The following may be signs of mental health  problems  such as mood disorder. It  may also be directly related to  suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Signs of depression or suicide

Changes in activities  such as :

•  A drop in grades or school performance .
• Neglect of reponsibilities.
• Neglect of personal appearances.

Changes in emotions such as :

• Appearing or taking about feeling sad, hopelessness , bored or overwhelmed.
• Having outbursts, severe anger or irritability.
• Appearing or talking about feeling more anxious or worried.

Changes in behavior such as  :

• Running or threatening to run away.
• Getting into trouble, being rebellious , aggressive or impulsive.
• Eating or sleeping less or more .
• Losing interest in activities .
• Using drug or alcohol.
• Withdrawing from friends and family or having a change in friends.
• Using drugs or alcohol.
• Losing interest in activities.
• Talking or writing of suicide or death.
• Hurting oneself such as cutting or severe dieting.
• Talking or writing of suicide or death.
•  Any suicidal behavior  even if it could have been lethal such as taking a small amount of pills.

What you can do

• Get help right away. Take your child to the hospital emergency room if you think he might hurt himself.
• Talk to your teen. Ask her what is bothering her  and whether he is feeling sad or down. Try not to offer suggestions on how to fix the problem. Ask your teen what is bothering him.
• Let your child know that you understand and support her. Try to be understand and not be overly critical.
• Talk with your teen’s doctor  about treatment including evaluation by a child  and adolescent  psychiatrist or other mental health professional.
• Remove firearms from the home.If you must have a gun, make sure the gun is stored unloaded and locked in a safe or with a trigger lock, and bullets are locked in another place.