Youth Suicide Prevention Week

In order to bring awareness to mental health in your youth, we’d like to tell you about “Youth Suicide Prevention Week”, and awareness week happening September 9-15. Although this is just a week, this is an issue that needs to be discussed year long.

As healthcare providers, we are partaking in youth mental health screenings to ensure issues are brought to light before anything serious happens. The following is a list of warning signs your youth may be in trouble and at risk for suicidal behaviors:

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 behavioral cues or marked changes in behavior, particularly in the presence of the warning signs above. Specifically, this includes significant:
   1. Withdrawal from or changing in social connections/situations
   2. Changes in sleep (increased or decreased)
   3. Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context
   4. Recent increased agitation or irritability 

If you are worried, there are many resources out there for you to get advice or help with the situation at hand. Visit youthsuicidewarningsigns.org for additional resources for how to respond to recognized risk. If you think that your child or another youth may need help right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Your call is free and confidential. Trained crisis workers in your area can assist you and the youth in deciding what they need right now.