Being a parent is a commitment that is as much a full-time job as any career. With responsibilities that every parent has to keep their child physically safe from the world and emotionally feeling as loved as they truly are, it is no wonder that some parents think they have fallen short of these goals.
As children become teenagers, it is even harder for a parent to understand their emotional needs. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says that suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens ages 15-17 and the third leading cause for children ages 10-14.
The statistics can be terrifying, but there are clear warning signs that can lead to teen suicide that every parent can look for to help prevent their child from turning into a statistic. They include the following:
Exaggerated Rage
If your child reacts to everyday frustrations with over-the-top tantrums or rage that could endanger them or someone else, this stems from underlying problems that are unresolved and they do not know how to handle on their own. It could also be a sign of some type of abuse that they are trying to hide.
Lack of Interest in Eating
Symptoms of ongoing depression will manifest in this type of behavior which shows a lack of caring for a child or teen’s part for even the most basic need to be healthy. It also may be a sign your child is a victim of bullying at school for appearance issues which may lead to a severe breakdown of self-esteem and self-loathing.
An overabundance of Sleeping or No Sleep at All
If your child or teen seems to be sleeping far more than 8-10 hours a day, then they are dwindling away their days in bed possibly because they don’t want to deal with something that is going on in their life. Staying awake around the clock is a similar issue. Sleep issues are a sign that someone is troubled about something and does not know how to fix it or get it off their mind.
Giving Personal Items Away or Throwing Them Out
If you observe that your child’s most precious possessions, large or small, seem to be disappearing from their room, it may be a sign that they are giving their valuable items to friends and family that they care about as a remembrance of them after they are gone. Clearing out entire drawers of things, giving away trophies or even making random picture books of treasured moments to give to people who are close to them.
Self-Harming
If you notice that your child is walking around with long sleeves or pants in the middle of the summer or not allowing you to see their bare arms or legs, it could be a sign that they are inflicting wounds on themselves.
Finding Help
Diamond Ranch Academy (DRA) and its highly-trained staff can help parents to circumvent through these issues before they alter a child’s life. Each of the treatment programs offered at DRA is designed to give teens the means by which they can work through their problems in a controlled environment and feel safe. The mission of DRA is to develop and nurture self-confidence in every child and teen to understand how to cope with life’s more difficult situations without resorting to drastic measures. DRA’s programs include family and parental discussions between DRA’s professional staffer in The Real Life Transition Program that allows every teen to work through real-life situations and discover healthy tools for solving problems on their own.
Learn more about Diamond Ranch Academy – Utah’s premier residential treatment center for teens.