Suicidal Teen Help - Finding help for teens with suicidal tendencies
Suicides among young people nationwide have increased dramatically in recent years. Each year in the U.S., thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5-to-14-year-olds.
Teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty, and other fears while growing up.
For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts. In some cases, suicide appears to be a "solution."
Depression and suicidal feelings are treatable mental disorders. The teenager or adolescent needs to have his or her illness recognized and diagnosed, and appropriate treatment plans developed. When parents are in doubt whether their child has a serious problem, a psychiatric examination can be very helpful.
Many of the symptoms of suicidal feelings are similar to those of depression. Parents should be aware of the following signs of adolescents/teens who may try to kill themselves. If you see one or more of these signs, please fill out our request information form.
- Change in eating or sleeping habits
- Withdrawal from friends, family and regular activities
- Violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away
- Drug and alcohol use
- Unusual neglect of personal appearance
- Marked personality change
- Persistent boredom, difficulty concentrating, or a decline in the quality of schoolwork
- Frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as headaches, stomachaches, fatigue, etc.
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Not tolerating praise or rewards
A adolescent/teenager who is planning to commit suicide may also:
- Complain of being a bad person or feeling "rotten inside"
- Give verbal hints with statements such as: "I wont be a problem for much longer,"nothing matters,"It's no use," and "I wont see you again"
- Put his or her affairs in order, for example, give away favorite possessions, clean his or her room, throw away important belongings, etc.
- Become suddenly cheerful after a period of depression
- Have signs of psychosis (hallucinations or bizarre thoughts)
If a teenager or adolescent says, "I want to kill myself," or "I'm going to commit suicide," always take the statement seriously and seek evaluation from a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other physician. People often feel uncomfortable talking about death. However, asking the teenager or adolescent whether he or she is depressed or thinking about suicide can be helpful. Rather than "putting thoughts in the child's head," such a question will provide assurance that somebody cares and will give the young person the chance to talk about problems.
If one or more of these signs occurs, parents need to talk to their adolescent/teenager about their concerns and seek professional help when the concerns persist. With support from family and professional treatment. If you don't know where to start, please fill out our request information form.(American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)