In the adolescence stage, it’s normal for teenagers to become aloof and secretive. However, as a parent, it’s important to take note of distance and changes in behavior. Who knows what’s going through their minds?
Based on 2019 statistics, 80% of teenage suicide in Australia involves youth aged from 15 to 17. Some triggers include the feeling of hopelessness, pressure, and other events. With this, parents must tend to their children regardless of their age.
Do you want to know more about teenage suicide? Read on to understand teenage suicide and how you can prevent it.
What Is Teenage Suicide?
Apart from adults, suicidal thoughts cross the minds of young adults. These are ideas, fantasies, and images of dying by harming oneself. As a parent, it’s crucial to recognize suicidal thoughts in teens and how you can prevent them.
Many youths attempting or dying from suicide suffer from mental health conditions. With this, coping with stress is troublesome for them. As adolescents see the world in color, facing problems becomes difficult, and suicide is their only solution.
To prevent them from ending their lives, you must know what causes suicide. From there, you can determine what to do and how to respond to their calls.
What Causes Suicide Among Teens?
Many triggers cause suicide among teens. To help them cope with the stressors in life, giving enough care and support is essential. By knowing the causes of suicide, you can prepare yourself to help your child feel better.
1. Mental Illness
Although many factors trigger teenage suicide, mental illness is its common underlying issue. Depression, bipolar disorder, and other illnesses boost the pain adolescents feel. For someone with a mental illness, stressful events can cause hopelessness and distress.
Thus, increasing the chances of youth attempting or committing suicide. It’s the realistic outcome of undiagnosed and untreated mental illness. With this, bring your child to a medical professional for treatment.
2. Poor Relationships
Did you know that a poor relationship can cause teenage suicide? As children grow, they start to build connections and seek validation outside their homes. By having good relationships, the mental health of teenagers improves.
Based on a study, a high number of social connections reduces suicide attempts or suicide. It concludes that increased social relationship is an effective suicide prevention initiative. With this, your child needs to establish good bonds with other people.
If not, social isolation, loneliness, and poor relationships can cause mental illness. When ignored, it can lead to suicide.
3. Bad Experiences
When one faces a detrimental situation, their mental health can deteriorate. If not taken care of, the bad experiences can lead to suicide ideation or suicide. Some situations the youth often face are bullying, pressure, and abuse.
How do these events trigger suicide? By getting into these situations, the anxiety, stress level, and depression of a teenager can increase. Further, it can lower their self-esteem and motivates feeling of worthlessness.
If your child experiences any of these events, their behavior changes. From avoiding interactions to losing appetite, the range of their reactions is vast.
How to Prevent Teenage Suicide?
In preventing teenage suicide, you can do many things as a parent. Continue reading to find out how you can help your child.
1. Look for the Warning Signs
As many believe that everything happens for a reason, suicidal thoughts cross people’s minds for a reason. If your teen thinks about ending their life, there can be factors that trigger their way of thinking. Some conditions that increase suicide risk include mental illness, relationship problems, or pressure.
As mentioned, adolescents tend to be aloof and secretive. Thus, it can be hard to know if they’re going through something. To determine if they feel unwell, you can look for the common suicide warning signs.
Some are changing behavior, doing self-destructive acts, and worsening living patterns. Note that warning signs can differ per individual. With this, it’s best to visit a professional for help.
2. Empathize With Your Child
When your child thinks about suicide, feeling hurt, angry, or in denial is a normal reaction for you. Although valid, it’s crucial to focus on your teen’s needs first. As a parent, you must create a safe space for your child, where they can trust you and express their concerns.
Invalidating their feelings can cause more harm than good. With this, respond with empathy and understanding when your child opens up to you. You must handle your emotions and clear your
3. Get Professional Help
Although you try to talk to your teen, things can escalate without warning. If your child self-harms or attempts suicide, call for professional help right away. When you see the warning signs, acting fast is crucial to prevent reaching the crisis point.
For professional intermediation, you can ask recommendations from your pediatrician. Consider visiting local doctors specializing in mental health for teenagers. Inform them about the situation and expect solutions that can help your child.
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Teenage Suicide
Suicide comes second as a cause of death among adolescents. With this, professionals tell parents to look into their children to prevent attempts. As a parent, there are many ways you can prevent teenage suicide.
Do you need advice on how to handle your concerns with your child? For questions and consultations, you can contact us here.
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