261: Teen Depression & Suicide in 2026: What’s Different Now? with Dr. Jonathan Singer

Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens

Dr. Lisa Damour/Reena Ninan

Mental Health, Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting

4.7 • 824 Ratings

🗓️ 3 March 2026

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If your teen texts "I want to unalive myself" or "kms," should you be worried? The frightening topic of teen suicide is made worse by confusing headlines, evolving slang, and the fear of saying the wrong thing. But here's what you need to know: the research is cautiously hopeful, you have more power than you think, and asking direct questions saves lives. In this essential episode, Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan sit down with Dr. Jonathan B. Singer, one of the country's leading experts on youth suicide prevention to hear what parents need to know right now. 💡 YOU'LL LEARN: - The real warning signs to watch for - How to ask your child directly about thoughts of self-harm or suicide - The difference between normal sadness and clinical depression - When to seek help - How to use AI tools like ChatGPT safely as a parent resource This is a conversation every parent of a tween or teen needs to hear to move from fear and confusion to clarity and action. ________________ Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges. Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday. ________________ Episode keywords: teen suicide prevention, teen suicide warning signs, how to talk to teen about suicide, youth suicide rates, teen suicidal thoughts what to do, teen says they're a burden, overachiever teen depression, perfectionist teen mental health, how to ask if teen is suicidal, what causes teen suicide, recognizing suicidal teen Podcast keywords: ask lisa podcast, dr lisa damour, reena ninan, psychology, parenting, podcast, teens, tweens, parenting teens, parenting tweens, teen parenting, tween parenting, parenting tips, parenting advice, positive parenting, parenting podcast, teen behavior, tween challenges, raising tweens, raising teens, parenting hacks, parenting help, family dynamics, kids podcast, mental health, teen mental health, attachment styles, emotional intelligence

Transcript

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0:00.0	Tell me a parenting issue everyone struggles with with tweens and teens, but no one talks about.
0:06.6	Rina, I think a lot of people feel like they just don't know how to connect to their kid anymore.
0:12.8	I'm Rina Nainan and welcome to Ask Lisa the psychology of raising tweens and teens.
0:17.6	And I'm Dr. Lisa DeMore.
0:19.1	We bring you science-back strategies for managing anxiety, discipline, intense emotions, and more.
0:24.6	We decode tough parenting issues with tips you can use right now.
0:28.6	So subscribe to Ask Lisa the psychology of raising tweens and teens and join our YouTube community today.
0:35.6	Just Google, Ask Lisa Podcast.
0:38.0	We're here to help you untangle family life.
0:43.3	Episode 261, teen depression and suicide in 2026.
0:48.1	What's different now?
0:49.4	With special guests, Dr. Jonathan B. Singer.
0:54.1	You know, this is the part of the year where this Florida girl hates being up in New
1:00.1	England, the darkness, the, you know, daylight savings issue about getting darker earlier
1:06.9	and the cold, the cold, Lisa.
1:09.6	It is hard.
1:13.1	I always call it the long, dark tunnel of Cleveland winter, right? I can see the light, but it is a long dark tunnel. There is no
1:19.9	question, no question. Yeah. So, you know, I want to get right into our topic. You know,
1:26.1	it is not just weather related on this one.
1:29.6	It's a topic close to many parents' hearts and parents who might not be aware of it but have
1:35.1	questions about it because we don't talk publicly about this enough, teen, depression, and suicide.
1:40.8	I want to welcome our guests. Our listeners may actually remember this guest from one of our
	...

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