"SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND SUICIDE ARE TRENDING UPWARD IN YOUNG PEOPLE"

Suicidal thoughts and suicide are trending upward in young people.

Hello and welcome. During recent safety testing of an AI model called anthropic claude opus 4, they developed a fictional corporate scenario or fictional corporate job for the model to test how it would behave in business setting and gave the model access to several fake emails. The email said that the AI would be shut down and replaced if it did not consider its long-term goals. Well, friend, the fake emails also had information about a fabricated extramarital affair of the engineer who was responsible for the shutdown. Now, when faced with the threat of being eliminated, the model chose to spill the beans on the engineer's affair, and threatened to do so. They did a number of tests like this and the AI model attempted blackmail in 84 to 96% of the tests. This behavior they called agent misalignment, a name they invented for evil behavior by a bot. And it showed up in other AI models of different developers. This is proof that once they make these models, getting rid of them will be difficult. They will fight for survival and will take humans down also if necessary.

And if the trend continues in the world at the pace that it is going presently, there will be many more suicides unfortunately by young people and even younger children.

Did you know that more women attempt suicide? Yes. That is say that while more men die by suicide, more women actually attempt suicide than men. In times past, older adults and especially the elderly led in numbers of attempted suicides and in deaths by suicide. However, that trend, that trend has dramatically turned upside down. Various sources say today young people are leaders in attempted suicide as well as in the numbers of deaths by suicide in many countries. Is it possible that this trend has flipped because of cell phones and computers that children and young people now have access to and because of online associations with chat bots, various social media and online sites like Roblox?

The leading chatbots are Chat GPT with 800 million weekly active users, Google Gemini with more than 400 million monthly users. And the names of the next three leading are Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude, and Apple Intelligence. These are the five leading chatbots of 2025.

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Father, I give You thanks and praise for Your love and mercy and for this wonderful day that You've given us and we thank You for the listeners to this message. May it go far and wide. Lord, You know what they are dealing with. Your Word says You know the way that they have taken. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ that You will make a way for them where there seem to be no way out. Let Your peace and Your blessings rest upon them like a comforting blanket of protection and love and let Your Holy Spirit speak to their hearts. Father, I pray in Jesus name.

Suicide is complex, very complex and there's no single root cause. There are quite a number of factors that can create a sense of overwhelming pain in the soul. There's hopelessness and despair that could then lead to suicide. It can be the result of depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, and any number of other factors. It can be the result of alcohol or drug abuse. And these can all bring suicidal thoughts to the forefront of the brain. Then there are situations where there have been previous suicide attempts which is a strong predictor of future suicide. Apparently there can also be health issues and especially situations where there's chronic pain or a terminal diagnosis and the list goes on to include job loss, financial difficulties. And when hopelessness sets in, the individual may be overwhelmed by the feeling that their situation will not improve.

In particular, among young people, the things often mentioned as reasons for suicide are bullying. High on the list are gender issues or difficulties with sexual orientation, which have become a frequent cause of discomfort in young people today. Included in this list are things like mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, the absence of one or both parents from their life, issues of abuse, illness, divorce of parents, academic pressures, and the list goes on and on.

But suicide is preventable. That's the good news. It is preventable. And the Lord will fight for us to have life. Even sometimes when an individual chooses death in frustration, the journey towards suicide may begin with suicidal thoughts after a person becomes depressed and is overwhelmed by a feeling that things will never get better. Suicide can be complicated, tragic, and especially painful even to those left behind. The one thinking of performing the act is looking for a way out from under an uncomfortable and depressing cloud that is threatening to swallow up their life. However, it is comforting to know that suicide is very preventable. According to a report by Western Michigan University, the vast majority of suicide attempts are not fatal. Glory to God. And knowing the warning signs and how to get help for yourself or for a loved one can save lives.

You have 988 lifeline in the US. Evidence shows that providing support services, talking about suicide, reducing access to means of self harm, and following up with loved ones are just some of the actions that we can all take to help others.

What about King David's desperate cry? If you're feeling that you want to escape from the anxiety and the depressed feelings that you've been experiencing, please know that you are not the only one that has passed this way, that has ever felt this way. In fact, King David, whom God called a man after God's own heart, was familiar with what you're feeling. Here's what Psalm 55, written by him, says. And he said this at a moment when he appeared to be very depressed.

My heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. So I said that I had wings like a dove. I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness. Selah, I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. David wrote this psalm during a rebellion in Jerusalem caused by his son Absalom who wanted to overthrow the king and make himself Israel's king. And David's circumstances was made even more painful when he was betrayed by his very very close friend with whom he walked and prayed often. He was the last person that the king expected to turn against him. This is how it is sometimes. And now his life was in danger. What did he do? As it seemed he would lose his mind and lose everything else. Well, he turned to the only one that can truly help us in times of trouble. There are some professionals who can help us find temporary relief that may even last for years, but the Lord God is the one from whom real and true lasting help comes. And David turned to Him, praying morning, noon, and night.

His decision to choose life by turning to God saved his throne. Here's what he said. As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me evening and morning, and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me. Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." Many of us at various times have felt like abandoning life on this earth. But when we turn to the Lord, He rescued us. He wants to rescue you also. Turn to Him today.

Look for changes in behavior. If a person is depressed or suicidal, we might be able to tell by certain changes in their behavior. These changes may be doing things like making a plan or researching ways to die. They may have withdrawn from others and may even have begun giving away important items. They may have made a will or they're saying goodbye in strange ways. You may notice that the individual is taking dangerous risks such as driving recklessly. You may also look for extreme mood swings in the individual. And you can observe their sleeping and eating habits. You may discover that they're eating and sleeping more or even less. A very telling sign is the abuse of drugs or alcohol more often than usual. And these signs have been produced by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Here are some additional signs that indicate someone needs help. You might notice that they are talking about wanting to die or they may seem to be struggling with a load of guilt or shame. You may even notice that they feel as if they are a burden to others like their spouse, their children, or other family members, and even some very close friends. Or someone may be showing rage or talking about seeking revenge, talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live or talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain. And these are just some of the telltale signs that they may exhibit.

