Understanding suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts can range from passive thoughts about not wanting to be alive to active planning. Any of them deserves attention. Teens who think about suicide are usually in intense emotional pain and can't see another way out. They need to know they're not alone and that things can get better.
Asking your teen directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head. Asking shows you care and opens the door to getting help.
Signs parents often notice
- Talking about wanting to die, or about being a burden
- Expressing hopelessness or feeling trapped
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities
- Giving away belongings or saying goodbye
- Increased substance use
- Extreme mood swings, or sudden calm after a period of distress
- Searching for ways to end their life
Noticing some of these doesn't mean your teen has a diagnosis. A clinical assessment is the right way to understand what's going on.
Getting the right level of help
If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Residential treatment is not emergency care; teens in acute crisis are stabilized in a hospital first, and residential care is often the next step after that.
If you're worried but your teen is not in immediate danger, call or text 988 to talk with a trained crisis counselor, and contact a mental health professional.
Residential treatment offers round-the-clock clinical support for teens who need more than weekly therapy, often after a hospital stay or when outpatient care hasn't been enough. A clinical assessment helps decide the right level of care. Families often reach out when:
- Your teen is stepping down from a psychiatric hospitalization
- Suicidal thoughts persist despite outpatient treatment
- Your teen needs closer, around-the-clock support than home can provide
- Depression, trauma, or self-harm are also present
How Belvedere helps
Belvedere provides round-the-clock clinical support, with nursing and clinical staff on-site at all times and a board-certified psychiatrist overseeing evaluation and medication management. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) helps teens build skills to get through painful moments, and treatment addresses what's driving the pain, such as depression or trauma.
Every plan is individualized, reviewed weekly by a multidisciplinary team, and includes planning for a safe transition home.
Clinical approach
How your family is involved
Families are a crucial part of keeping a teen safe. Weekly family therapy helps you talk openly with your teen, and discharge planning begins well before your teen comes home, including referrals to outpatient therapists and psychiatrists near you and guidance on what to watch for.
Learn about the Family ProgramQuestions parents ask
What should I do right now if I'm worried about my teen?
If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If not, call or text 988 to talk with a trained crisis counselor, stay with your teen, and contact a mental health professional.
Will asking about suicide make it worse?
No. Asking directly and calmly does not put the idea in a teen's head. It shows you care and makes it easier for them to tell you what's going on.
Is residential treatment a replacement for the hospital?
No. Teens in acute danger need emergency or hospital care first. Residential treatment is often the next step, providing round-the-clock support while a teen continues to heal.
Sources & further reading
- Suicide Prevention · National Institute of Mental Health
This page is for general information and isn't a substitute for a professional evaluation or medical advice.