Information for Parents: Depression/Suicide
DEPRESSION
General Information
 Depression is more than sadness or “the blues”. It is an illness with a biological basis and includes
feelings of sadness with great intensity that persist for weeks or months.
 Depression is complex. There are a number of factors that determine whether or not an individual will
become depressed. These include genetics, or whether there is a family history; a major negative or
stressful live event, such as being abused; having trouble at home or school; having trouble with friends
or relationships; and legal problems. Depression can also occur without an obvious cause.
 Depression can impact all aspects of a person’s life and affects their thoughts, feelings, behavior, and
body. It can have a negative impact on school performance, relationships with others, and engagement
in extracurricular activities. It can lead to school failure, alcohol or drug abuse, and even suicide.
 Depression affects 8-12 percent of teens in the U.S. Boys appear to suffer more depression in
childhood. During adolescence, the illness is more prevalent among girls.
 Depression is treatable. More than 80% of individuals with depression can be successfully treated.
Effective treatments include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.
Common Symptoms
 Persistent sad or irritable mood
 Loss of interest in everyday activities
What might a Parent/Caregiver See?
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 Significant change in appetite or weight
 Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
Loss of energy
Difficulty concentrating
 Agitation or slowing of behavior
 Feeling worthless or guilty
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 Ongoing thoughts of death or suicide 
Sadness, hopelessness or irritable, angry and aggressive
Boredom, dropping activities, loss of interest in fun
activities
Frequent, unexplained physical complaints such as
headaches, muscle aches and pains, stomach aches,
change in weight, worries a lot
Frequent absences from school, poor school
performance, unable to concentrate or stay focused,
unfinished tests, consistently forgets homework, sleepy
Restless, can’t sit still or speech and behavior slowed,
sluggish, feeling edgy
Talks about running away from home, overreacts to
disappointment or failure, low self esteem
Fear or preoccupation with dying, talking about people
who have died
SUICIDE
The emotional crises that usually precede suicide are often recognizable and treatable. Although most
depressed people are not suicidal, most suicidal people are depressed. Serious depression can be manifested in
obvious sadness, but is often expressed as a loss of pleasure or withdrawal from activities that had been
enjoyable.
Warning signs for suicide can include:
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Observable signs of depression –
 Unrelenting low mood
 Pessimism – talking about having no reason to live
 Hopelessness – talking about being a burden to others and/or talking about feeling trapped or in
unbearable pain.
 Desperation
 Anxiety
 Withdrawal
 Sleep problems – sleeping too little or too much
 Extreme mood swings
Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
Recent impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
Threatening suicide or expressing a strong wish to die
Making a plan –
 Giving away prized possessions
 Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm
 Obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications
Unexpected rage or anger
Risk factors for suicide:
 Psychiatric disorders – At least 90% of people who kill themselves have a diagnosable and treatable
psychiatric illness such as major depression, bipolar depression, schizophrenia, alcohol/drug abuse,
posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorder, or a personality disorder.
 Past history of attempted suicide – Between 20-50% of people who kill themselves had previously
attempted suicide. Those who have made serious suicide attempts are at a much higher risk for actually
taking their lives.
 Genetic predisposition – family history of suicide, suicide attempts, depression or other psychiatric
illness.
 Neurotransmittors – A close relationship has been demonstrated between low concentrations of
serotonin 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid and an increased incidence of
attempted and completed suicide in psychiatric patients.
 Impulsivity – Impulsive individuals are more apt to act on suicidal impulses.
 Demographics – Males are three to five times more likely to die by suicide than females. Elderly
Caucasian males have the highest suicide rate.
Suicide risk versus suicide crisis –
A suicide crisis is a time-limited occurrence signaling immediate danger of suicide. Suicide risk, by contrast, is a
broader term that includes the above factors such as age and sex, psychiatric diagnosis, past suicide attempts,
and traits like impulsivity. Signs of a suicide crisis include:
 Precipitating event – A recent event that is particularly distressing such as loss of a loved one or career
failure.
 Intense affective state in addition to depression – desperation (anguish plus urgency regarding need for
relief), rage, inner tension, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, or acute sense of abandonment.
 Changes in behavior – Speech suggesting the individual is close to suicide. Such speech may be indirect.
Be alert to statements indicating feelings that others would be better off without the individual.
Sometimes those contemplating suicide talk as if they are saying goodbye or going away.
