Dr. Kathleen McCoy told Awake! that one of the greatest mistakes a parent can make is to ignore such warning signs. “No one wants to think that something could be wrong with their child,” she says, “so some parents go into denial. They tell themselves, ‘It’s a phase’ or ‘It will pass’ or ‘She always was a bit dramatic.’ That’s dangerous. All threats should be taken seriously.”

Do not be ashamed to get help for your son or daughter if he or she suffers from severe depression or another mental disorder. And if you suspect that your teen is thinking about ending it all, ask him about it. The notion that talking about suicide will encourage the act is false. Many youths are relieved when parents bring up the subject. So if your teen admits to having thoughts of suicide, find out if a plan has been devised and if so, how detailed it is. The more detailed the plan, the more urgently you need to intervene.*

Do not assume that the depression will lift on its own. And if it does seem to l