Are young people more suicidal than ever before?

[AB Asks]

The large number of suicidal teenage girls calling a helpline has raised concerns about the state of mind of modern youngsters. In a world of spiralling suicide rates and illnesses, such as anorexia, these new fears seem to reflect a worrying trend. Research has reported that rates of depression and anxiety have increased among adolescents in the UK by 70% in the last 25 years. What do you think has caused this increase? What should be done to identify and help children contemplating suicide?

[MiniN]

i think modern society and the fast-paced world in which we live contributes to suicide and mental illnesses in young people.

perhaps tackling more issues in schools and after-school clubs is a way to reach young people and making professionals approachable and readily available to them.

[missyR]

I once pondered suicide - at a low point in my life. It was the fact that i was a little chubbier than my friends. When i look back it was pathetic and luckily i didn't follow through. But so many girls let things hurt them and hurt them to the point where they just can't take it.

Girls and boys these days are sometimes to proud to tell somebody - who can blame them? With more and more gangs threatening children if they tell. Teachers need to be much more alert and on the patrol everywhere around schools. This way they can tell if somebody is being bullied. There should be one on one sessions with kids to see if anything is wrong.

As for msn well that was a huge problem in the school i was in. Most kids find msn an easy way to target the weak. It should monitor everything said and ban anything inappropriate, nasty or sexually explicit.

[Lonnie]

Stock answer.

If its children, blame the parents

[poolger]

I think society puts too much expectation on young people, especially at school they say that without good exam grades you will not get a good job and that further education is a good route to go down. I personally know a young girl who went to college and got good exam grades but struggled to get work in her choosen field, she had to get a part time cafe job to get money but was very depressed and thought that all the studying etc was futile as she is basically in her own words in a dead end job.

[Gef]

25 years ago there were no help lines and no AB asking stupid questions with gross exagerrations about suicides etc.

Kids these days have it far too easy and sulk if they don't get their own way.

[kwicky]

During WWII there were less suicides in the general population. Could it be a distraction of personal well -being into one of a national threat. The solution therefore is to get away from the 'me-me' society!

[TheScopies]

Nice to see such tolerant and well thought out arguments here, eh Gef? My own research suggests that these worrying trends are down to the banning of ritualised daily beatings of the under-nines.

[Le Chat]

There are alot more outside influences on children now. Years ago, parents were the main influence of their child's life. Now we have mobile phones, the internet, sky tv, playstation. gameboys. This means that the influence that the parents have must be damn good, strong and disciplined. As children are bombarded by outside factors, they need to remain grounded and secure.
Many teenagers and younger are so influenced by 'celebrities' and their perfection, that they can end up insecure about themselves and their bodies. As we have become more materialistic, then in some quarters, it is no longer seen by children as enough to be kind, considerate, thoughtful and a good friend. You need the 'right' trainers etc to be 'in!' So the stress starts.
My son goes to a private school, where many of the parents are spectacularly wealthy. We are probably the poorest there and my son often asks me about how much money we have as such and such has this that and the other . At the age of 10, the thought wouldn't have crossed my mind to ask my parents about their income. My answer to him is that we are 'comfortable poor', which is why we don't have a yacht yet.

[hammerman]

It frightens the life out of me as a father to an 8 year old daughter. I just hope that we're close enough as a family that she can come to us if she needs help or someone to talk to.

An increase in bullying, peer pressures and appearance are the main triggers in my opinion.

What must go through the poor kid's mind to do that makes me want to cry

[Reverandfunk]

Gef, top post!!

[Silversky]

For starters...
It's definately just not teenage girls, I know a lot of guys who have wanted to commit suicide. Even I myself have wanted and once even attempted to commit suicide.
Like a few people have said, I believe modern life is so fast paced with fashion, idols, schooling, bullying, peer pressure, and many other factors drive people to such drastic actions...

I know numerous people and pretty much all of my friends have attempted or have thought seriously about killing themselves.

