Teen suicide is a serious issue that usually begins with depression. The Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents in the United States. Teenagers deal with pressure from home, school and peers on a regular basis, and if they don't have healthy coping skills, they can find themselves depressed and considering suicide. If you think your teen is suicidal, get help immediately.
Depression
Teens who commit suicide usually go through a period of depression. Signs and symptoms of depression include sadness, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, issues eating and sleeping and loss of pleasure. If a teen you know displays some or all of these signs and symptoms, she needs to get help from a licensed mental health professional.
Talking or Writing About Death
Teenagers who are contemplating suicide usually are consumed with thoughts of death. They might draw pictures depicting death, write poems about death or write stories about dying. They might ask questions about death and dying or make statements such as, "I wish I would die." Some teens say things like that to get attention or because they're angry or upset. That doesn't always mean they really want to die or are thinking about committing suicide, but you should take every statement like it seriously.
Withdrawal and Loss of Pleasure
Teens who are having suicidal thoughts may withdraw from friends and family members. They might stop going to school, stop hanging out with their friends after school or quit the soccer team that they loved. They might stop eating dinner with the family and refuse the phone calls of their best friends. Things that used to make the teen happy no longer seem pleasurable to him.
Risky Behaviors
Teens are impulsive. When they start to think about suicide, they usually become more impulsive and reckless. They no longer care about themselves or the dangerous situations they put themselves into. For instance, a teen who's experiencing suicidal ideation might use large quantities of illegal drugs, have unprotected sex, fight with his peers and run away without thinking about his actions.
Appearance
When a teen is depressed and considering suicide, one of the last things that she cares about is her appearance. She might not shower for days, wear the same clothes for a week and look like she just rolled out of bed when she goes to school. When someone no longer cares about his appearance, he probably is depressed and in need of professional help.
