Despite numerous efforts by mental health practitioners, educators, and parents, suicide rates in America have continued to rise. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in teens in the United States. Its rates soared during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not dropped since then. It can be heartbreaking for any parent to see their teen struggling with mental health conditions such as suicidal ideation. All most parents want for their teens is for them to lead a safe, good life without much struggle. However, the reality can be much different for some. Many teens struggle with various challenges, such as cyberbullying, bullying, sexual violence, and drug abuse, which take a toll on their mental health and lead to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and more. They become overwhelmed with emotion and often feel hopeless, helpless, and worthless.
This article aims to help parents, educators, and caregivers understand what to look out for in teens struggling with suicidal thoughts. The article will also provide parents and caregivers with the treatment options available for teens who have considered or attempted suicide. If you are looking for help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today; our teen mental health treatment program can assist.
Teen Suicide Warning Signs
Many parents wonder what signs they should look out for if they suspect their teens are suicidal. Before delving into this important topic, parents need to understand what risk factors increase the likelihood of their teens being suicidal. These risk factors can give you a good idea of what warning signs to look out for:
Mental health conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Teens who struggle with mental health conditions like depression are at an increased risk of developing suicidal thoughts. Mental health conditions affect one’s mood and can cause your teen to feel helpless and hopeless. These feelings can lead to suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt.
Substance use disorder. Teens who struggle with drug abuse are at an increased risk of suicide. Drugs and substances affect your teen’s perception of life and can make them have suicidal thoughts.
Genetics. If your family has a history of suicide or other mental health conditions, your teen may be at an increased risk of inheriting these struggles.
Exposure to domestic, physical, or sexual violence. Teens who have experienced different forms of violence can develop suicidal thoughts to end their suffering.
Adoption. Adopted teens may develop suicidal tendencies since they often feel unwanted or not loved by their parents.
Now that you understand the risk factors that can make your teen suicidal, we can delve into suicide signs in teens.
Physical Warning Signs
What are some warning signs of teen suicide? Physical warning signs of suicide in teens include the following:
Wearing long-sleeved clothing despite the hot weather
Cuts on the wrists or legs, indicating teen cutting
Self-harm paraphernalia
Behavioral Warning signs
Increased drug and substance abuse
Social withdrawal
Saying goodbye to family or friends
Engaging in reckless behavior
Staying in their room all day and not wanting to interact with others
Giving away belongings
Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed
Losing interest in hygiene
Insomnia
Recent mental health challenges
Psychological Warning Signs
Sudden obsession with death
Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness
Taking about wanting to commit suicide
Overwhelming feelings of guilt, anger, and shame
Talking about being a burden on others
If your teen exhibits these warning signs, it may be necessary to seek professional help.
What to Do When You Notice Warning Signs of Suicide in Teens
If you notice your teen has exhibited warning signs of teen suicide, it is vital to seek professional help immediately. Address the issue immediately by having a conversation about your worries. Do not be afraid to ask if your concerns are justified. Discuss the topic in a non-judgmental tone while utilizing open communication skills.
Open communication requires that you invite your teen’s input on the subject. Use open-ended questions to ensure that your teen can explain their feelings clearly. Make sure they know you will not judge them for feeling a certain way. Make them feel comfortable by using non-confrontational words and body language.
Do not diminish their struggles once they have shared their feelings with you. Some parents view their teen’s problems as minor and dismiss them without a second thought. Do not fall victim to that trap. Reassure your teen that they are loved and supported as they tackle their problems or go through a treatment program.
Finally, seek professional help. Mental health professionals are better trained to deal with cases of suicidal ideation. They can help your teen navigate complex feelings and address the underlying causes of suicidal ideation. They can also guide you on how to build a supportive system that will prioritize your teen’s mental health. This will ensure your teen receives adequate treatment and recovers from their mental health struggles.
Other things you can do to address the issue include the following:
Pay attention to your teen’s needs.
Discourage locked doors or too much alone time.
Encourage healthy coping mechanisms.
