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The study in the Journal of Pediatrics, which looked at children and young adults ages 10 to 24 from 2000 to 2018, finds the rate of attempted suicide by poisoning has more than doubled in the last decade among adolescents and more than tripled for girls and young women.
"This does mirror data from the Centers for Disease Control that show actual suicides among young people are increasing and that girls tend to be this highly vulnerable population," said Dr. John Ackerman, the suicide prevention coordinator for Nationwide Children's Hospital.
He says poisonings include legal and illegal drugs and any other substance taken with the intention of ending one's life.
"141 percent increase in suicide attempts by self poisoning among 10 to 15-year-olds, and that youngest age group is driving a lot of the increase," he explained.
He suggests families restrict access to medications and talk to kids openly about suicide.