Experts express concern over rise in suicidal tendencies among teens

 Hyderabad: Medical experts expressed concern over a spike in attempted suicide, especially by youngsters due to unhappiness arising from an array of issues, ranging from parental expectations to anxiety.

They said that a 2021-22 study indicated a 40 to 60 per cent increase in cases of mental illnesses among the youth and bemoaned a lack of governmental intervention to bring down the numbers.

Parents also expressed shock at the extreme steps that their children are taking due to mental issues.

In an incident on Tuesday, a BiPC Intermediate student who was scolded by her mother for excessive phone usage did not show up at her college and upon a police complaint from the mother, she was later traced to Durgam Cheruvu. She had to be rescued by the police and admitted to a hospital.

In another incident in July, an Intermediate student suffering severe anxiety was counselled, after she confided in doctors of contemplating suicide due to extreme pressure.

Psychologists and psychiatrists say that while such incidents are becoming common, the symptoms go unnoticed by parents and the patients themselves.

A parent from Hyderabad, unwilling to be named, said that his 14-year-old son attempted suicide as he faced immense pressure to excel in both sports and academics. After an argument with his parents over missed assignments, he felt inadequate and attempted suicide.

“Thankfully, we were able to promptly rescue our child,” the parent said.
Parents this reporter spoke to said that children start feeling unloved and consider life to be pointless, upon being scolded by them.

“As working professionals, we cannot put surveillance 24/7 due to office pressures. Our children are heavily addicted to mobile phones, and when strictly asked to avoid them, they easily get hurt and exhibit suicidal tendencies,” another parent, requesting anonymity, said.

Counselling psychologist Dr C. Veerender said that the 2021-22 survey revealed a 40 per cent to 60 per cent increase in anxiety, depression and obsession as major issues after the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, 10,000 children were counselled under the ‘You and Me’ awareness programme, he said.

“We have presented an idea to the government of Telangana, along with the health minister, and submitted the survey report twice.

Unfortunately, mental health awareness has not been prioritised by certain authorities, leading to continuous incidents of suicides in reputed colleges,” he said.

“Supportive communication, empathy, mental health education, and timely professional help can safeguard young individuals from emotional distress and reduce the alarming rise in suicide attempts among them. The unfortunate situation is that teachers are not notified about students’ mental health in educational institutions. They only focus on completing the syllabus, which is saddening,” he said.