It is estimated that annually 7,000 teenagers kill themselves, one million think about it, and 400,000 attempts are made.

The magnitude of this problem demands that people know and understand the warning signs of suicide. What once was confined to discussion in hushed tones has become the focus of network news programs and other television broadcasts.

It is important that parents and friends make an effort to talk candidly about the issues surrounding suicide. If you have notice suicidal tendencies you should not hesitate to discuss this with the adolescent in question.

Some may hesitate to become involved in such serious discussion because they fear it will lead a teenager to suicide, but this is not so. Troubled teens need to know that someone is willing to listen to their feelings, and to discuss candidly uncertainties about their world and their role in it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled a list of common tendencies that may signal that an adolescent is considering suicide. While not all will fit into any specific pattern, these behaviors and attitudes can serve as a guideline to alert the friends and parents of a teenager “crying out for help.”

• A noticeable change in eating and sleeping habits.
• Persistent boredom.
• Withdrawal from friends and family; group activities.
• Decline in the quality of school work.
• Violent or rebellious behavior.
• Running away.
• Unusual neglect of personal appearance; a sort of “ I don’t care attitude” about what others think about him or her.
• Drug or alcohol abuse.
• Difficulty in concentrating on tasks or personal responsibilities.
• Dispensing of personal or favorite possessions, as if making “final arrangements.”
• Verbal hints, such as “It’s no use,” “Nothing matters,” or “I won’t be a problem to you much longer.”

If there is any reason to believe that a teenager you know is contemplating suicide, you should help the teenager directly if he or she has confidence in your friendship, or help him or her in seeking professional help from a child psychiatrist, a hotline for troubled teens or a referral from a local hospital.