In this segment, Ryan Smith discusses why it is important to talk with children about suicide, how to start those conversations and what to do for a child who needs help.
She will also answer questions such as: How common is suicide? What are the risk factors? What are the signs to look out for?
Suicide is a preventable mental health problem and awareness and action are the keys.
Selected Podcast
Talking to Kids about Depression and Suicide
Featured Speaker:
Ryan Smith, MA
Ryan Smith, M.A., is a resident mental health professional under supervision for licensure with Centra Child & Adolescent Acute Psychiatric Program. She obtained her B.S. degree in Psychology from Virginia Tech and an M.A. from Liberty University in Professional Counseling. She has multiple years of experience working with children and teens, specifically the last three in the field of mental health. Earlier this year she was nominated by her peers and won an award for Mental Health Professional of the Year. Transcription:
Talking to Kids about Depression and Suicide
Bill Klaproth (Host): No one wants to talk to their kids about depression and suicide, but suicide is a preventable mental health problem, and awareness and action are the keys. So how do you start those conversations? What do you do for a child who needs help? With us is Ms. Ryan Smith, a resident mental health professional under supervision for licensure with Centra Child and Adolescent Acute Psychiatric Program. And earlier this year, she was nominated by her peers and won an award for Mental Health Professional of the Year. First off, Ms. Smith, congratulations.
Ms. Ryan Smith (Guest): Thank you so much.
Bill: Let me ask you this. How do we start this conversation about suicide and prevention?
Ms. Smith: Well, as you mentioned, this is preventable. It is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24. We all talk to our kids about wearing a seatbelt or not using drugs and alcohol, and this is just as much as a risk as that is. Most people are uncomfortable having this discussion. It’s taboo in our culture to talk about death, oftentimes with the victims blamed or referred to as possibly selfish or weak. And as a result, people don’t discuss suicide openly, which is really tragic. If we talk about it, we bring light to the issue, and we can help someone get help.
Bill: It is a difficult conversation to have, that’s for sure. Nobody really wants to talk about it, but it is something that should be talked about. Thanks for bringing that up to us. Is the root cause of suicide, is it all stemmed from depression? Is that where it starts?
Ms. Smith: Well, that is one of the factors. There can be other contributing factors as well. For example, there is a family history of suicide or other mental health issues, or often, exposure to suicidal behavior in others, such as a classmate or a friend. It can lead someone to believe that it’s now an option for them as well if they’re going through a rough time. Also, family violence, including physical or social abuse; family stressors, such as increasing financial worries; stressful life events, like possibly the incarceration of a parent or sibling. We’re seeing an increase of kids asking for help that are dealing with things in school like bullying or questioning their sexual identity, or even just not coping well with increased pressures at school. Kids today have tremendous academic pressures on them, athletic pressures on them. I work with children. It blew my mind. They’re holding down 40-hour a week jobs on top of school and sports. And when they don’t have good coping skills, when they don’t have the life experiences to deal with all these stressors, sometimes it gets to be too much, and it can really be overwhelming for them.
Bill: For a parent, how do you deal with all of these stressors and anxieties and help your kid get through them?
Ms. Smith: Well, that’s an excellent question. First and foremost, understand that having a conversation about suicide is not going to give your kid the idea that it’s an option. In actuality, discussing suicide opens up communication, and it lets your child know they can come to you with any issues that they have. You’re going to want to look for signs that you might need to get your child help if you’re seeing an increase of symptoms such as depression or mood swings or your child starts experimenting with substances like marijuana or alcohol, or even prescription drugs. That’s increasing as well. If your child is isolating, withdrawing, if they start to make statements about feeling hopeless, helpless, or that they’re trapped or they’re suffering; or oftentimes, children think they might be a burden to others, if they make comments like that. Also, if their school performance suddenly shifts or they increase in reckless or impulsive behavior, it’s definitely going to be important to talk to your child and seek some help for them and some support for them.
Bill: There are everyday trials and tribulations of being a child. I’m worried about a test. I’m worried about making this soccer game. I’m worried about this. I’m worried about that. Is there a period of, like, “Boy, this has been going on for a month now. Now I should worry”?
