Hi mmki,

It might help the community give better answers to your question if you could add some more detail about what you're looking for.  

But I'll give it a try...I think most people would say they feel heartbroken by the idea of any person - especially a child - taking his or her own life.  Being a teenager isn't always easy and it's very sad and frustrating to think about kids feeling so hopeless during that stage of their lives that they make the choice to end it.  Adults know that life really begins once you've gotten through the teen years.  The things that matter so much when you're in high school (your clothes, your car, how good you are at sports, etc) stop mattering.  People begin to value each other more for the contributions they make to the world than for how they look.  It becomes much easier to find people who are like you and there's a whole world to explore to find where you belong.  Are there bullies, bad guys, and mean people in the adult world?  Of course, but they have a lot less power and they're a lot easier to stay away from.  So to think of someone ending their life just before it starts to get great is nothing less than heartbreaking.

Hope this helps!

Kat

Hello and thank you for writing.

I know that as a parent and psychologist, I always take a serious stance when a child/ teen expresses thoughts about suicidal ideation. I know that several of my colleagues feel the same way.  I would rather err on the side of caution then miss something that could end in tragedy.

Thanks for asking.

Good luck!

Louise Sattler, NCSP
Nationally Certified School Psychologist
Owner of Signing Familiesâ„¢
http://www.SigningFamilies.com