If you know someone struggling with despair, depression or thoughts of suicide, you may be wondering how to help. Yet many of us are afraid to do the wrong thing. In fact, you don’t have to be a trained professional to help, says Doreen Marshall, a psychologist and vice president of programs at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Read more ›
Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, marked by episodes of mania and depression. Bipolar disorder is not the same as the typical ups and downs every kid goes through. The mood swings are more extreme and accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level, and the ability to think clearly. Know the signs and symptoms. Read more ›
Bullying is a behavior that many of us have experienced in school or online, either as the person being bullied, the person engaging in the behavior, or as a witness. While bullying is far from new, it should not be considered a rite of passage for young people. Read more ›
Bullying was common among LGBTQ youth who died by suicide between 2003 and 2017, especially among younger children, researchers reported. Read more ›
By seventh grade, Zachary Nimmo had meticulously mapped out his future to the tiniest detail — take every engineering course offered at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, attend Las Positas Community College for two years, transfer to Cal Poly to earn an engineering degree, then move to Seattle. His friends called him a hybrid — an excellent soccer and lacrosse athlete and a self-proclaimed geek — passionate about computers, coding and comic books. But something started to change in eighth grade, and his parents were concerned with his darkening behavior. Read more ›
Alec Murray was 13. He enjoyed camping, fishing and skiing. At home, it was video games, movies and books. Having just completed middle school with “almost straight A’s,” those grades were going to earn him an iPhone for his upcoming birthday.
Instead, he killed himself on June 8 — the first day of summer break. Read more ›
Death by suicide in children has reached a 30-year high in the United States. During middle and high school, 10% to 15% of kids have thoughts of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more ›
Substantial recent increases in the percentage of teens and young adults reporting they are not heterosexual were accompanied by a decline in suicide attempts among sexual minority youth, survey data indicated. Read more ›
Teenagers have their whole lives ahead of them, they’re often told. The idea that a teen could be thinking about ending that life might be hard for their friends, families, or other people in their community to believe.
But the risk of suicide should be on the radar of anyone who interacts with teens, says Dr. Jane Pearson, a mental health expert at NIH. Read more ›
Depression can be hard to talk about. But if a friend or loved one is depressed, having a conversation about getting help can make a big difference. Use these tips to start talking. Read more ›
