Is your adolescent on the verge of committing suicide? Although no adolescent is exempt, certain variables can make some adolescents more vulnerable than others. Understand how parents can help to prevent teens from suicide, how to say whether your teen is suicidal, and where to seek care and treatment. 

When children mature into adults, it becomes more difficult for parents to understand what they think and feel. When do the usual ups and downs of puberty become a cause for concern?

Every day, approximately 12 teenagers commit suicide. For every adolescent suicide death that is registered, approximately 25 suicide attempts are made. There are staggering figures. It has a profound effect on family members, friends, and close ones when their young child commits suicide. Here we will assist you to prevent such suicidal situations around you and save loved ones. 

Suicide Rate Among Teens

Analysts from the U.S for Diseases Control and Prevention discovered the attempt suicide rate increased by 26% in summer 2020 and 50% in winter 2021 compared to the 2019 same period.

According to the survey, teens who attempted to commit suicide were suffered from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety attacks.

Every day, approximately 12 teenagers commit suicide. For every adolescent suicide death that is registered, approximately 25 suicide attempts are made. There are staggering figures. It has a profound effect on family members, friends, and close ones when their young child commits suicide. Here we will assist you to know how can parents help to prevent teens from suicide. Read this blog to prevent such suicidal situations around you and save loved ones.

Which Teens Are Suicidal?

It can be difficult to recall what it was like to be a teen, trapped between childhood and adulthood. Sure, it’s an exciting time, but it can also be frustrating and worrying. There is peer pressure to fit in socially, perform academically, and behave responsibly. 

Adolescence is often a period of identifying sexual identity and relationships. They also desire individuality, which often clashes with the rules and expectations set by others.

Young adults with mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or insomnia are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Sometimes, teens may go through significant life changes that may have a certain level of effect on their minds.  Such changes like migrating or relocating, parents’ divorce, or any other separation from parents, and bullied people are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. So that parents need to ensure their child is safe at home.

The unhealthy friendship in social media and parents having misconceptions about their child can be other reasons teens commit suicide.

Following are some points that raise a teen’s risk of suicidal ideation to include:

• Fighting in an intolerable family or group for their gender identity and/or sexuality.
• A lack of care, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation.
• There is a high risk of having suicidal thoughts when your kid has a mental condition, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or drug and alcohol misuse. 
• Your kid may have suicidal thoughts if they are physically or sexually assaulted. Your kid may be subjected to some violence. 
• Suicidal tendencies or a family history of mood disorders.

The Warning Signs That A Teen Might Be Suicidal

The following are potential warning signs of teenage suicide:

• Giving away possessions because there is no other rational reason for doing so.
• When experiencing any of the above-mentioned warning signs, you can notice personality changes or become extremely anxious or agitated.
• Make comments like “I’m going to kill myself” or “I won’t be a concern for you much longer” while talking or writing about suicide.
• Withdrawal from social interactions.
• Mood swings.
• Feeling suffocated or helpless in a situation.
• Doing things that are dangerous or self-destructive.

How Parents Can Make A Difference On The Suicidal Thoughts Of Their Kids: 

When young people participate in suicidal activities, such a thing hurts people around them. Families, colleges, friends, and even neighborhoods may get affected by suicidal activities. In this article, we will provide you with some preventive measures to know how parents can help prevent teens from suicide.

Parents may help avoid suicide by recognizing warning signs, identifying risk factors (characteristics that may lead a young person to engage in suicidal behavior), encouraging protective factors (characteristics that help people cope with stress and minimize their chances of engaging in suicidal behavior), and learning how to speak to their children and access mental health services.

Having frequent communication with your teen may help?

A positive relationship can facilitate a connection between adolescent and their parents. Here are some communication tips: 

• Concentrate on listening rather than lecturing: When your teen starts to talk, resist the temptation to condemn or pass judgment. The main thing is that your child is engaging. You will do the most good by actually letting your teen know that you are fully and unconditionally available to them.
• You need to be gentle yet persistent: If they initially refuse you, don’t give up. Teens can find it difficult to talk about depression. Even if they wish to, they can find it difficult to communicate their emotions. Be considerate of your child’s level of comfort while stressing your interest and ability to listen.

