
On March 25, 2018, the Sunday World-Herald front page article was titled, “Depression is now a vital part of teen checkups”, as primary care physicians respond to the new updated guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It has been found that nearly 13% of teens in 2016 reported experiencing a major episode of depression that had gone unnoticed. Given the difficulty of identifying depression in teens, it makes the subject of suicide even more prominent. The statistics on teen suicide are staggering. According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year, an average of 8% of American teens will attempt suicide. This makes suicide the second leading cause of death for kids aged 10 to 24. In fact, it is believed that more teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, pneumonia, birth defects, AIDS, influenza and heart disease combined.
Studies have found that teens who have presented with a mood disorder or who abuse drugs are at the greatest risk of attempting suicide. While research suggests girls attempt suicide more often, boys more often die from it.
Unfortunately, there is still much stigma surrounding depression and suicide, and so often these kids keep their emotional pain to themselves.
What can parents of teenagers do to keep their children safe and healthy? Given family physicians are using the annual yearly physical as a time to screen for depression in teens, be sure to talk to your primary care doctor to check they have given this depression screener and how their teen scored on this measure.
Speak with Your Kid
Many parents believe that trying to speak with their kids about their moods and feelings will only push them farther away. This is a dangerous misconception. In reality, teenagers need to know they are safe, loved and cared for. You may open the door to such dialogue by going out to eat with your teen or otherwise spending one-on-one time. This may provide an indirect opportunity to open up these more intimate conversations of what is really going on in their life. This subject may come up, especially about their peer groups in school and could open the door for a more direct conversation about themselves. When the time feels right, you can ask if they have ever had thoughts of self-harm. If their answer alarms you, ask specifically if they are planning on or intending to harm themselves.
Validate Their Feelings
Once you’ve begun this sensitive dialogue with your teen, it’s important to actively listen and validate their feelings. Your kid must really believe you are a) hearing what they’re telling you and b) recognizing the importance of it. Try and listen without judgement. This will help your child relax and open up, thereby giving you an opportunity to learn even more about their inner emotional life.
Clarify the Situation
If your teen confides they are having thoughts of suicide, it’s incredibly important that you remain calm and ask questions that will help you clarify the situation. You will want to determine if they are mentioning suicide because they:
- Want to tell you just how bad they are feeling.
- Alert you to something they need but are not getting.
- Need to vocalize their desire to stop feeling so many emotions.
- Have actually planned how and when they will take their life.
Seek Professional Guidance
Any talk of suicide is a serious matter and requires professional guidance by a trained therapist. It’s important not to force your teen into any treatment plan, but instead, allow them to help direct the course of their plan. Some of their depression might stem from an overall lack of control they feel they have in their own life, so it’s important you let them have a voice in the direction of treatment; however having a safety plan in place is imperative. You may also find that you will want to speak with someone through this difficult time.
If you or a loved one is seeking treatment options for a troubled teen, there are an array of mental health experts located at Williamsburg Behavioral Psychology. Complete a “Contact” form found on our website and you will be contacted by one of our support specialists to set up an appointment.
Dr. Diane C. Marti, Ph.D. https://wbplincoln.org/dr-diane-marti/
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