I recently heard a radio show called Family Talk, which is a division of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. Dr. Tim Clinton and Dr. Jennifer Ellers were talking about depression and teens.  Some of the questions they asked and answered were:

• Why do kids get so hopeless?
• What are warning signs?
• How can you step in and help them?

Here are some things I learned that may be of interest to you or to someone you know.

1. According to the CDC, the pandemic has led to an increase of suicide attempts, more among girls than boys. Girls are more relational and so the theory is that the pandemic with the isolation from friends has had more of an impact on them.

2. Some signs that your child may be struggling in this area are:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Talk of hopelessness, death or dying
• A shift or change in behavior or actions
• Isolating
• Not wanting to be with friends

The counselors believe that as screen time increases, happiness and joy decrease.  We have all had an increase in our screen time over the past couple of years.

3. Loss—the last year and half caused a lot of loss for all teens. TCKs (third culture kids) already go through situations where they face loss and grief, with frequent transitions, and leaving the people and places they love, more often than non-TCKs. Not feeling understood, heard, or validated can compound these feelings.  A bad grade can snowball into—my life is over! A broken friendship or romantic relationship can seem like the end of the world.

When hurting, people want to medicate with something. Drugs and alcohol can enter into the picture even if you think that there is no way your child would be involved with something like this. Because the brain is not fully developed in a teen, they are not always making good decisions.

4. There are three Rs for parents and those who spend time with teens to remember.

• Recognize-warning signs and risk factors
• Respond— with love and understanding:  “Tell me more about why you are feeling this way. I want to help.”  The experts believe you should not be afraid to bring up the topic of suicide.  That is not necessarily going to give your teen the idea to commit the action.
• Refer—provide the child with resources or the help they need. “Let’s get you help so you don’t have to feel this way long term”.

Depression is treatable. Suicide is preventable.  Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone of any age or background.

5.  Help is available. Some websites that can offer help and hope on this topic are:

drjamesdobson.org. You can search the radio show archives if you would like to listen to this two-part broadcast entitled:  Crisis Point:  Youth Suicide—Addressing our Kids’ Mental Well-Being

TCKtraining.org—this website has many resources including the books listed below to help you understand your child who is growing up outside of their home country.

• Raising Up a Generation of Healthy TCKs
• The Grief Tower
• Unstacking the Grief Tower
• Misunderstood

Connect.aacc.net—to find Christian counselors in your area—Family Talk Radio mentioned this as a good resource

Contact BBFI Missionaries Don and Kathy Mingo—Missionary to Missionary Care

Please let us know if there is anything we can do here at the Mission Office to be of help.