Helping Suicidal Teens
People who are depressed and thinking about suicide
often show changes in their behavior. These changes in behavior are usually an
outgrowth of depression and are warning signs. If your teen shows these warning
signs, please talk to her about her concerns and have her get help if the
warning signs continue.
- Noticeable changes in
eating or sleeping habits
- Unexplained, or
unusually severe, violent or rebellious behavior
- Withdrawal from family
or friends
- Running away
- Persistent boredom
and/or difficulty concentrating
- Drug and/or alcohol
abuse
- Unexplained drop in
the quality of schoolwork
- Unusual neglect of
appearance
- Drastic personality
change
- Complaints of physical
problems that are not real
- A focus on themes of
death
- Giving away prized
possessions
- Talking about suicide
or making plans, even jokingly
- Threatening or attempting
to kill oneself
Before committing suicide, people often threaten to
kill themselves. These threats should always be taken seriously, as should
previous suicide attempts. Most people who commit suicide have made at least
one previous attempt.
Asking your
teen whether he is depressed or is thinking about suicide lets him know that
someone cares. You're not putting thoughts of suicide into his head. Instead
you're giving your teen the chance to talk about his problems.
Remember that
depression and suicidal feelings are treatable mental disorders. The first step
is to listen to your adolescent. A professional must then diagnose your teen's
illness and determine a proper treatment plan. Your teen needs to share her feelings, and many suicidal teens are pleading for help in
their own way. Your teen needs to feel that there is hope–that
people will listen, that things will get better, and that she can overcome her
problems.
Parents and
friends can help a depressed teen through the following strategies:
- Talk, ask questions,
and be willing to really listen. Don't dismiss your teen's problems as
unimportant. Parents and other influential adults should never make fun of
or ignore an adolescent's concerns, especially if they matter a great deal
to her and are making her unhappy.
- Be honest. It you're
worried about your teen, say so. You will not spark thoughts of suicide
just by asking about it.
- Share your feelings.
Let your teen know he's not alone. Everyone feels sad or depressed at
times.
- Get help for your teen
and yourself. Talk to your pediatrician, teacher, counselor, clergy, or
other trained professional. Don't wait for the problem to "go
away." Although feelings of sadness and depression can disappear as
quickly as they came, they can also build to the point that an adolescent
thinks of suicide as the only way out. Be careful not to assume that your
teen's problems have been so easily solved.
A teen attempting suicide should immediately be
taken to a hospital emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation. If a depressed
adolescent is assessed to be safe to go home, it's a good idea to remove from
your home any lethal, accessible means to commit suicide, such as medications,
firearms, razors, knives, etc.
Other
sources of help
There are many
sources of information to help troubled teens and their families. Often a
pediatrician, who has charted the adolescent's physical and emotional progress
since infancy, is in the best position to detect and help treat adolescent
depression. Your teen may, however, need additional counseling. Check the
Yellow Pages in your city for the phone numbers of local suicide hot lines,
crisis centers, and mental health centers.
The following
organizations can also supply information on suicide prevention:
American
Association of Suicidology
American
Psychiatric Association
American
Psychological Association
National
Mental Health Association
With
professional treatment and support from family and friends, teens who are suicidal can become healthy again.
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