Ms. Smith: That’s a good question. Absolutely. Teenage years especially can have a lot of ups and downs. Some of that is going to be normal. Kids take the hard time to come through it and grow because of it. But if you were seeing a sustained state in your child that’s lasting for a couple of weeks, a real shift that your child who was once really involved with the family and now is irritable or agitated and is isolating in their room for more than a day or two, it’s going to be important to at least check in with their primary care doctor and see if some more help beyond that with maybe a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a therapist is needed.
Bill: If a child is diagnosed with depression, what are the usual treatment options?
Ms. Smith: Well, every case is different, and as a therapist, I work with a team of nurses, doctors, counselors, and we review every single child as an individual and try to determine what’s going on in their life that might be most helpful for them. For a lot of children, it might mean starting on a mild antidepressant or another medication that a medical doctor feels is helpful to them. We couple that with therapy, where they are learning how to express themselves, build family relationships, improve communication, and most importantly, work on positive healthy coping skills. When we get depressed, it’s perfectly normal, perfectly human to want to isolate and withdraw, but we have to find a way to fight that and to push ourselves to interact with others again, to get outside, to exercise. And that’s what therapy can help your child with, to rely on these healthier coping skills instead of the default withdrawing, which can actually induce depression even further.
Bill: With those steps then, what is the long-term outlook then? Do I use the word “cured”? Or is this something that is ongoing throughout this child’s life, or is it a case-by-case basis?
Ms. Smith: Well, I personally believe that every single child has within them the ability to work through this and grow because of it. It may be something that some children fight with a little bit longer or have a more lasting struggle—again, depending on their own situation. But usually, if we can get children potentially medication or the therapy that they need and also the resources within their family and in their community, it’s treatable and the outcome is much better.
Bill: In our last 30 seconds here, what if it’s the parent that’s causing the strife, the anxiety, the worry, the depression? Is that up to a different family member or a friend to try to step in? What happens in that situation?
Ms. Smith: Sure. Well, it’s very seldom the child alone who is going through something. It’s usually the child is indicative of what’s going on in the family in general, and we can work to get the whole family support through either family therapy or connecting the parent with resources in the community as well to help them with whatever they might be struggling with, should it be an addiction or their own history of abuse.
Bill: That makes sense. So taking care of the whole family.
Ms. Smith: Yes, absolutely.
Bill: Absolutely. Ms. Smith, thanks so much. Why should people come to Centra for their children’s healthcare needs?
Ms. Smith: Well, I feel we’re a great team. We’re well experienced and help the children and their families in this community, and we always look forward to serving others.
Bill: Ms. Smith, thanks again so much for your time today. For more information, please visit centrahealth.com. That’s centrahealth.com. This is Centra Healthy Radio. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Talking to Kids about Depression and Suicide
Bill Klaproth (Host): No one wants to talk to their kids about depression and suicide, but suicide is a preventable mental health problem, and awareness and action are the keys. So how do you start those conversations? What do you do for a child who needs help? With us is Ms. Ryan Smith, a resident mental health professional under supervision for licensure with Centra Child and Adolescent Acute Psychiatric Program. And earlier this year, she was nominated by her peers and won an award for Mental Health Professional of the Year. First off, Ms. Smith, congratulations.
Ms. Ryan Smith (Guest): Thank you so much.
Bill: Let me ask you this. How do we start this conversation about suicide and prevention?
Ms. Smith: Well, as you mentioned, this is preventable. It is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24. We all talk to our kids about wearing a seatbelt or not using drugs and alcohol, and this is just as much as a risk as that is. Most people are uncomfortable having this discussion. It’s taboo in our culture to talk about death, oftentimes with the victims blamed or referred to as possibly selfish or weak. And as a result, people don’t discuss suicide openly, which is really tragic. If we talk about it, we bring light to the issue, and we can help someone get help.
Bill: It is a difficult conversation to have, that’s for sure. Nobody really wants to talk about it, but it is something that should be talked about. Thanks for bringing that up to us. Is the root cause of suicide, is it all stemmed from depression? Is that where it starts?
