Teen suicide: a call for help
A heartache, violence, poorly understood homosexuality and your teenager may decide to end life. As a result of a trigger, the child thinks that after all, why not die because this world is so difficult. This thought occurs first from time to time, then to obsession. This is reflected in the staging of the passage to the act by thought, before the concretization. At that moment, everything can switch and the slightest misinterpreted word can have dramatic consequences.
What are the warning signs?
Before an attempt, the child changes his behavior. He isolates himself, takes refuge in alcohol or drugs, takes many risks on the road in particular ... He seems to "idle": his approach and his voice are slower as more difficult. The teen locks himself in his room to listen to sad music. His sleep is also disturbed, he has nightmares. Moreover, he eats little and cries a lot.
But it is not always easy for parents or friends to see the discomfort settle or at least to become aware of the depth of it. Indeed, some teens do everything to hide their problem. The child then flees his parents to prevent them from asking too many questions.
In any case, phrases like "I'm not good for anything" or "soon you'll be rid of" should immediately catch your eye. Similarly, if your teenager suddenly wants to give the things he loves so much to his friends, it should alert you.
How to help?
Above all, do not make fun of him in the hope that he wakes up, and do not challenge him. He would act quickly. To save a teenager who is a victim of suicide, you have to get him to confide, gently, without trying to interfere in his life. It is also imperative to refrain from any judgment like "I told you that" or "I knew that Ludivine was not made for you". Your child will then break contact with you, withdrawing even more. Tell your friends about your worries, who will also be able to try to get him out of his dark thoughts.
Tell your teen that you saw that something was wrong. Ask him kindly: "I feel great distress in you, how do you feel"? "You know, I've had very difficult times too, so I wish I could help you." If your child expresses feelings of weariness, waste, or thought to be unnecessary, continue the dialogue as much as possible. Speech has a safety valve role, such as art or writing. If you feel that the conversation is blocked, offer him a blank notebook on which he can express his thoughts or give him a canvas, brushes and paint so that he "gets out" everything he has in him . Also, do not talk to him about a shrink, he might run away even more, thinking you take him for a madman.
Staying attentive and defusing the crisis with language is the key to avoiding any action and helping your teenager to regain a taste for life.
