Indio High School hosts teen suicide presentation for parents

Indio High School hosted a teen suicide prevention presentation at the high school for parents of students at the school.

Parents learned about how to look out for signs and listen to their teens when it comes to teenage suicide.

“We have parents who are very alarmed not knowing what the danger signs are,” Derrick Lawson, Indio High School principal said.

Parents learned how they can help a troubled teen by learning to look out for warning signs of suicide. Counselors say more than 80 percent of those who took their own lives gave indications before they died.

“We never know and that’s why I think it’s important to ask them questions. Talk to them,” Cynthia Chagoya said.

Chagoya said she came to the presentation to learn what else she can do as a parent to build a more open connection with her teenage daughter. At Indio High School, counselors and administrators took to the stage to do just that. One counselor said the most important thing a parent can do when a teen is in need is to take a backseat in guidance and listening first.

“A lot of parents think that, ‘OK, I’m just going to tell them we need to talk and everything will come out at that time.’ No. Spending quality time will allow them to build that connection,” Rosa Castillo counselor for Desert Sands Unified School District, said.

Counselors suggested parents find healthy coping habits by talking, writing, exercising or finding other hobbies. By showing a healthy coping mechanism example, their children will learn to use the same methods to deal with their own stress as well as being able to speak up when they need it the most.

“We all from time to time are going to have deal with stress or pressure, so we want them to know No.1, asking for help is OK and No.2, mental health is just like if you have a lung infection or a throat infection, you get medicine,” Lawson said.

Lawson says mental health is important and shouldn’t be ignored just because you can’t see it. Counselors say it’s important to build an open line of communication to give teens an easy opportunity to talk about what they are going through.

Find out more about teenage suicide resources.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thought, people are encouraged to call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.