Just months ago, 17-year-old Ryan Salyer was at the edge.

"Dead," he says, when asked how he felt this past summer. "The emotions inside of me -- it didn't seem like they were there. I just felt empty."

There is nothing alarming about Ryan's life. He lives in a nice home, has supportive parents and a solid network of friends at high school.

But during his freshman year, he grew depressed. Even he couldn't explain why.

"I was sitting next to my girlfriend in class, and I was acting really quiet that day, and she asked what was wrong, and I was like, 'I have no idea.' Because everything was going fine," the senior says.

Perhaps just as scary: Ryan's mother Karen says she and her husband had no idea their son was struggling.

"While he was going through all this, most days he had a smile on his face," she says. "Looking back, I'm sure it was a struggle for him to do that. He hid it very well."

Ryan eventually stopped the silence and told his mother. He visited a psychiatrist and was prescribed an anti-anxiety drug. When it didn't work, he began to self-medicate.

"I was hopeless at that point," he says. "That's when I started to turn to alcohol and drugs. I remember there was a two-week period where I had five fifths of vodka within the two weeks."

And when none of that worked, either, Ryan made what he calls a number of desperate decisions.

"I had a half-bottle of Vicodin left over from an A.C.L. injury, 15 or 20 pills, and I just took all of them," he says. "I ended up throwing them all up."

Ryan also came within moments of cutting his wrists with a steak knife and jumping from a tree. Each time he stopped himself.

And after the last attempt, Ryan buckled down.

He attended an out-patient facility in Grand Rapids, was prescribed an anti-depressant, and began opening up more to his friends and family.

He also shared his story on YouTube -- a powerful 10-minute tell-all about his ordeal (link is attached), capped with a message that reminds him to stay positive.

"It's better to feel depressed," reads an envelope that Ryan holds in front of his webcam, "When the alternative is death."

At the end of the video, Ryan reaches out to other teens who might be suffering from depression or worse. The night he posted, his phone wouldn't stop buzzing.

"I at least had 200 people text me. I had five or six people call me," he says. "One person was about to kill himself and called me. So I felt amazing after that because I was OK with people knowing about my depression.

Ryan says he still suffers from bouts of depression, but he's confident his current anti-depressant is controlling the disease more effectively.

He and Karen both say the ordeal has brought the family closer together.

"All you want in life is for your son to be happy," Karen says.

Unfortunately, Ryan's story is not an uncommon one. Studies suggest as many as one in five American teens will struggle with depression at some point in their teenage years. One in six will consider suicide -- even if not actively or seriously.

Dr. Ken Hoffman, a psychologist in Grand Ledge, says there are warning signs that parents like Karen can be aware of.

-Changes in sleeping patterns: Is your teen sleeping more or less than usual?

-Changes in eating patterns: Is your teen suddenly gaining or losing weight?

-Changes in social patterns: Has your teen stopped hanging out with friends and become more socially isolated?

-Changes in activities: Has your teen stopped doing some of the things they once enjoyed? Have their grades dropped off at school?

-Changes in mood: Has your teen become more irritable or moody?

All of these can be red flags. If you notice any or all of them in your children, Hoffman recommends that you be gentle but direct. Ask them if they feel depressed or have considered hurting themselves.

Hoffman says teens will respond more openly to that type of questioning than the more generic, "How are you doing?"

If your teen does admit to feeling depressed or suicidal, Hoffman suggests the most important gesture a parent can make is empathy. Don't try to problem solve or tell them you felt the same way as a teen, Hoffman says. Just listen and let them know you understand and care.

"That goes a long way with a teen," Hoffman says. "While their problems might not seem that big to you, they're big to the teen."

Once you've empathized, then you can talk with your child about a course of action. Encourage them to hang out with friends and to get involved in after-school activities, Hoffman recommends.

If you worry that your teen's depression is severe, Hoffman says that's the time to seek the help of a therapist.

If you or someone you love or actively suicidal, you can all the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-784-2433. We've also attached links to a number of Mid-Michigan community resources for people suffering from depression.