Build a supportive network for yourself and the teen
Monitor and secure medicines and other suicide paraphernalia
Suicidal Ideation Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier teen mental health facility in Cave Creek, Arizona. We specialize in providing teens with individualized treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues. Our staff of highly qualified mental health practitioners ensures your teen’s needs are adequately met so they can focus on treatment.
If your teen has suicidal ideation, they may be treated using several modalities. These modalities ensure that your teen feels valued and cherished. These modalities include the following:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Group therapy
Family therapy
Holistic therapy
CBT for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for teens is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that is successful in treating a variety of mental health issues. It helps teens improve their outlook on life and, therefore, enhances their quality of life.
CBT for teens with suicidal ideation is based on three fundamental principles. First, psychological problems are based on negative thoughts. Second, these problems are based on negative behavior or learned patterns. Lastly, people who learn healthy coping mechanisms can relieve the symptoms of psychological issues.
Mental health practitioners use these principles to help teens understand that their mental health will improve if they learn healthy coping mechanisms. Teens with suicidal ideation are taught to change their thinking patterns in order to improve their mental health.
CBT teaches teens to face their problems head-on instead of abiding them. This ensures that the likelihood of developing negative coping mechanisms is low. CBT will also teach your teen about emotional regulation, problem-solving, and self-awareness.
DBT for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
DBT is a form of psychotherapy used on teens with emotional regulation issues. It is based on CBT and was first developed for teens with borderline personality disorder. DBT helps teens accept the reality of life as they work to change their unhealthy behaviors.
DBT teaches teens mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help teens better regulate their emotions when confronted with difficult situations.
Residential Treatment for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
Nexus Teen Academy’s residential treatment center for teens offers high-quality mental health treatment. It is reserved for teens who are a danger to themselves and others. If your teen has severe cases of suicidal ideation or has attempted suicide before, you may need to enroll them in a residential treatment center.
Our RTC offers 24/7 supervision to prevent emergencies. During their time at the RTC, your teen will experience various treatment modalities, including individual, group, and family therapy. These therapies help your teen address the underlying cause of their suicidal ideation.
Benefits of enrolling your teen at Nexus’ residential treatment center include:
A safe and secure environment where your teen can focus on treatment.
Group support helps teens recover faster and fosters meaningful relationships.
Round-the-clock care is provided to ensure that the tour teen’s needs are met.
Education support to prevent your teen from falling back in their schoolwork.
In addition to evidence-based approaches, Nexus offers holistic therapy approaches to complement traditional forms of treatment. Teens enrolled at Nexus can benefit from yoga and art therapy on top of conventional psychotherapy.
Holistic approaches help teens learn emotional regulation and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
If you are looking for help, Nexus Teen Academy is here to help. Contact our team today, and we can provide expert advice on your situation and a path forward.
Suicide Warning Signs in Teens: What to Look For
Published By nexus_admin
Published On November 25, 2024
Table of Contents
Despite numerous efforts by mental health practitioners, educators, and parents, suicide rates in America have continued to rise. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in teens in the United States. Its rates soared during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not dropped since then. It can be heartbreaking for any parent to see their teen struggling with mental health conditions such as suicidal ideation. All most parents want for their teens is for them to lead a safe, good life without much struggle. However, the reality can be much different for some. Many teens struggle with various challenges, such as cyberbullying, bullying, sexual violence, and drug abuse, which take a toll on their mental health and lead to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and more. They become overwhelmed with emotion and often feel hopeless, helpless, and worthless.
This article aims to help parents, educators, and caregivers understand what to look out for in teens struggling with suicidal thoughts. The article will also provide parents and caregivers with the treatment options available for teens who have considered or attempted suicide. If you are looking for help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today; our teen mental health treatment program can assist.
Teen Suicide Warning Signs
Many parents wonder what signs they should look out for if they suspect their teens are suicidal. Before delving into this important topic, parents need to understand what risk factors increase the likelihood of their teens being suicidal. These risk factors can give you a good idea of what warning signs to look out for:
Now that you understand the risk factors that can make your teen suicidal, we can delve into suicide signs in teens.
