Digital Social Hour
Neal Tricarico: Autistic Teens Are 30% More Likely to Die by Suicide | DSH #1759
16 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Autism service providers are aware just how at risk these kids are, but they don't have any training to help them on the mental health side. So they send us over to the mental health side.
Chapter 2: Why are autistic teens at a higher risk of suicide?
When you come over to the mental health side, those providers share, hey, you know, because we would share with them, hey, Anthony's on the spectrum. And this was a two-year journey for us.
Chapter 3: How does masking and camouflaging affect autistic teens?
Anthony was wildly aware of this is a real possibility for him. But each time we would mention autism or high-functioning autism, they were like, oh, well, we don't have any special protocols.
Chapter 4: What role did COVID-19 play in increasing isolation among teens?
And in fact, many of the things that happened for him in that space actually contributed to his isolation, to his helplessness. We've only come to learn about after.
Chapter 5: What challenges do families face in autism and mental health services?
okay guys very special guest today very special episode it's gonna hit pretty deep with a lot of you guys we got neil from the endurance movement thanks for uh did you drive or fly out today i drove thanks for the drive man yeah you bet five hour drive right yeah five hours happy to be here san diego that's where home is that's where home is yes you've been there for a while i've been there for 20 years wow yeah it feels like the sweet spot of the universe to be on that coast and just uh you know blessed for the climate and the people there it's a pretty pretty special spot nice
So for those that don't know the Endurant Movement, I think we should start there, right? Could you explain what that's about?
Yeah, so the Endurant Movement was born out of the tragic loss of our son, Anthony. Anthony was bright, brilliant, seemingly thriving, but Anthony also suffered from or was diagnosed with high-functioning autism. And sadly, about a year ago, he took his life. born out of that loss, even speaking about it, elicits, it takes my breath away.
Chapter 6: How can we redefine autism as difference rather than disorder?
I want to be in the corner in the fetal position. But something magical came from that loss, a profound purpose, if you will, and a desire, a movement, some action within us that my wife and I realized amidst this deep pain, there was a stronger calling or a greater purpose to help others.
Chapter 7: What is the significance of safe peer spaces for autistic teens?
And through that, the Endurant Movement was founded. It was born out of the profound love we experienced from our community. The cheering on, if you will, of how important it was for us to share our story and how it was helping so many people. and also to honor Anthony. Anthony was aware of his ideations, and there was a two-year journey for us where we were trying to save his life.
And sadly, what we came to realize after is that kids, especially between 12 and 18, who are on the autism spectrum are 30% more likely to take their own lives. Yeah. And so from that came this pull, right? When I say the purpose is greater than the pain, we could easily be in the corner in the fetal position suffering.
But when we learned that, and that coupled with Anthony's friends saying, gosh, if this could happen to him, it could happen to any of us, we realized a call to something much greater.
and what we found was as an extension of the movement is that these teens really need our help what they're sharing with us is that what we're doing for them is not working so that that being having some expert come into high schools and delivering a 45-minute presentation
across a PowerPoint deck of what to look for in your friends and then what to tell your parents and then leaving isn't working. What they're asking for are safe spaces where they can support each other in their healing and growth and also for voices. So, as I've shared, we've launched the Endurance Show to spread awareness for these life-saving opportunities.
And what we've come to realize is that they have their voices. So... Since we're a newer organization, we're pivoting and growing like crazy. And excited to share, we're launching the Teen Voices component of The Endurance Show, where teens themselves will be interviewing one another, interviewing experts on topics that are most relevant to them.
Teen mental health, body shaming, bullying, sexual orientation, diversity, growing up in a household where it's not okay to cry. Anyways, long story short, the Endurant movement is born out of our son Anthony's story, and my wife and I and our family and our daughter answering that call to something greater, but it's intention through the 501c3. It's a nonprofit.
is to create this movement that'll ultimately led be led by teens and other families as we look to to help people through the same journey hopefully through awareness of saving lives and in the event that lives are lost to help people transmute that deep pain into growth that we can actually grow from loss.
We could easily experience post-traumatic stress disorder and be paralyzed by our grief and suffering, or we can make a decision that something is greater. There may be a greater calling out of this.
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Chapter 8: What is post-traumatic growth and how can it be achieved?
And if we're able to open our hearts and our eyes to the possibility, we could grow in the most beautiful and profound ways.
First of all, thanks for what you do, man. Thank you. Very brave of you. And on our intro call, I shared what happened with my father. My father had, they called it Asperger's, pretty similar to autism, right?
Yeah, that was actually, that was the diagnosis. That was Anthony's diagnosis. For some reason, it's gotten confusing now to put it in on the spectrum where it's a part of everything else.
But yes, I can really- So he got diagnosed at 60 and then he took his own life. So we share that bond and- i think it's really important because now i have a lot of friends that are having kids and i would say a majority of them are getting diagnosed with autism more than 50 percent isn't that crazy it is so crazy it's really alarming so this is going to be a major issue it is
it is um yeah it is it is so alarming and the the prevalence of the diagnosis is so much greater because certainly back when i was growing up there was an evig diagnosis and then there was
diagnosis you know 20 some years ago with Asperger's yeah now people are finding the courage and strength to to say hey I may be a bit different let me find out what's going on yeah I was on the phone with my mother yesterday and she grew up in China I was asking her hey did people grow up with autism around you she said she couldn't remember a single kid like I asked her did people have acne she said no there's just all these health issues now it's really weird it is you know
It is. And it's fascinating that you say like over 50%, because interestingly enough, you know, I remember back, I hadn't thought about this, but, you know, when Anthony was born, we met other parents, whether it be through birthing classes or, you know, play groups, if you will. And I was fascinated at the time about the percentage of kids in his immediate group that also were on the spectrum.
Yeah, my sample size is small, granted, maybe 10 friends, but over five of them have already diagnosed. And I'm talking babies, not even fully grown yet. And they're already noticing it in babies.
It's so very hard. And I'm also grateful to hear that they're recognizing it early because that's one thing that was helpful for us was that Anthony was diagnosed. around six years old. And so the services and everything that we had were extremely helpful. And in some ways they were anticipatory and that they shared, you know, Anthony may have a difficulty making friends.
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