Have you ever felt like everyone would be much better off if you never existed? And I mean everyone? Imagine feeling that 24/7, and you've just realised one of the many, many problems teens who suffer from depression face each and every day.
Depression can start from many sources, a common one is broken homes, however even children who come from loving families can still be depressed. Depression is a medical condition that should be treated, because it can lead to bigger issues: social problems, self harm and even suicide.
Self-harm can be many, many things, but a common one that I'm sure everyone knows of is cutting, and I'm going to focus on that for a bit here. Cutting can be carried out anywhere on the body, not just the wrist. Shoulders, arms, legs, hips wherever there's skin and it's not easy to find, you can probably cut yourself there. If cuts go deep enough, or hit a vein or artery, it can lead to death. Just as this form of self-injury can be carried out in many places, it can be carried out with different implements. Anything from knives to a saftey-pin can be used, even a pen. Cutting is mostly done in true depression cases, however there are some sickos in the world who slit their wrists to get people's attention, while there are people out there who truly want to end their lives that aren't getting the attention they deserve, because the fakers are doing it. Cutting should not be done because you think it's 'cool', or because 'everyone else is doing it.' I wouldn't reccomend doing it at all. I feel it's just a huge low when you feel that depressed that you have to cut yourself to feel even the slightest bit happy. I have dealt with it on both sides of the fence, both knowing people who do it and I've even done it myself.
Getting even more serious: suicide. Every single day, someone hates their life so much that they just want to get out of it. Suicidal thoughts are a mental disorder, but a problem is that a lot of these disorders are dismissed by older people, including parents, as typical teenage angst. How far do these kids have to go before the parents realise that there really is something wrong? Do they have to be bleeding to death in the bathtub, standing on the railing of a bridge, standing on a box tying a rope that hangs from the celing around their neck, or even worse: when they're already gone?
If you know someone who has a serious problem like this, help them. Don't force your help however. Honestly, just talking to them about their problems, helping them sort it out can stop them from ending their life. Be gentle, and be kind. They are in a very vulnerable stage; choose your words carefully, you do not want to push them over the edge. If they don't want to talk, don't force them, but let them know you're around if they do want to talk. The only exception I can think of is if they've already got the murder weapon in their hand, seconds away from not being able to say another word.
In conclusion: listen, be helpful and be there to talk to. I said before, just talking about their problems may help them out. If they know they have someone around they can trust, someone they know will care, it might just be the one thing they need. I can't say I'm speaking for everyone, I know each case is different, but you should always try to help these people out.