What Are the Warning Signs of Teen Suicide?

Changes in behavior and mood could be a sign your child is struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Losing a child to suicide is a parent’s worst nightmare. Yet, each year 5,000 families mourn the death of their children to suicide.  

The risk of suicide, which is the third leading cause of death among those ages 15-24, has increased in the past 12 years. In fact, back in 2011, 16% of high schoolers reported serious thoughts of suicide in the last year. That number rose to 22% in 2021, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was released in March 2023.

Why the uptick?

“A lot of the teens that I work with that do have suicidal ideations, a lot of it is due to stressors at home and at school,” Cassidy Slade, Psy.D., LLP, of the Murray Center for Behavioral Wellness, tells Metro Parent in the May/June article on warning signs of youth suicide.
From academic stress to bullying to the pressure of meeting their parents’ expectations, kids are struggling and many are suffering from depression, which can manifest in a depressed mood, eating changes, low motivation and for some, anger and irritability.

While depression is a risk factor for suicide, there are many warning signs to look out for, Slade notes, including isolation, impulsivity, and making statements such as, “I would be better off dead.”

As parents, you may not know where to turn for help. That’s where a mental health professional comes in. He or she can help guide you and help assess your child’s suicide risk. In doing so, Slade says there are three things to consider: plan, access and intent, Slade says. Do they have a plan? Do they have access to that plan? Do they want to act on the plan?

Safety plans, which vary depending on the child, can then be put into place to help kids cope at home and avoid hospitalization, which may be needed for some.

“When it comes to the safety plan, we are just trying to put some time in between having this thought and getting a material or item to act on this thought,” Slade says.

For more information on the warning signs of youth suicide and how to help your child, read the full article at MetroParent.com.