'Volatile mix': Kids at risk for suicide can get guns, report finds

[Bibliovore]

2. There's a history, and then there's a medical history

"A lot of kids, surprisingly, don’t have a history of mental illness but they attempt suicide" -- The majority of people who commit suicide are depressed. However, far from all people with depression are treated for it. People who don't get treated don't have a medical history of depression, but that doesn't mean they're not depressed, or even that depression hasn't been a long-term problem for them.

The treatment percentage must be worse for kids, who not only can't usually seek help on their own but are often dismissed as going through youthful moodiness or phases, and who inherently lack adult perspective on how deep a problem might be.

People should definitely be alert for signs of depression, anxiety, and other mental-health problems, just as they should be alert for signs of physical illness. And just as for physical illnesses, they should seek treatment if symptoms persist. People with guns at home need to be that much more careful.