Could your teenager be suicidal? Read below to find out | Parenting News,The Indian Express

Positive family relationships is the most valuable prevention resource for a young mind

Friday, Sep 09, 2022

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		HomeParentingCould your teenager be suicidal? Read below to find out		

							
													Could your teenager be suicidal? Read below to find out
													
														Positive family relationships is the most valuable prevention resource for a young mind

															
					
											
						
														
								
									
										
											
																									
													
														 Written by 					Shubhika Singh
					
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	New Delhi | September 9, 2022 10:08:37 am														
													
															
													
												
												


		
		
			
				
			
		
		
			
				
			
		
		
			
				
			
		
		
			
			
			
		
	

											
											
														
														
														
													Suicidal thoughts could occur in any individual irrespective of gender, age, economic background and achievements (Source: Getty Images)“I have let my parents down. I will be ridiculed by my relatives again, and my parents will be ashamed of me…what’s the point of living… I should end my life,” were thoughts flooding Rajvir’s (name changed) mind when he didn’t secure a place in a prestigious college. Rajvir shared with me, “I felt so ashamed, I didn’t want to tell anyone that I was thinking this way. I was so scared to die. I just wanted this time to pass by really quickly.” Rajvir was able to tell his parents, and they immediately reached out for professional help.

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When a person dies by suicide, it becomes sensational news, especially when it’s a young person. Everyone becomes an investigator of sorts and raise questions to piece together a narrative which usually includes a lot of blaming and accusations: Why did they take this step, what was wrong with the parents and in the family, was she/he mentally sick, did a love affair end badly? This kind of gossip increases the stigma around suicide and mental health issues.

There’s no single cause for suicide. Teenagers have often shared with me complicated situations that lead them to think of giving up on life. Such as, crumbling under competition, struggling to keep up with the pressures at school, fulfilling expectations of being a “perfect child” and failing at that, feeling lonely as no one understands, and pent-up emotions of hurt from close relationships. Bullying and alienation by friends is also commonly reported by teenagers. The bottom line comes down to situations that result in them feeling like a burden on their loved ones or just losing hope. Hopelessness (which means being in a state without hope and optimism), is a terrifying space for a young mind.

Suicidal thoughts could occur in any individual irrespective of gender, age, economic background and achievements. In the recent years, we have witnessed famous Tik-Tokers and influencers, and academic toppers giving up on life. Rejection in relationships and by friends, failing at career milestones, inability to make parents proud – such worries engulf them. They battle to find joy in their life during these dark moments. Negative thinking makes it very difficult for them to imagine a bright outcome for themselves in future. The hopelessness usually comes from depression. When the intensity of stress from these situations reaches its peak, some tend to make life-threatening decisions of suicide.

https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/teenager-suicidal-thoughts-mental-health-8140078/

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