JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and mental health experts say one of the most important things a parent can do is pay attention, even when a struggling child doesn’t look sad.
Melissa Shields, division director of Behavioral Health Solutions at Canopy, said depression and stress in children and teens often show up differently than they do in adults, and parents can mistake the signs for typical bad behavior.
“Many times parents or even teachers or caregivers are going to see it as defiance,” Shields said. “So maybe they are refusing school or refusing to do homework or their grades are dropping. Maybe they’re withdrawing from activities that they normally really enjoy doing.”…