Youth suicide is a real issue in the country and is not going away even if people keep wanting to hide their heads in the sand. It is
not just teens, children as young as 10 are a part of the problem, over 17,000 attempts are made in the 10 to 14 youth age group.
Suicide prevention is becoming more and more important in efforts schools, parents, and communities are making to help them.
Part of that will mean knowing what the warning signs are and then knowing what to do spending on what you see. Three-quarters
of teens thinking about suicide will actually give a verbal warning. It is just that people either do not believe them or do not know
what to do, or do the wrong thing. Knowing what to listen for and what you might see can then help with what to do.
What you first need to do if you think they are suicidal - When you are seeing warning signs of suicide you should first take
immediate action to ensure the methods by which they might have mentioned are removed from their access or any other potential
tools they might use to commit suicide. Poisons, medications, guns, rope and knives are the more commonly used options. When
they are not able to easily find something to do it with, they are less likely to do it or you at least have time to intervene and
prevent them.

What to do next - When you have removed the items you then need to take advantage of what suicide prevention resources have
taught you to support them and get them talking. Make sure they know you are available and let them vent. Avoid judging them
and questioning their thoughts or beliefs. Be supportive, actively listen to them and stay connected. Get them professional help.
Always keep communicating with them - If you have seen some warning signs you really need to focus on suicide prevention
efforts. Do not avoid talking about it. No one has committed suicide because someone started talking to them about it. There are
other reasons there, likely a complex mix of issues and reasons even, and talking about it only ever prevents suicide. As well as
communicating with you they should be talking to a professional, a psychiatrist or therapist or such. Talking about it shows you
care and gives them someone they can lean on and a place where they can express themselves without judgment. In your
conversations tell them what actions have you worried about them and talk to them about how much they are valued, and that they
are important.

Conclusion - There are suicide prevention resources you can turn to so that you can learn how to communicate, what to look for as
warning signs and how to react. Keep giving them chances to succeed and be positive about life. Encourage them to do things they
once enjoyed to release some energy and try to keep their minds engaged and active.

https://sptsusa.org