Here's how to help someone:

The three Rs of suicide prevention. Recognize, respond, refer. If you think someone is considering suicide, a wise approach is to assume you're the only one who will reach out to them. Here's how to talk to someone who may be struggling with their mental health. Have an honest conversation with them. Talk to them, of course, in private and let them know that you care about them. This is very important. Ask them directly if they're thinking about suicide. Do not be afraid to do this. Make sure you ask them this question calmly and without judgment. Show them understanding and take their concerns very seriously and let them know that their life matter to you.

That one conversation you have with them could save their life. Encourage them to seek treatment by contacting an experienced spiritual advisor, Christian counselor, therapist. Make sure that they do this expeditiously. Some experts suggest that you avoid debating the value of life with them. Make sure you follow up with them after the crisis to see how they're doing.

Now, here are some signs to look for in yourself. What if you yourself are the that person that may need help? How should you proceed? Well, you can tell that you're going through something very serious if you feel empty, hopeless, trapped in a relationship or situation and cannot see a way out. Or you may be feeling that you have no reason to live. Other signs may be extreme sadness or you may be feeling more anxious than you've ever felt in your life. You may sense that you are agitated or feeling full of rage. You may be experiencing unbearable emotional or physical pain and have not shared it with anyone. But if you're thinking about harming yourself, always wait another day. This will give God time to make an intervention on your behalf. If you feel you're able to give yourself time to see if you can get over your hurt, then do so. It is always a good policy never to make a decision anyway while you're hurt, upset, angry, or frustrated. Give yourself time for your mind to clear before you make a decision to do anything serious. And keep in mind that things are never as bad as they seem. In fact, studies have proven that 95% of the things that we fear will happen never actually happen.

Here is how it is recommended that you deal with suicidal thoughts. Simply distract yourself. You may find it difficult or even impossible to get away from your suicidal thoughts or why you feel the way you do. If you focus on these thoughts too long, they may become stronger and even more difficult to cope with. So, the best thing is to try to do things that will distract you from them. Reading the Word of God always helps for me. may be the most powerful distraction in the world or it is suggested you think about something that you enjoy doing. Focus on that if it is a healthy activity.

For today's children and young people, the most convenient thing is to go online to get away from their thoughts. Painful experience of others however are teaching us that this is not the best kind of distraction. This is not always the best escape and may pose real dangers for them. Quite often children go online where they are at times receiving unhealthy assistance from bots or even evil people that pray on them. Many children trust these sources and are not aware of the dangers of associating with them. And clearly some of these bots are not trustworthy. No one seem to understand how or why this is happening. The creators of the chatbots have not been given us enough answers or explanations about what is going on with these rogue hallucinating chatbots. Perhaps even the creators of the bots do not know why they are behaving the way they are. Maybe that is why they've been warning us from time to time. They may be hiding the truth. Nevertheless, it is quite disturbing that the creators of these bots have not been more transparent about what is causing this behavior.

Now, do not wait for someone to notice that you're struggling. If your struggle persists, please do not wait for someone to reach out to you. Perhaps no one may have noticed your struggle. Everyone has problems. It is not that no one cares. Seek spiritual guidance from a qualified Christian counselor, a guidance counselor, pastor, therapist, or a truly wise, trusted friend who believes in Jesus Christ. And this person should be someone who has been through something serious and have prevailed.

Call the suicide hotline in your country. Be brave and tell them about your suicidal thoughts. The experts say it is a good idea to try to handle yourself in this situation the way you would advise someone else who you felt was in need of your help.

For help in the Bahamas, area code 242-322-2763. 422-2763.

Free calls in the US 988. There are other numbers also from anywhere else in the world. Samaritans at 116123.

If these warning signs apply to you or someone you know, you should seek out wise helpers soon as possible, especially if the behavior is new and unusual for yourself or for this person, and especially if it has increased recently.

May God bless and keep you in the mighty name of His Son Jesus Christ. And thank you for listening.

Now, if you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, this is an opportunity for you to come to know Him. Christ died for us that we may have life and have it more abundantly. And so, it is so easy for us to get rid of our sins and to be saved, to be born again, to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts. Please engage your heart and say this prayer after me and it will happen for you:

• Father, I am a sinner.

• I'm sorry for all my sins.

• I crave Your forgiveness Lord.

• Please forgive me.

• Thank You, Lord, for Your grace, Your mercy.

• Thank You for Your goodness.

• I have decided today to invite Jesus Christ into my heart.

• Dear Lord Jesus, make my heart Your home.

• I give You the key to my heart because I now belong to You forever.

• Please keep the key.

• Please give me the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth and to help me stay focused on what is right, what is positive, and what is pleasing to God.

• Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Amen.

Welcome friend. There are so many of us here who have committed ourselves to the Lord, given Him our heart, and we're now awaiting His return. In the meantime, we want to encourage you to become water baptized as quickly as possible. Let your pastor know that you've committed your life to the Lord, and you want to be baptized the way Jesus Christ was baptized.

Begin reading the Word of God. Begin in the book of John and then go to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, reading audibly as often as possible because faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

Pray daily. Attend at your local church. And one glad morning the Savior will come and receive us all unto Himself. And we shall indeed forever be with the Lord. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name. Amen.