Can we talk about parenting suicidal children

[Anonymous]

You could always do what my parents did - my mother told me at age 6 or 7 when I found out about the concept of suicide that it was illegal, and then any time after that when I brought up wanting to kill myself, they completely ignored me. Though my father did scream at me 2-4 times a year about spending money on a psychologist I was forced to go to despite telling my parents I wasn't comfortable with her and didn't trust her.

[Anonymous]

All strength to the parents and the children. I cannot even imagine how hard this would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can any parents who BTDT chime in with success stories? The hardest part, for me, parenting a child with suicidal ideation (tied to OCD, intrusive thought cycle) has been finding resources. I have found one therapist in our area who sees kids with this type of OCD in-person, but she has a waiting list--- it just feels like we have the diagnosis but no qualified professional to help navigate from here. So I am left holding my breath, praying and living day-by-day until we find the right support. Hugs to you, OP.

If you have the financial resources and time to aggressively search for a provider, almost any therapist will be trained to help your family navigate and support this situation. My daughter’s long-time therapist saw the warning signs, ordered a family meeting, and persuaded my daughter to agree to a “contract” that would give us some modicum of communication and control. We also had resources to pay for intensive outpatient treatment and a private psychiatrist. Three years later my daughter is thriving and the suicidal ideation is over.