How to Talk to Your Children About Suicide
How to Talk to Your Children About Suicide, No Matter Their Age
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While Westers still says you should keep the conversation simple, he also suggests including the fact that the death was intentional. Say: "suicide is when someone dies by making their body stop working on purpose. It most often happens when their brain gets sick and that illness makes them feel really bad or sad inside. Their thoughts get mixed up to the point of forgetting or not knowing they can get help from doctors, so they make their body stop working to make the thoughts stop."
Westers says this might be also be a good time to discuss mental health and particularly depression and suicidal thoughts, stressing to children in this age group that suicide is never the only option and mentioning all other ways a person with suicidal thoughts can get help. Let your child know that there is always help available and make them comfortable knowing they can come to you as a start.