Essential Tips to Recognize and Reduce Suicide Risk in Your Children

Understanding the warning signs of suicide among youth is crucial for every parent. Additionally, parents must be equipped with the right tools to connect with your child about their mental health and take steps to reduce the risk of suicide. By being informed and proactive, you can make a significant difference in your child's well-being and safety

Suicide Warning Signs for Youth

  1. Talking about or making plans for suicide.

  2. Expressing hopelessness about the future.

  3. Displaying severe/overwhelming emotional pain or distress.

  4. Showing worrisome changes in behavior, including:

    1. Withdrawal from family and/or peers.

    2. Changes in sleep patterns.

    3. Personality Changes.

    4. Neglecting personal appearance/hygiene.

    5. Sudden mood changes.

    6. Increased agitation or irritability.

Tips for Parents: How to Reduce the Risk and Talk to Your Children about Suicide

  • Create a Safe and Non-Judgmental Space

    • Meet Them Emotionally: Encourage open conversations where they can express their feelings without fear of judgment or invalidation. Let them know it is okay to feel sad, anxious, or overwhelmed.

    • Acknowledge Their Reality: Understand and validate their struggles, such as school stress, family dynamics, peer pressure, or issues related to their identity (gender, sexuality, etc.). Avoid minimizing their experiences.

  • Build Trust and Connection

    • Respect Their Autonomy: Engage your children by giving them some control over decisions. Ask “What do you think would help you feel better right now?” rather than dictating solutions.

    • Connect in Their Environment: Understand their social media, peer groups, and community dynamics. Being familiar with the cultural influences on their lives helps youth to feel understood and connected.

  • Identify and Strengthen Protective Factors

    • Social Supports: Help your children identify positive relationships, whether family, friends, teachers, or coaches. Encourage them to lean on these people during tough times.

    • Community Resources: Help your children get connected to positive community groups where they can foster a sense of support and belonging with other young people who understand their struggles. Examples could include mental health support groups, spiritual groups, etc.

  • Reduce Access to Means

    • Physical Environment Safety: Assess their immediate environment for potentially harmful items (firearms, medications, sharp objects). Make sure these items are safely stored.

    • Digital Environment Safety: Help your children navigate social media in a healthier way. Discuss how online bullying, comparison, or exposure to harmful content (e.g., social media drug sales) might impact their mental health and explore options to limit negative digital influences.

  • Highlight Their Strengths

    • Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize even the smallest accomplishments or efforts they make in coping with their emotions. This builds a sense of self-efficacy.

    • Encourage Hobbies or Passions: Ask about activities that give them joy or a sense of accomplishment. Encourage these as a way to provide a mental health outlet.

  • Encourage Professional Help

    Call CYS to get connected with a therapist at 949-303-9016

    • Normalize Therapy and Support: Reduce stigma around mental health care by explaining therapy or counseling as tools to build strength and resilience, not as a sign of weakness. CYS offers affordable mental health services and can connect you and your children with a therapist.

    • Crisis Resources: Ensure they are aware of immediate support options, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988), text lines, or local crisis centers. Help them feel comfortable reaching out during times of crisis.

  • Follow Up Regularly

    • Ongoing Check-Ins: Don’t assume that one conversation is enough. Keep the dialogue open and follow up regularly to see how they are doing. Even a simple text message can show you care.

    • Monitor Changes: Stay attuned to any significant changes in behavior, mood, or circumstances that may signal increased risk. Encourage them to reach out during moments of distress.

  • Foster Hope and a Future-Oriented Perspective

    • Help Them See Beyond the Crisis: Engage in conversations about their dreams, goals, and potential. Even small steps toward a goal can give them a reason to hold on.

    • Encourage Connection to Meaning: Explore what gives their life meaning- whether it’s relationships, community, or personal values- and encourage them to reconnect with these sources of meaning.

    By meeting youth and adolescents where they are- both emotionally and contextually- this approach fosters trust, resilience, and a deeper understanding of the root causes of their distress. The goal is to not only reduce immediate risk but to equip them with the tools and support systems to thrive in the face of future challenges.

 

Questions, Schedule a Counseling Session, or Need to Enroll, call: (949) 303-9016

Aspen DyerComment