Teen Suicide can be preventable if the risk factors, warning signs, and steps to protect your teen are known. Is your teen at risk for suicide? Are you worried and overwhelmed about your teen or anyone else? Then have that sincere conversation with your teen or reach out to professional in your community. Brandon here has a lot of resources that you can reach out to.

What Makes a Teen Vulnerable for Suicide?

Hmm, with all the changes happening in your teen at this stage of their lives, there are a lot of things that can make a teen vulnerable for suicide. Mental health conditions such as poor coping with the daily stressors of being a teen, relationship issues, rejection, family issues, failure, and breakup are something that can make teen vulnerable as they do not see the bigger picture and just thinking of a permanent response.

What Makes a Teen at Risk for Suicide?

As mentioned above, a teen can be at risk for suicide because of the circumstance in their life. Things that could increase the risk of suicide for teen includes;

• Teen who have mental health disorder such as depression and alcohol and drug use may be at risk for suicide.
• Teens that are feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that is associated with depression may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen that are been bullied may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen that has the history of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen has attempted suicide in the past.
• Teen who struggles with gender identity and/or sexuality orientation with no supportive family or community may be at risk for suicide.
• Teens with family history of depression and suicide may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen who lack support networks, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation may be at risk for suicide.

What are Warning Signs that Your Teen is Suicidal?

Some warning signs that your teen is suicidal may include;

• Teen is talking about suicide or writing suicidal note of not wanting to be around anymore.
• Teen is talking about feeling hopelessness and trapped in a situation.
• Teen is withdrawing from family or friends.
• Teen has loss their desire to favorites things they had loved doing before
• Teen has increased their alcohol or drug used.
• Teen giving their possession or belongings away.
• Changes in teen’s sleeping and eating habit
• Changes in teen’s mood
• Teen engages in self-destructive behaviour

What Can I do As a Parent or Caregiver?

• Watch and Listen to what your teen is saying. Do not assume you know what your teen is saying. Listen, be patient, and observe what your teen is saying and not saying.
• Ask your teen questions. Use open-ended question instead of using closed-ended question that results in a ‘yes or no’
• Ask for Help. Reach out to family, religious leader, friends, your family doctor, or a mental health professional for help. Please, reach out.

Emem Iniobong, CCC-Q is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents through various mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she develop skills so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them. Emem owns Bliss Counselling and Wellness Centre whose mission is to help you find your bliss and live confidently.