If you or someone you know is in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide
Please call 911 now
If you are not in the U.S., please call your
local emergency number.
There is help for you. Stay on the phone with the operator and wait for help to arrive.
Do not hesitate to call. Your life is extremely valuable, and people care about you.
Please reach out for help. Never act on your thoughts of suicide. Never.
Suicide is Never the Answer
If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide,
but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings,
please do not hesitate to call the National Hopeline Network for Suicide Prevention:
Suicide Prevention Hotlines:
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
You may call this number from anywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day.
People are waiting to help you. Call right now if you need to. And always remember
that is it never okay to act on your thoughts of suicide. Never.
Never act on your thoughts of suicide
Extensive suicide prevention hotline numbers, categorized by country or state, province, or country,
can be found on the
Suicide Hotlines pages of this web site.
Go to the
Suicide Hotlines index page
now if you need to.
Suicide is never the answer
If you do not need to call 911 or 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK, please continue.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youths aged 15-24.
Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death among youths aged 5-14.
A youth suicide (aged 15-24) occurs every 100 minutes.
Young people can become emotionally distraught rather easily and thus are
vulnerable to suicidal thoughts.
It is thus important for parents to try and pick up on any possible
warning signs
for suicide and to seek help for the suicidal youth as quickly as possible. (Please peruse
the suicide warning signs page on this
website to learn more about what to look for).
Listed below are a few of the problems that can potentially trigger
suicidal thoughts in a young person:
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Death of a parent.
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Divorce of parents.
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Feeling like a "pawn" that is being used between feuding, divorced parents.
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Joining a new family with a step-parent and step-siblings.
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Breaking up with a boyfriend / girlfriend.
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Moving to a new community.
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Not feeling accepted by peers.
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Being ridiculed by classmates.
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Feeling misunderstood.
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Any experience perceived to be "humiliating."
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Alcohol abuse.
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Drug abuse.
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Being bullied by classmates.
Note: Bullying is an extremely serious problem.
Please click below for additonal information:
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Self-injury (such as cutting and burning) is anther common problem for young people.
And young people who engage in this activity are at risk for suicide.
Please click below for important articles on self-injury.
Self-Injury Among Teens on the Rise; A Suicide Risk
Amber's Story of Self-Injury and a Suicide Pact
Suicidal Teen Who Used a Razor Blade to Self-Mutilate Shares Her Experience
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When depressed teens use alcohol, their risk for suicide increases.
Binge drinking is extremely dangerous unto it self, but when a depressed teens
binge drink, the suicide risk increases dramatically.
Please click below to learn more.
Depressed Teens Who Binge Drink at High Risk for Suicide
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It is extremely important that all schools have a suicide prevention program.
If your school does not have a suicide prevention program, you can get one free by
clicking below.
Free Suicide Prevention Program for Schools
All students need to feel free to ask for help at school if they are depressed
or suicidal.
And administrators, teachers, and students need to try to spot depressed or suicidal
students so help can be provided to them.
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If someone tells you that they want to die by suicide, you must get help for the person.
Always tell others.
Click below to learn what to do if someone tells you that he or she is suicidal.
Suicide Can Never be a Secret
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Should children and teens use antidepressants?
There has been much debate about this topic.
Please read the articles below for more information, but remember
whether or not you decide to allow your child to take antidepressants,
you child must receive treatment if he or she is depressed. Untreated
depression is the number one cause for suicide.
What You Need to Know if Your Child or Teen May Need Antidepressants
FDA Advisory Recommendation: 'Black Box' Warning (Highest Warning) for Antidepressants Prescribed to Children and Teens
Antidepressants Raise Suicide Risk in Some Children and Teens, FDA Says
Are Antidepressants Safe for Children? Can They Cause Suicide?
Use of Psychiatric Drugs by Children More Than Doubled in a Decade
Brain Enzyme Linked to Teen Suicide
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Gay,lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens are vulnerable to depression and suicide because they not only deal
with the normal problems of being a teen, but also the discrimination, intolerance, harassment,
and hate of people who cannot accept their orientation.
The Trevor Helpline is a 24-hour suicide prevention line aimed at gay,lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens.
The number is:
1-866-4-U-TREVOR
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Note to all parents:
Try to pick up any suicide warning signs that your children may exhibit.
And always maintain good communication with them.
Constant, open communication with your children is
extremely important. Parents need to establish an environment that fosters
open communication. And children need to know that they can speak up when there is
a problem that they need help with.
Single parents already have a tremendous challenge on their hands, but they must
realize the potential for additional stress their children may feel because of the
absence of the other parent. Again, constant, open communication is imperative.
If A child becomes suicidal, the most important thing that you can do is to
get professional help immediately. Do not try to tackle the problem alone. Suicidal
feelings can be very powerful, and immediate treatment is needed.
Remember that most children who are suicidal are suffering from clinical depression,
which is caused by a chemical imbalance in their brain. And that chemical
imbalance needs to be treated. And thus it is imperative that professional treatment is obtained.
Help is always available.
Call 911 immediately if the your is critically suicidal.
Call 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK if your child has suicidal feelings, but is not in
immediate danger of acting on those feelings.
Thank you.
Take care,
Kevin Caruso
