How can I get my parents to take my depression seriously?

depression runs in my family, my two older sisters have it, and they think I have it too. when I'm depressed I resort to cuttingg and suicidal thoughts. my parents always find out and they NEVER care. I ask them to get me help but they just laugh at me....

what should I do?

Some of the folks that have already posted pointed out some good things. Parents, and many others, can easily find denial when faced with this issue and especially so with a teenager. It's sometimes hard to differentiate teenage angst from clinical mental disorders. Going to a school counselor/psychologist may show them that this is a little more serious than previously presumed. It's a big step for both you and your parents and you seem ready and willing to begin some type of treatment. Statistics will show that, although there may not be a specific direct genetic link with depression and family history, your chances of having depression are greatly increased and I'm sure a school counselor will not only take you seriously but begin helping you seek treatment, along with your parents. Best wishes to you!! -S

Death is never the answer. Sit dowwn with them. Talk to them and tell them everything you think of when you are depressed. Tell them you think its safer for yourself to get some help and you would be thankful that they did that for you. But if they will not sit down and talk to you. Talk to your best friend. Tell oyur bestfriend how you feel. ask her for help. belive me. talking to anyone you trust helps a lot.

Talk to a school counselor or something..it's their job.

You MUST break the chain..find a good way to cope or go get counseling..I wish you the very best life has to offer, you can do it !!

CUTTING:
http://depression.about.com/od/selfinjury/a/goaskogre.htm

COPING SKILLS:
http://depression.about.Com/do/copingskills/Coping_Skills.htm

I think you should try talking to someone else other then your parents about it. Like they all said you can always talk to your school's counselors. No more cutting, you look too cute to do a thing like that. I'm sure you don't want any scars.

I dont know if depression runs in my family, but when im depressed I cut too. I never told my mom about the cutting, but I did ask for help. she didnt listen. talk to your friends, talk to a family member you are close to. or yalk to an adult you are close to.

If you feel depressed:
and you want to talk through stuff , have a soundboard and a shoulder to cry on, maybe work out some emotional feelings and get some advice then you need to find a councillor and do just that.

If you have or think you may have clinical depression;
Some types of depression are genetic apparently (I am not a geneticist)
This type is generally easier to deal with than reactive depression (depression caused by the inability to deal with bad stuff that happend to you).
If you want a better life and a better future, then you need to start addressing this issue now, rather than when you are older, and sort it out before it gets too ingrained, and before you start to identify yourself as a depressed person unable to see yourself as anything else.

Genetic depression means that you have a chemical / hormonal imbalance in your brain - these brain chemicals are responsible for you feeling good or bad. This can be helped by meds- but from what I hear, they're quite bad for you and usually cause more problems than they fix.
Seeing to your diet is what will fix you. Foods affect your chemical structure, eating the right things will put you right. You should also see a naturopath and take his advice.
For now, just cut out the white flour processed foods and the sugar.
Eat less meat and more veg and fruit- especially brocolli, but most important you need the minerals that you find in sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, soya foods , beans, pulses and chick peas - hummous has sesame and chick peas in it- so eat lots of that .
Eating less wheat may benefit you too.- try it and see. Peanuts are actually beans/pulses so they are good to eat and easily available.

I know you cant imagine how this will help you- but it really will, I had severe depression and it was learning about foods that got me better.