IS SHE DEPRESSED?

Dear Jellybean,

I suffered from depression my freshman year of high school. I am a junior now and I'm a lot better. Everything is great, I'm happier and I'm hardly sad. But when I do get sad and really angry, I always think about killing myself. I don't attempt to, I just think it. I know it sounds crazy, and I really don't mean it. That's what I do though when I'm sad and angry. I don't know whether it's just become a habit from when I was depressed, or if I'm still depressed. Can you help me?
-Ash

Dear Ash,

You don't sound crazy. You sound depressed. Thoughts of suicide are serious warning signs of something deeply, emotionally wrong. It's normal to get angry sometimes, and get sad sometimes. But if you have even one thought of doing something so harmful to yourself, you still have depression issues to get over.

I'm strongly suggesting that you talk to your counselor if you have one, or talk to your parents or family doctor about getting a new therapist, so you can work through whatever issues are still keeping you from being happier, and better able to cope with less than perfect days, without having self-destructive impulses. And if you can't talk to anyone you know, then call one of the free teen hotlines, where experts are ready to give you confidential, cost-free assistance. Find the phone numbers on this page of this site.