Teen suicide is likely an issue that has crossed your mind as a parent of a teenager, especially if one of your teen's peers has taken his or her own life. While you want to ensure that your teenager isn't experiencing any concerning thoughts, you must also tread carefully to avoid your teen feeling as though you're interfering with his or her life. Although some teens may commit suicide with little to no warning, the majority provide warning indicators of some kind. If you pick up on these warning signs or otherwise are concerned that your teen may be entertaining thoughts of suicide, seek help from a mental health professional at a counseling center like Dr. Stephen Brown & Associates right away. Here are some signs to watch out for.

Self-Harming Behavior

Some teens who may end up attempting to commit suicide will show signs of self-harming behavior in advance of the actual attempt. These signs can be subtle or overt. For example, you might notice scratches or cuts on your teenager's body. He or she may be elusive about addressing them when asked, but one example of self-harming behavior is to cut one's own skin with a knife or other sharp implement.

Talk About Death

While it may be somewhat normal for teenagers to be curious about death to some extent, it's a concern if your teen appears to have a fixation on death and talks about it frequently. Frequent talk about death can suggest that your teen is thinking about it even more, which can be alarming. For example, when your teen appears discouraged about something, he or she may make comments such as, "I wish I were dead." While many teens can make comments of this nature, you might be concerned if your teenager uses phrases like this with considerable frequency.

Deep Depression

If your teenager is showing signs of struggling with depression, it's ideal for you to arrange help from a mental health professional and your family doctor. While depression can often be treated successfully, you may notice signs that the teen's depression is worse. Perhaps he or she is even self-medicating with alcohol or illegal or legal drugs. If you suspect that the teenager's depression is getting worse, it's possible that he or she may feel as though suicide is the only way out of the depression. While a change in the teen's anti-depression medication may be helpful, speaking to a mental health professional is also valuable.