Mental Health & Suicide

Did you know that about 90% of youth who die by suicide suffer from treatable, mental health illnesses? And today, suicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. youth ages 10 to 24.We can all do more to help prevent these tragedies.

In one study, researchers interviewed more than 5,000 adolescents, ages 11 to 17, along with one parent or stepparent. One piece of good news they found is that most teens didn’t report suicidal thoughts.

But when they did, half of their parents were unaware these teens had thoughts of killing themselves and 76 percent of parents didn’t know when teens regularly thought about death.

So what can you do as a parent?

You can start by asking your child if he or she is thinking about suicide. Be sure to ask them in clear, straight-forward language like, “I’ve been worried about you. Have you been having thoughts about wanting to die or killing yourself?”

As parents, we can also work to build stronger relationships with our children, with more positivity, compliments, expressions of appreciation, and consistent interaction and feedback. When our relationship is solid, they will be more open to discussing their feelings.

Remember, sometimes children or adolescents who are thinking about suicide won’t tell you because they’re worried how you’ll react. Your direct, non-judgmental questions can encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings with you. Regardless of their response, if you suspect that your child may be suicidal, get them help immediately.

The fact is, many adolescents’ mental health problems and suicidal thoughts go undetected because of the secrecy of suicide and the denial of anything not feeling quite right.

But depression IS a medical illness. And it IS treatable. If you or a loved one had kidney disease, you’d seek treatment, right? You’d do something about it. Depression is the same. Today, more than two-thirds of teens experiencing suicidal thoughts don’t receive mental health services.

So it’s time to speak up, reach out, and start the discussion about mental health and suicide.

And remember, listening can be life-saving.

Please share this message and video with mentors, teachers, parents, and adolescents that could benefit and help others prevent suicide.