SADAG urges parents to talk about depression with their children
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group says an open conversation about depression is needed - to help erase the stigma around teen suicide.
The advocacy group is raising awareness on the issue as it observes Teen Suicide Prevention Week.
The Group's Vanishaa Gordhan says it's important for parents to encourage their children to talk about their feelings and help them deal with negative pressure.
She says there are a number of suicide warning signs parents can pay attention to.
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"If the child is not eating well, they're not sleeping well. They're not coping at school, and socially, they're isolating themselves, they don't like to do things that they liked to do before or they talk about leaving this world. It's those things that we need to pay attention to."
Gordhan says, talking to a child about what he or she is going through allows these difficult conversations to happen in a safe environment.
"Open that communication to say that if you are not doing okay, you can speak to me. You can come to me. It is to create that support structure."
