In Remembrance of Kurt Cobain: A Plea For Your Child

On April 9th, the 8th anniversary of the suicide of her cousin, grunge music icon Kurt Cobain, internationally recognized youth suicide prevention advocate Bev Cobain reminds families of the continuing prevalence of youth depression and the stunning rates of youth suicides.

P R E S S R E L E A S E   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2002

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Bev Cobain

In Remembrance of Kurt: A Plea For Your Child

COSTA RICA-On April 9th, the 8th anniversary of the suicide of her cousin, grunge music icon Kurt Cobain, internationally recognized youth suicide prevention advocate Bev Cobain reminds families of the continuing prevalence of youth depression and the stunning rates of youth suicides. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. and globally the rates of youth suicide rates are growing (including Finland where her book was recently translated in response to youth suicide rates). Ms. Cobain warns parents, foster parents, and school staff of the dangers of overlooking or misinterpreting teen behaviors which may signify developing depression. Some of these changes may include bursts of anger, deteriorating grades, loss of energy, withdrawal from family and friends, and use of alcohol and other drugs. ?If you ignore a group of changes in your child or student, or misjudge the reason for them, instead of offering help, the risk immediately increases for that youth to become one of the teens who kills him/herself every 90 minutes in the U.S.?

Ms. Cobain emphasizes, ?Most youth depression is absolutely treatable if diagnosed early and appropriately. Suicide prevention is a matter of learning what?s going on emotionally for a youth, and arming one?s self with a few simple techniques. You probably know what to do if someone has a heart attack in your presence. A teen is far more at risk of suicide than of a heart attack, and most people know few of the signs of depression and none of the immediate actions that can be used to stop a suicide. Anyone can learn to prevent suicide. Please take steps to learn more about depression and suicide prevention. Make sure your child?s school personnel know what to do when a kid seems different than usual, and that all school staff know the signs of depression and to whom they should report their concerns. Too frequently a teen?s friends are the only people who know how much pain and hopelessness the teen feels, and the sad truth is?many don?t tell an adult?until it's too late.

Ms. Cobain's own struggle with depression and the suicides of three family members -- most notably the 1994 death of her young cousin, Kurt Cobain, front man for the band, Nirvana -- ignited a passion in Bev to educate professionals, lay persons, and youth about depression and the significant public health issue of suicide. She began by writing the acclaimed book, ?When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens," published in 1998 by Free Spirit Publishing. Bev has since become an internationally recognized speaker, educator, and workshop leader on the issues of youth depression awareness and suicide prevention/intervention.

She is a recipient of the National Mental Health Association's Green Ribbon Award recognizing her efforts on behalf of child depression education. In 2001, she received the Youth Suicide Prevention Award for the State of Washington by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Northwest Chapter.