Mommy Minute: Teens and suicide

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and UPMC is highlighting the need to talk about the problem in teens and adolescents.

During the pandemic, local doctors reported a serious spike in the number of young people attempting suicide.

“The most important thing during adolescence is social connections,” said UPMC’s Dr. Melissa Brown, a child psychologist. “And we cut them off in a way from their normalcy and their routine activities, going to school, connecting with their friends.”

Brown said her colleagues in the emergency department report some positive news; the number of teens in crisis seems to be waning or returning to pre-pandemic levels.

“I think the data and the trend and the research is showing that we’re coming out of that to some degree and we’re turning a little bit of a positive leaf,” Brown said. “Now, we still have some groups that are still quite vulnerable.”

That includes LGBTQ teens or anyone who doesn’t feel a strong connection to a social group. So what do parents need to know?

“They maybe change their hair in a way or dress differently,” Brown said. “We often times see them even giving away personal items of great joy to them that are valuable for them. And those are really important signs and symptoms to pay attention to.”

Brown said parents should watch for drastic changes in mood or friend groups. Depression can also have physical symptoms, including headaches or stomach aches.

The most important thing – according to Brown – is an open line of communication every day.

“I just think it’s so important that we have doors of communication open to our teens, try to have conversations with them that are non-judgmental, gentle,” Brown said. “Check in with them and have them log onto their social media. What are they involved in?”

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens.

For more information about depression in children and teens, click here .

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