High school can be a tough and challenging time for teens. Pressure from school, friends, sports teams, social media and personal life can be overwhelming and hard to create and maintain a balance. Without the proper coping skills and outlets to express yourself, this may lead to bottling up emotions and frustration, making it difficult to find help. This process may lead to thoughts of self-harm in order to cope with your environment. Some warning signs to look for include:
- Depression
- Changes in personality
- Little to no interest in planning for the future
- Secluding themselves from friends and/or family
- Giving away personal possessions
- Lack of personal care and hygiene
Often openly discussing self-harm or suicide can be considered taboo. However, a person who has suicidal thoughts needs support from their friends and loved ones who will listen and care for them. Here are a few useful tips to support someone:
- Encourage them to express their feelings
- Ask them to share their story with you
- Offer support; ask if there’s anything you can do to help
- Provide resources that can give them support like family and friends or other services you know about
- Find a location to talk where the person can feel calm and respect their privacy
For more information, please visit mindyourmind.com