One of the only ways I believe can help some people (but not all) is things like counselling. When I went to the GP with depression, they said the best thing for me was counselling, so I agreed.
At the time I lied about attempting to commit suicide, my parents had refused to leave the room and I didn't want to admit to them.
This was all during the summer of 2006...

I AM STILL WAITING FOR MY COUNSELLING SESSIONS!!!!

The government are to blame for this I believe, they should have more depression-wise counsellors on the NHS.

Afterall, they're constantly going on about people who are dying from cancers due to drinking and smoking and obestity, people who are killing themselves deliberately, seeming stupid.
When younger people, who are the future of this country are commiting suicide with no chance of help or even care.

The government should employ counsellors to be in schools, colleges, etc and talk to students as a group and individually.

If you can't take away a problem, at least try and help it a little.

[Silversky]

Shame on you Gef!

That's a seriously unfair stereotypical outlook on life.

How the hell do you know what goes on in kids minds and during there days that could make them so miserable?

I've suffered from many things over the years, you have no idea how much I've clutched to straw with a little bit of light that would pull me through.
And I could tell you, and it probably wouldn't seem much to you, but its tough going for some people.

And getting my own way?
The only thing I want right now is to take everyday of school as it comes, and hope that I have the motivation within myself to make it through the rest of my education...
Everyone deserves that, dont they?

[Gef]

Silversky, I was responding to what, in my opinion is a piece of scaremongering by AB (or the Daily Mail).

I don't deny that many people of all ages suffer from peer pressure, depression etc but, in general, kids have far more now than they had when I was a teenager.

I have taught in a large secondary school for over 30 years. In that time, at a guess, some 9000 pupils have passed through the school and I can't recall one that commited suicide.

Young people have their problems but I think that they are exaggerated in the original question.

[chimpanzee]

One word: STRESS.

More than one word: it's te stress young people find themselves under, ranging from stress concerning how they look, having to have a partner, university, money, work, to major life stresses such as family being ill, mortgages, news...we feel we're being judged and criticised no matter what we do. It's tougher than in the 70's!

[stewey]

I do really get tired of people saying that kids "nowadays have more problems than those in previous generations." They don't! It is the same process as it always has been: you grow up, get older, adjust to life as it is NOW.. Children in the '70's. 60's. 50's, 40's............1890's........1320's all had the same "problem". In 3007 people will be asking why kids are having problems and why can't life be as simple for the poor dears as it was a thousand years ago.

[chimpanzee]

Stewey do you REALLY think that kids in the 1320's had problems with bullying, homosexuality, money, stress of going to UNIVERSITY?

Please, you're wrong. The kids in the 1320's probably worried more about cleaning the house and getting a partner, not University or the stress of doing well or bullying as it is today.

Get a grip on reality, you're so wrong it's laughable! How on Earth can you suggest that life for kids hasn't changed between 1320's, 1890's, 1940/50/60/70's? If you believe that then you're more stupid than your post! OF COURSE it's changed, life has changed since then, I'd be worried if it hadn't!

Please don't post unless you know what you're talking about.

[stewey]

Chimpanzee, the world is a mere stage: the actors change, but the plots remain pretty much unchanged

[stewey]

Also, chimpanzee, you mentioned in you response to my post "bullying", "homosexuality", "money", "education", "cleaning the house", and acquiring a "partner". Are those six items which you mentioned new situations which have suddenly descended upon us to wreak havoc upon the young? I don't hardly be thinking so.

[chimpanzee]

Well Stewey I think more people are bullied than they were in the 1320's and even the 50's. Education is more stressful as more and more people are expected to go to Uni, that puts a big pressure on them. In the 50's/60's/70's women were expected to stay at home with the kids and have no career - you can't tell me thats the same nowadays? Women are building careers and it's stressful!As for money, the cost of living is much higher these days - people have big mortgages as well as everything from petrol to food, going up in price.

As for the homosexuality, yes it's probably more accepted these days but as it's still an issue in many parts of society, people are bullied because of it.

I guess the only thing that hasn't changed is finding a partner, but these were just examples off the top of my head!