A range of individual factors may also be prevalent for young people: personal mental health and emotional issues, alcohol and drug misuse, abusive behaviours, isolation from friends and family, poor relationships or self-harming.  There is a clear link between youth depression and physical effects, with depressed young people often feeling tired, lethargic, experiencing changes in appetite or in their menstrual cycle as well as aches and pains.There are also some specific groups of young people who may be at particular risk: those who are regularly intoxicated (through drugs and/or alcohol), looked-after children, males(who are statistically less likely to seek help or support), those with existing mental health issues, those who have already attempted suicide, those who know someone who has attempted or completed suicide, young offenders and those who have lost their jobs as well as those who are geographically isolated or homeless.

Delegates attending a 2-day Youth Mental Health First Aid Course, with Head First Ltd, will look closely at the suicide continuum  and consider the signs and symptoms, risk factors, warning signs and recommended Mental Health First Aid approaches. In addition, the course manual (included for all delegates to take away after the course) contains many helpful resources, publications, organisations and self-help strategies to help a young person with suicidal feelings.