How To Talk To Your Teenager About Suicide

Suicide continues to be a major public health crisis in the U.S, especially among teenagers Accodring to recent data published by Mental Health America, one in five youth had at least one major depressive episode in 2021-22. Over half of them did not receive treatment, and of those that did, only 65% said it helped them. This makes it even more critical that parents know the signs of a mental health condition, and talk to their child if they feel they are struggling. In this blog post, we will share tips on how to talk to your child about suicide.

Get your Teenager Talking 

While it can be difficult to talk to your child at this age, it is important to find an appropriate time and place to bring up the topic of their emotional well-being. Once you have found a good moment, ask your teen how they are feeling. Be willing to listen and dive deeper into the discussion. Even if they bring up an event that is seemingly insignificant but may have been upsetting, ask them more about their experience and acknowledge their feelings. 

Be Vulnerable 

Not only will these conversations help your teen get more comfortable sharing, they will also allow you to realize that no matter how hard you try, you can never “fix” your child’s emotions. Demonstrating to your teen that life isn’t perfect, and even sharing your experiences of your own difficulties, can help them see that they are not alone.

Approaching the Topic of Suicide 

When speaking to your child, if they say something that raises warning signs or alludes to them thinking about self-harm, it may be time to broach the subject of suicide. While parents may worry that asking their child if they have had thoughts of suicide or self harm will put the idea into their mind, studies show that talking about suicide does not increase its prevalence. In fact, naming suicide, depression, and anxiety is critical to opening the door to a meaningful discussion.

If your teenager has considered self harm or suicide, ask them if they intend to follow through with these plans. The goal is to find out how far along they are in the process to help you understand how you can create a safe environment for them.  If it is clear they do not have a plan to harm themselves in the immediate future, keep talking with them. Be sure they know that these thoughts alone do not make them suicidal. You could also consider sharing your own experience with mental health to make them feel less alone.Though it may be tempting, do not steer the conversation toward problem-solving. What teens need is to feel heard, validated, and seen. 

New Perspective Counseling Can Help

If you are struggling to parent your child through a difficult time– New Perspective Counseling is here to help. We have plenty of therapists specializing in family therapy, which often involves helping a parent learn new parenting techniques. This kind of therapy can help you: 

  • Better understand child development
  • Build skills that help you parent effectively
  • Strengthen your connection to your children

Please give us a call or make an appointment. We are here to help. 

 

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