Ms. Smith: Well, that is one of the factors. There can be other contributing factors as well. For example, there is a family history of suicide or other mental health issues, or often, exposure to suicidal behavior in others, such as a classmate or a friend. It can lead someone to believe that it’s now an option for them as well if they’re going through a rough time. Also, family violence, including physical or social abuse; family stressors, such as increasing financial worries; stressful life events, like possibly the incarceration of a parent or sibling. We’re seeing an increase of kids asking for help that are dealing with things in school like bullying or questioning their sexual identity, or even just not coping well with increased pressures at school. Kids today have tremendous academic pressures on them, athletic pressures on them. I work with children. It blew my mind. They’re holding down 40-hour a week jobs on top of school and sports. And when they don’t have good coping skills, when they don’t have the life experiences to deal with all these stressors, sometimes it gets to be too much, and it can really be overwhelming for them.
Bill: For a parent, how do you deal with all of these stressors and anxieties and help your kid get through them?
Ms. Smith: Well, that’s an excellent question. First and foremost, understand that having a conversation about suicide is not going to give your kid the idea that it’s an option. In actuality, discussing suicide opens up communication, and it lets your child know they can come to you with any issues that they have. You’re going to want to look for signs that you might need to get your child help if you’re seeing an increase of symptoms such as depression or mood swings or your child starts experimenting with substances like marijuana or alcohol, or even prescription drugs. That’s increasing as well. If your child is isolating, withdrawing, if they start to make statements about feeling hopeless, helpless, or that they’re trapped or they’re suffering; or oftentimes, children think they might be a burden to others, if they make comments like that. Also, if their school performance suddenly shifts or they increase in reckless or impulsive behavior, it’s definitely going to be important to talk to your child and seek some help for them and some support for them.
Bill: There are everyday trials and tribulations of being a child. I’m worried about a test. I’m worried about making this soccer game. I’m worried about this. I’m worried about that. Is there a period of, like, “Boy, this has been going on for a month now. Now I should worry”?
Ms. Smith: That’s a good question. Absolutely. Teenage years especially can have a lot of ups and downs. Some of that is going to be normal. Kids take the hard time to come through it and grow because of it. But if you were seeing a sustained state in your child that’s lasting for a couple of weeks, a real shift that your child who was once really involved with the family and now is irritable or agitated and is isolating in their room for more than a day or two, it’s going to be important to at least check in with their primary care doctor and see if some more help beyond that with maybe a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a therapist is needed.
Bill: If a child is diagnosed with depression, what are the usual treatment options?
Ms. Smith: Well, every case is different, and as a therapist, I work with a team of nurses, doctors, counselors, and we review every single child as an individual and try to determine what’s going on in their life that might be most helpful for them. For a lot of children, it might mean starting on a mild antidepressant or another medication that a medical doctor feels is helpful to them. We couple that with therapy, where they are learning how to express themselves, build family relationships, improve communication, and most importantly, work on positive healthy coping skills. When we get depressed, it’s perfectly normal, perfectly human to want to isolate and withdraw, but we have to find a way to fight that and to push ourselves to interact with others again, to get outside, to exercise. And that’s what therapy can help your child with, to rely on these healthier coping skills instead of the default withdrawing, which can actually induce depression even further.
Bill: With those steps then, what is the long-term outlook then? Do I use the word “cured”? Or is this something that is ongoing throughout this child’s life, or is it a case-by-case basis?
Ms. Smith: Well, I personally believe that every single child has within them the ability to work through this and grow because of it. It may be something that some children fight with a little bit longer or have a more lasting struggle—again, depending on their own situation. But usually, if we can get children potentially medication or the therapy that they need and also the resources within their family and in their community, it’s treatable and the outcome is much better.
Bill: In our last 30 seconds here, what if it’s the parent that’s causing the strife, the anxiety, the worry, the depression? Is that up to a different family member or a friend to try to step in? What happens in that situation?
Ms. Smith: Sure. Well, it’s very seldom the child alone who is going through something. It’s usually the child is indicative of what’s going on in the family in general, and we can work to get the whole family support through either family therapy or connecting the parent with resources in the community as well to help them with whatever they might be struggling with, should it be an addiction or their own history of abuse.
Bill: That makes sense. So taking care of the whole family.
Ms. Smith: Yes, absolutely.
Bill: Absolutely. Ms. Smith, thanks so much. Why should people come to Centra for their children’s healthcare needs?
Ms. Smith: Well, I feel we’re a great team. We’re well experienced and help the children and their families in this community, and we always look forward to serving others.
Bill: Ms. Smith, thanks again so much for your time today. For more information, please visit centrahealth.com. That’s centrahealth.com. This is Centra Healthy Radio. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.