Mental Health: Teen Depression / Suicide Prevention / SI

Which illness is characterized by feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, guilt, and/or worthlessness that last for 2 or more weeks? It is more than just the blues and the blahs.

• bipolar disorder
• schizophrenia
• depression
• This is not an illness, this is normal

Todd tells Helen he wants to kill himself. Helen should:

• encourage him to get more exercise.
• assume he is joking unless he says it several more times.
• Acknowledge how he feels, tell him she cares, and then encourage him to get help, stay with him or call 911 if necessary, and tell an adult who is in a position to help.
• tell him she will stop being friends with him if he talks like that again.

One sign that a person is thinking about taking their own life would be

• crying at a sad movie.
• going to the grave site of a dearly departed friend.
• trying alcohol for the first time at a party.
• giving away several prized possessions.

Your friend begs you not to tell ANYONE about his suicidal thoughts. You should

• Keep it to yourself so you don’t make him any more upset than he already is.
• Tell an adult at your school or in his family so that they can get him help.
• Tell your mutual teenage friends and set up a 24-hour watch system.
• Tell people in an anonymous on-line chat room to get their advice.

Your friend shows signs that she might be thinking of killing herself. You ask her (in a caring way) if she is thinking of trying to commit suicide. That was:

• A great idea because you let your friend know that you are willing to talk about things with her- even really serious things.
• A fine idea as long as she says she’s not actually thinking of trying to kill herself.
• A terrible idea because now you’ve gone and put ideas in her head.
• A bad idea because she didn’t bring the subject up first.

Suicide is rare. However, it is A LEADING CAUSE of death among teens.

• True

• False

The majority of suicides are planned weeks, even months in advance, in other words teens rarely just kill themselves on the spur of the moment.

• True
• False

Most people who self-injure (cut themselves or scratch into their skin) really just want to be dead.

• True
• False

Very few people who die by suicide give warnings of their intentions.

• True
• False

Teens who are dealing with tough home lives, bullying, and/or sexuality issues are more at risk for suicide.

• True
• False