Do you have a teen child, family member, friend, or student? If they were thinking about suicide, would you know the warning signs? If so, what would you do?
Adolescence is like a rocky boat in a storm. It is a time of hope and expectations. It is also a time of extreme letdowns and mood swings. It is normal for teens to feel stress, confusion, and doubts about themselves. It is enough to for them to deal with the normal body and emotion changes. But teens may also face:
Teens may have thoughts about suicide from time-to-time. Those thoughts usually go away. They often happen when the teen is struggling. But most teens do not show signs of suicide or make a suicide attempt. However, sometimes the pressure is too much. The teen feels overwhelmed and helpless. This can lead to serious thoughts of suicide.
How do you know when a teen needs help?
Teen suicide is often due to a few different things. Sometimes the risk runs in families. Or the teen may have mental health problems or not fit into a certain culture. Family problems also play a role. Then they may have a major life event, like the loss of a valued relationship. That may be enough to make the teen think seriously about suicide.
Things that put a teen at risk for suicide are:
Other things that raise the risk are:
Teen behavior is often a mystery. It is hard to know what is a problem and what is normal. Be alert for signs that the teen may be at risk for suicide, such as:
A teen who is planning to commit suicide may:
Pay attention to the teen's behaviors. Take all suicide threats or attempts seriously. Do this even if you think the teen just wants attention. At the least, the teen is not coping well and needs help.
If a teen is struggling, get professional help right away. Ongoing family support is very important too. Suicides can happen quickly. Do not wait.
To get help, call:
Also take steps to keep your teen safe at home. For example, remove guns, knives, medicines, and poisons from the area.
You may be a parent or someone who has a teen in your life. You can help prevent suicide by building a good relationship. Here are some steps:
You can help teens get through this tough time in their lives. Know the risks and warning signs of suicide. Give them the support they need. Show your care and concern. It will help teens cope better with life's struggles.
Crisis Clinic
https://crisisclinic.org
Mental Health America
https://mhanational.org
Canadian Mental Health Association
https://cmha.ca
Canadian Psychiatric Association
http://www.cpa-apc.org
About teen suicide. Kids Health—Nemours Foundation website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 30, 2021.
Child and adolescent suicide. Mental Health America website. Available at: https://mhanational.org/child-and-adolescent-suicide. Accessed June 30, 2021.
Depression in children and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/depression-in-children-and-adolescents. Accessed June 30, 2021.
Suicide. Kids Health—Nemours Foundation website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 30, 2021.
Support after suicide. Crisis Clinic website. Available at: https://www.crisisconnections.org/support-after-suicide/. Accessed June 30, 2021.
Teen suicide. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 30, 2021.
Last reviewed June 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board