Physical Warning Signs
What are some warning signs of teen suicide? Physical warning signs of suicide in teens include the following:
Behavioral Warning signs
Psychological Warning Signs
If your teen exhibits these warning signs, it may be necessary to seek professional help.
What to Do When You Notice Warning Signs of Suicide in Teens
If you notice your teen has exhibited warning signs of teen suicide, it is vital to seek professional help immediately. Address the issue immediately by having a conversation about your worries. Do not be afraid to ask if your concerns are justified. Discuss the topic in a non-judgmental tone while utilizing open communication skills.
Open communication requires that you invite your teen’s input on the subject. Use open-ended questions to ensure that your teen can explain their feelings clearly. Make sure they know you will not judge them for feeling a certain way. Make them feel comfortable by using non-confrontational words and body language.
Do not diminish their struggles once they have shared their feelings with you. Some parents view their teen’s problems as minor and dismiss them without a second thought. Do not fall victim to that trap. Reassure your teen that they are loved and supported as they tackle their problems or go through a treatment program.
Finally, seek professional help. Mental health professionals are better trained to deal with cases of suicidal ideation. They can help your teen navigate complex feelings and address the underlying causes of suicidal ideation. They can also guide you on how to build a supportive system that will prioritize your teen’s mental health. This will ensure your teen receives adequate treatment and recovers from their mental health struggles.
Other things you can do to address the issue include the following:
Suicidal Ideation Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier teen mental health facility in Cave Creek, Arizona. We specialize in providing teens with individualized treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues. Our staff of highly qualified mental health practitioners ensures your teen’s needs are adequately met so they can focus on treatment.
If your teen has suicidal ideation, they may be treated using several modalities. These modalities ensure that your teen feels valued and cherished. These modalities include the following:
CBT for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for teens is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that is successful in treating a variety of mental health issues. It helps teens improve their outlook on life and, therefore, enhances their quality of life.
CBT for teens with suicidal ideation is based on three fundamental principles. First, psychological problems are based on negative thoughts. Second, these problems are based on negative behavior or learned patterns. Lastly, people who learn healthy coping mechanisms can relieve the symptoms of psychological issues.
Mental health practitioners use these principles to help teens understand that their mental health will improve if they learn healthy coping mechanisms. Teens with suicidal ideation are taught to change their thinking patterns in order to improve their mental health.
CBT teaches teens to face their problems head-on instead of abiding them. This ensures that the likelihood of developing negative coping mechanisms is low. CBT will also teach your teen about emotional regulation, problem-solving, and self-awareness.
DBT for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
DBT is a form of psychotherapy used on teens with emotional regulation issues. It is based on CBT and was first developed for teens with borderline personality disorder. DBT helps teens accept the reality of life as they work to change their unhealthy behaviors.
DBT teaches teens mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help teens better regulate their emotions when confronted with difficult situations.
Residential Treatment for Teens with Suicidal Ideation
Nexus Teen Academy’s residential treatment center for teens offers high-quality mental health treatment. It is reserved for teens who are a danger to themselves and others. If your teen has severe cases of suicidal ideation or has attempted suicide before, you may need to enroll them in a residential treatment center.
Our RTC offers 24/7 supervision to prevent emergencies. During their time at the RTC, your teen will experience various treatment modalities, including individual, group, and family therapy. These therapies help your teen address the underlying cause of their suicidal ideation.
Benefits of enrolling your teen at Nexus’ residential treatment center include:
In addition to evidence-based approaches, Nexus offers holistic therapy approaches to complement traditional forms of treatment. Teens enrolled at Nexus can benefit from yoga and art therapy on top of conventional psychotherapy.
Holistic approaches help teens learn emotional regulation and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
If you are looking for help, Nexus Teen Academy is here to help. Contact our team today, and we can provide expert advice on your situation and a path forward.