I know a 13-year-old girl who is in every way an intelligent, funny, engaging young woman. However, for all those social talents, that same young woman is also a loner who retreats to her room after school each afternoon, her school uniform sliding from her shoulders like the costume from a stage actor after a performance. She silently disappears through her bedroom door like an apparition fading into the night, not to be seen again until the evening meal when she carries her phone with her to the dining table, headphones inserted, oblivious to the conversations around her and unable to respond to questions or comments until a tap on the table or an annoyed wave brings her back to reality.

I won’t use her real name because she is just 13. Let’s call her Lily. 

If you or someone you know is seeking support and information about mental health or suicide prevention, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.