National Suicide Prevention Week: How Parents Can Help Teens
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 years old to 34 years old so that means that you were likely to know someone who’s thinking of ending their life. September 10-16 is National Suicide Prevention Week, and we at Mindful Healing want to share how parents can help their teens who are thinking of suicide.
Communicate with Your Teen about Suicidal Thinking
Create an open environment in which your teen feels comfortable talking to you. Using direct language and words is really hard and uncomfortable for a lot of people. Fortunately, by using words like “suicide” and “dying,” you will not implant the idea into your teen’s head. So, just ask your teen out right: “Are you feeling suicidal?” They might be willing to answer a question directly and volunteer the information. Validate their emotions and express empathy. Let your team know that you are listening and here to help.
Keep Your Teen Safe from Suicidal Temptation
Develop a safety plan with your teen. Are there any medications or sharp objects that should be locked up where your teen cannot access them? Who can your teen connect with if they feel unsafe? What phone numbers can your teen call if the are having thoughts of suicide? (Remember, 988 is the new Suicide and Crisis Hotline.) While this safety-planning is not a long-term solution, by any means necessary, do what you have to do to remove temptation from your teen.
Stay Connected to Your Teen if They Feel Suicidal
Be available for your teen, even when it seems like they might be pulling away. Your teen is most likely going to feel very alone and feel like nobody cares about them. They might also feel unworthy of help and might push you away as a result. When this happens, let them know that you’re still there. They can contact you, and you’re not going to give up on them.
Get Your Teen into Therapy for Long-Term Help
When things start to look better and your teen is smiling again, you might think the hard works is done. Although the immediate crisis is over, if your teen has not developed the long-term coping skills to manage difficult emotions in the moment, they might not be ready the next time those feelings come up. This is why continued mental health support is so important. Dialectical Behavior Therapy has been found to be effective in reducing suicidal ideation. DBT teaches teens skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and radical acceptance–skills they can use to manage the next crisis
Parenting a teen when they are having thoughts of suicide can be extremely scary and stressful. However, with the right plan for the short-term and long-term, you can be an excellent support for your teen and help them live a healthy, happy life.
