By Patrick Ramsey

Clinical director, Samaritan Counseling Center of West Texas

Over the last several weeks, my new community, Midland, has experienced some severe heartbreak, with several kids taking their lives. It has sparked concern in the community, both from kids, who have created a Facebook group to combat suicide and depression, and a parent group combating a related issue, bullying.

As a counselor, these issues have been a prime concern. Whenever I see a client for the first time, possible suicide is always one of the exceptions I note when promising confidentiality, and if a client exhibits signs of depression, we concentrate on coping skills and resources to help.

Issues such as depression and bullying also were a priority as a school counselor in Keller. The school resource officer and I regularly went to classrooms to educate students about bullying and how it related to depression. Many students visited my office to talk about depression or bullying, and many of them were experiencing suicidal ideation. As a district, Keller ISD used the Signs of Suicide program to screen students for depression and suicidal ideation.

As social media sites have become more prevalent, they have been used heavily in student communication. When I began my counseling career, I heard more about students being bullied on My Space. As times have changed, I hear more about students sharing more freely on Facebook or Twitter. As a counselor, I always encouraged parents to monitor such sites.

Parents and friends of those experiencing symptoms of depression often wonder how they can help. The friends don't want to be invasive, and they especially don't want to put bad ideas in the air, but they want to be a good friend or parent to those suffering.

The Facebook group combating suicide and depression has the right idea, and it uses a title I like: "Teen Suicide: 100% Preventable. Help Us." It tells me those students are serious and committed to watching for signs of depression or suicidal ideation, reaching out to them and getting in their business if necessary.

It is important for all of us to get comfortable with educating ourselves and others with the signs of depression: Lack of interest in almost everything, depressed mood (or irritability in children and adolescents), sleeping too much or too little, eating too much or too little, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating or suicidal ideation.

As a school counselor, I regularly met with students in my office about such signs, and often would call parents, who would ask what could be done. I had a list of counselors to whom I regularly referred students. Occassionally, a student would have frequent or intense suicidal ideation or a plan, and the parents would take him to a local psychiatric hospital that would provide medication for depression and help see there were better ways to cope with problems.

In private practice, and now as a therapist at Samaritan Counseling Center, I see students to whom counselors in their schools have recommended more intense help than can be given at the school. Routinely, our counselors assess the level of depression, and, depending on its intensity, we work on changing negative beliefs, and sometimes refer to a hospital for more intense care or a doctor to see about getting medication to help manage the depression.

All members of the community can be watchful of their neighbors and loved ones exhibiting these signs. Schools can use screening programs like Signs of Suicide to provide a way for students to anonymously say they need help. Churches and community groups can organize educational programs. Parents should feel the freedom to make themselves available, and even to be invasive if necessary when monitoring their kids. Friends or neighbors can keep being friendly and neighborly, but if they see even subtle signs, they could risk deeper conversations.

Sometimes it's as easy as prodding past the typical "How's it going?" When someone says, "fine," instead of going about your business, you could say, "Are you sure? You've looked tired and fatigued lately, and I've been a little concerned about you. Are you sure everything's OK?"