• It’s important to recognize their emotions: Even if your teen’s feelings or fears seem silly or unfounded to you, don’t try to talk them out of depression. Well-intended efforts to justify that “things aren’t that bad” can come across as disrespectful of their feelings. Simply recognizing their pain and grief will go a long way toward making them feel heard and protected.
• You need to trust your gut: If your teen insists nothing is wrong but has no excuse for the depressed behavior, you should trust your instincts. If your teen refuses to open up to you, consider seeking help from a trusted third party, such as a school counselor, a favorite teacher, or mental health professional. The most important thing is to get them talking to others.

Show some love to your kid; love can heal everything

It will appear obvious to you that you love your children and that they know you love them. However, when they are going through a tough time, children need to hear from you over. They should realize how much you love them and you are always there to care for them. It is not enough to say, “You know I love you.”

That needs to be communicated in both small and large ways. We all have so many things to juggle these days that kids can become uncertain about where they fit in and whether you have time for them. Let them know how valuable they are to you.

Empathize

It is also important to affirm a child’s emotions. You should make comments expressing sympathy for her plight: “That seems to have been a challenging task.” “I understand how upsetting that can be.” “I know what it’s like. That is how I felt.”  You have to tell them not to feel that way. You should be there to pull it out together. Make sure that your child thinks nothing is as effective as asking about the root cause. Never ignore minor issues and be there to help them anytime. 

Set the positives first

Another crucial step in avoiding suicidal behavior is to emphasize meaningful experiences with your child. With an infant, we can often get stuck in a vicious circle. The child does something troubling; the parent becomes critical; the child does something even more troubling; the parents become even more irritated. Any conversation devolves into a squabble. Interacting positively involves doing fun things together, hanging out, and talking about non-controversial, non-difficult subjects.

Create a positive environment by minimizing conflicts

With your kid, pick your battles wisely. Adolescents revolt as part of their natural growth, and you can choose what you can set limits on while focusing on the positive connections the rest of the time. It’s also a good idea to try to get your child interested in more meaningful things.

Children who participate in a variety of interesting or enjoyable events do well. When children are suicidal, it is mostly because they feel lost and can’t see things changing. As a parent, you aim to reassure troubled children that they will not feel this way forever, and you can help by encouraging positive experiences.

Be in touch with your kid

Have you ever thought of the activities your child may get involved in when you are not around? Do you track every activity while you are not with them? It may be online activities or activities in your house or outside the house. You won’t be able to stop your children from texting, Facebooking, or tweeting. This is standard social behavior at this stage. So get on Facebook, learn how to post, and learn how to email. Often, use those networks to keep tabs on what your children are up to.

Keep an eye on the child’s friends circle and try to know them 

It’s also important to know your child’s friends in the “real” world. As a parent, you need to have a clear view of your child’s friend. You should identify who they are, why they are with your child? You should have a clear sense of the character of your child’s friend and decide to let your child have a bond with them or not.   It becomes more complicated as your children grow older, but you must do so. 

You should be acquainted with the parents of their friends and maintain contact with them. You’ll also want to regularly stay in touch with your child’s school to ensure her safety and well-being at school. When you have questions about your child’s treatment, don’t be afraid to include the school and the people who work there. This can help parents to prevent teens from suicide.

Remove objects that may harm 

Remove items that can be used for suicide, such as medicines, guns, cords or sharp knives, or cleaning devices. Teens can use anything near them and hurt themselves anytime. 

Seek clinical assistance

Parents may play a key role in avoiding suicide for young people. However, a threatened adolescent needs clinical support. Speak to your doctor, who will help locate treatment and follow the prescribed medication for your child if you are worried about your child. A counselor or school assistant is also an excellent starting point. It’s always better to start before anything sad happens. 

Talk to your kids about their importance 

You need to be open up and have some discussion on the topic of suicide. Though it is almost impossible to talk on this topic for some parents, you have to talk. You can also indirectly be taking an example of a suicide case they have heard before. You can go through the following points while talking to your child:

• Never get on your nerves while talking about this kind of sensitive topic. Stay calm and talk with your kid. 
• They should have a feel of loving concern rather than a threat. 
• You can locate any professional help if needed. 
• Stay focused on your child’s wellbeing and health. 

Final Thoughts 

If warning signs are identified, and effective interventions are performed, many adolescent suicides may be avoided. Therefore, I highly recommend you read the above tip about how parents can help prevent teens from suicide. Parents are the critical part of the solution to the problem of teen suicide. Always be prepared to help your child !!