“I hate my life, I wish I was dead,” the teen said. But, no one listened. It’s just a phase he’s going through. She’s being a drama queen. He’s acting out again. Well, that may be what friends, family, teachers and parents are thinking and they may be right. But, then again, maybe not.

You see, no one ever knows whether or not a child is thinking about suicide until someone asks them. Yes, it’s a hard question to ask and the answer might be even more difficult to hear, but to quote the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, “youth suicide prevention is everyone’s business.”

They say that awareness starts by learning the FACTS, a mnemonic for the warning signs. Please note that not all children contemplating suicide will display these signs and that there is a huge difference between a red flag flying sign and a subtle, quiet one.

For the rest of the column, see the print edition of the Bonner County Daily Bee or subscribe to our e-edition.