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| Warning Signs of Suicidal Behavior |  Suicide among teens often occurs in a result of a stressful event, such as a breakup with a girlfriend or boyfriend, the death of a loved one, a perceived failure at school, a divorce, or a serious family conflict.
A teenager who is thinking about suicide may:
-talk about death or suicide in general;
-talk about hopelessness or guilt;
-move away from family or friends;
-lose interests in favorite thinks and activities;
-focus or think over problems;
-change eating or sleeping habits;
-drink alcohol, take drugs.
What Should Parents Do?
You should be aware of some of the warning signs that your teen may display, so that you can get your child the help that she or he needs.
Watch and Listen
If you begin to notice that your child seems withdrawn and depressed, it would be a good idea to watch him or her carefully. For example, low level of marks may signify that your teenager begins to shirk school.
It is very important to keep the lines of communication open and express your love, support, and concern. If your teen tells his or her concerns you, it is important to show your child that you take those concerns seriously. Your child’s fight with a friend may not be a big deal for you, but for a teenager such situation may be consuming and immense. You have not to minimize what your teenager is going through. This may enlarge his or her sense of hopelessness. Most teenagers that tend to suicide have given some kind of warning to loved ones.
If your teen doesn’t want to talk to you about how he or she feels, it seems that your child talk to someone else who he or she trust more than you. If your teen feels uncomfortable talking with you, you may suggest a more neutral person, such as another relative, a priest, a teacher, a coach, of your teen’s doctor.
Ask Questions
Some parents are afraid of asking teens if they have been thinking about suicide or hurting themselves, because they think that they will plant the idea of suicide in their teenager’s head in such a way.
It is always good idea to ask. Asking a teen if he or she is having thoughts about suicide can be difficult. Sometimes it helps when you let the child know why you are asking.
Get Help
If you find out that your teen is thinking about suicide, get help immediately. Your family doctor will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. If your teen is in an emergency situation, your local emergency room can conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and refer you to the appropriate resources.
If you have planned a visit to a mental health professional, make sure to keep the visit, even if your teen says that he or she is feeling better. As a rule, suicidal thoughts come and go. However, it is important that your child get help developing the skills needed to decrease the likelihood that suicidal thoughts will arise again in the future. If your teen refuses to go to doctor, you have to discuss this with the mental health professional.
Remember that any conflicts between a parent and child can plant the seed for feeling of isolation, misunderstood, or suicidal. Let the mental health professional know if there is a history of depression, family violence, substance abuse, or other stresses at home, such as an ongoing environment of criticism.
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