Hi @LKD,
Welcome to the forums, and thank you for sharing what's been happening. I can hear how deeply you care for your son. The way you have responded by telling him he has your full support and help is incredibly important; it helps to feel accepted and reassured during this time.
It can be hard when you are worried and want to help and for many people opening up can take time. Sometimes young people may feel a bit more comfortable with sharing what's going on with others outside of family at first. Even if they aren't ready to speak yet, knowing that you are there, offering a safe space and acceptance makes a real difference. While i'm unsure of your exact situation, if there is current mental health support in place - it's important to involve professional support. There are services that offer mental health support to young people, you can also get in touch with these services directly to find out more about what support they offer.
If there are immediate concerns for safety seek urgent support.
It's also important to get support for yourself. Navigating this can be really difficult and support can help strengthen your capacity to support him. Here are some resources for parents including LGBTIQA+ that may be helpful.
- ReachOut has information on suicide prevention strategies and support for young people. They also have resources about suicide and teenagers for parents and carers. You can chat to a ReachOut peer worker online. Article-
https://parents.au.reachout.com/mental-health-and-wellbeing/suicide/what-to-do-if-your-teenager-is-suicidal
- Raising Children Network has information on self-harm, suicidal thoughts & suicide attempts in teenagers.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/family-diversity/LGBTIQ-families/LGBTIQ-families-services
You are doing the right thing by reaching out. Our forums community is a supportive, safe space and i'm sure other members will also resonate and offer their insight. It's understandable to want to do everything you can to help. I hope these resources offer some clear guidance and reassurance, sounds like you are doing a wonderful job of supporting him.
Wonderingalice1