 Actions ranging from buying a gun to suddenly putting one’s affairs in order.
 Deterioration in functioning at work or school or socially.
What to do when you suspect someone may be considering suicide –
 Be willing to listen –
 Tell the person you are concerned and give him/her examples.
 If he/she is depressed, don’t be afraid to ask whether he/she is considering suicide and if he/she
has a particular plan or method in mind.
 Do not attempt to argue someone out of suicide. Let the person know you care, that he/she is
not alone, that suicidal feelings are temporary and that depression can be treated. Avoid the
temptation to tell the person that they have so much to live for or that suicide will hurt their
family.
 Seek professional help –
 Be actively involved in encouraging the person to see a physician or mental health professional
immediately.
 Individuals contemplating suicide often don’t believe they can be helped, so you may have to do
more.
 Help the person find a knowledgeable mental health professional or a reputable treatment
facility, and take them to the treatment.
 In an acute crisis –
 Do not leave the person alone.
 Remove from the vicinity any firearms, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used for suicide.
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Take the person to an emergency room or walk-in clinic at a psychiatric hospital.
If a psychiatric facility is unavailable, go to your nearest hospital or clinic.
If the above options are unavailable, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1800-273-8255 (TALK).
 Follow up on treatment –
 Suicidal individuals are often hesitant to seek help and may need your continuing support to
pursue treatment after an initial contact.
 If medication is prescribed, make sure the individual is taking it exactly as prescribed. Be aware
of possible side effects and be sure to notify the physician if the individual seems to be getting
worse. Usually, alternative medications can be prescribed.
 Frequently the first medication doesn’t work. It takes time and persistence to find the right
medications and therapist for an individual person.
The information included above is compiled from the following sources:
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
120 Wall Street, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10005
www.afsp.org
Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH)
165 Western Avenue N.
Suite 2
St. Paul, MN 55102
www.macmh.org
National Alliance on Mental Health – Minnesota (NAMI-Minnesota)
800 Transfer Road, #31
St. Paul, MN 55114
www.namihelps.org
Additional sources of information regarding depression, suicide, and mental health
include:
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201
703-620-3660
www.cec.sped.org
NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201
703-524-7600 800-950-264
www.nami.org
Medical and legal information, helpline, research, publications
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Office of Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MN 20892-9663
866-615-6454
www.nimh.nih.gov
Free educational materials for professionals and the public
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)
PO Box 42557, Washington, DC 20015
800-789-2647
www.samhsa.gov
SA/VE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education)
9001 East Bloomington Freeway, Suite 150
Bloomington, MN 55420
952-946-7998
www.save.org
Mental Health America (MHA)
www.mentalhealthamerica.net
Information about recognizing symptoms of depression, how to help self and others, types of treatment
and warning signs of suicide
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
www.dbsalliance.org
Information regarding depression and other mental illnesses
HealthyMinds.org (a part of the American Psychiatric Association)
www.healthyminds.org
Advocacy and mental health resources
APA Help Center (a part of the American Psychological Association)
www.apahelpcenter.org
HelpGuide.org
www.helpguide.org
KidsHealth.org
www.kidshealth.org
Source of understandable, accurate explanations of the factors that contribute to depression
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
800-273-TALK (English)
888-628-9454 (Spanish)
24-hour suicide prevention service
Local (Rochester, MN area) resources include, but are not limited to:
Counseling Resources –
Associates in Psychiatry and Psychology
288-8544
Bluestem Center of Child and Family Development
282-1009
Catholic Charities
287-2047
Center for Effective Living
288-5675
Consultants in Psychological Health
289-5110
Family Services Rochester
287-2010
Lutheran Social Services
1-888-205-3769
Mayo Psychiatry and Psychology
284-5387
Olmsted Medical Center Psychological Services
287-2766
Rapid Access Clinic (after hour emergencies call Crisis Hotline 281-6248)
328-6308
Salvation Army, Social Worker
288-3663
Zumbro Valley Mental Health Center Psychological Services
289-2089 (1-800-422-0161)
Health Care Clinics/Hospitals
Olmsted Medical Center Hospital, Emergency Services
529-6650
St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Unit
255-5591
Crisis Hotline-Suicide, Depression, Difficulty coping
281-6248
Zumbro Valley Mental Health Center Emergency Crisis Hotline
1-800-422-0670
Support Groups/Programs
DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
282-8372
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
287-1692
NAMI WarmLine
287-7161