Therapist Shares 11 Warning Signs That Could Flag A Teen's Having Suicidal Thoughts

Here’s how parents can remain vigilant – and how to handle a conversation if a child does share they’ve experienced these thoughts.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

No parent wants to even consider that their child might be thinking about suicide.

But sadly, some teens do have these thoughts – and, in rare and devastating cases, they act on them. According to Samaritans, around 200 young people die by suicide every year.

It can be hard for parents to know if their child is experiencing such dark thoughts, however. A study of young people aged 11 to 17 and their parents found that amongst teens who reported they had experienced suicidal thoughts, 50% of their parents said they had no idea of what their child was going through.

Fiona Yassin, a psychotherapist and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, told HuffPost UK: “It’s not always easy to recognise when a young person is thinking about suicide. Sometimes, young people themselves will not be clear that they’re having suicidal thoughts.”

To mark World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September), Yassin has shared some of the early warning signs that might signal a young person is experiencing these thoughts, including:

Saying goodbye to pets and/or friends;

Saying goodbye to pets and/or friends;

Giving away or dividing up possessions;

Giving away or dividing up possessions;

Misusing drugs or alcohol;

Misusing drugs or alcohol;

Isolating themselves from the rest of the family in the home;

Isolating themselves from the rest of the family in the home;

An increased interest in death or discussing funerals – this may appear as ‘How to…’ questions in internet search history;

An increased interest in death or discussing funerals – this may appear as ‘How to…’ questions in internet search history;

A sudden in-depth knowledge about suicide or dying;

A sudden........

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