adolescents.Suicide Among Diverse Youth: A Case-Based Guidebook is the first book of its kind, and is designed specifically to bridge the knowledge and skills gap encountered by most clinicians dealing with youth from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly those different than that of the clinician. The title begins with two introductory chapters, which cover cultural aspects of suicidality among youth, culturally informed treatment of suicidality with diverse youth, and examples of preventative approaches. These are followed by population specific chapters which cover a broad spectrum of diverse populations, including underserved ethnic and racial populations in the United States, LGBTQ youth, as well as various immigrant populations from Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries. These case-based chapters are structured in a cohesive, easy-to-read format that promotes ease of reference, beginning with a clinical case report, review of literature, unique characteristics and risk factors associated with suicidality, and evidence-based practice provided by the authors from their considerable experience. The authors are often from the same ethnic, racial, or cultural group that they discuss in their writings; providing experiential knowledge where scientific knowledge is lacking. Suicide Among Diverse Youth: A Case-Based Guidebook is a unique resource that offers the clinical material needed to treat diverse adolescent patients with sensitive, intersectional, and culturally-informed care, and will provide an indispensable resource for medical professionals working with, and caring for these patients.

This accessible primer on adolescent mental health is as relevant as it is thoughtful. In five easy-to-follow chapters, readers will learn to recognize self-harming tendencies, understand the connections between suicide and self-harm, and learn strategies for coping with depression. Sidebars explore the influence of technology and social media on mental health and shed light on communities that are particularly at risk for suicide and self-harm, such as LGBTQ+ teens. Packed with resources, this guide provides self-care tips as well as advice on how to help a loved one who suffers from depression.

Questions of sexuality and gender affect everyone and therefore have an inevitable relevance in the consulting room. Yet with interpretations and manifestations of both varying greatly from person to person, understanding the inherent complexities of sexuality and gender can be a daunting task for the health professional. Breaking down these complexities this practical guide familiarises the reader with all of the common and many of the less common sexualities, genders and relationship forms, and explains experiences and issues relating to each. The book contains: -Explanations of various forms of sexuality, gender and relationship structures -Common concerns relating to specific groups -Key practises relating to specific groups -The treatment of specific groups in contemporary Western society -Details of some rules and ideals that are commonly found within specific groups -Suggestions for professional practice with these groups Ideal for all members of the multidisciplinary team, this accessible book is relevant to practitioners across theoretical backgrounds. Whether you are a trainee or qualified psychotherapist, counsellor, nurse, medic, psychiatrist, social worker or applied psychologist, this is a vital text for your professional practice. CHRISTINA RICHARDS is Senior Specialist Psychology Associate at the West London Mental Health NHS Trust (Charing Cross) Gender Identity Clinic. MEG BARKER is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open University and a sex and relationship therapist.

Recent research in the area of suicidology has provided significant new insights in the epidemiological,psychopathological,and biological characteristics of suicidal behaviour. The International Handbook of Suicide and Attempted Suicide is the first book to bring together this expertise and translate it into practical guidelines for those responsible for policy issues and for those involved in the treatment and prevention of suicidal behaviour. Leading international authorities provide a truly comprehensive and research-based reference to understanding, treating, and preventing suicidal behaviour. They explore concepts and theories which best guide work within this field and detail key research which has supported conceptual developments, preventive interventions and clinical treatment. "No self-respecting worker in deliberate self-harm and suicide prevention, either clinical or research, can afford to be without access to this comprehensive handbook - possession and regular use, may well become a marker of serious involvement in the subject! ...This is the most comprehensive, up-to-date, informative and well-written source of information on sucide and suicidal behaviour...an invaluable work of reference which will be essential for clinicians and researchers for many years to come." —Andrew Sims, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK - British Journal of Psychiatry