Teen suicide prevention week: Would you know if your teen was at risk?

VALENTINE’s day marks the beginning of South Africa’s national teen suicide prevention week as well as the beginning of the new school year.

According to The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), teen suicide is on the increase in South Africa.

In 2005 it was estimated that there were about 25 suicide attempts a day in the country.

In a recent statement SADAG said only car accidents and homicide claims more South African lives between the age of 15 and 24.

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SADAG said last week that nine per cent of all teen deaths in the county are due to suicide and the age where the incidence is growing the fastest is in young people under the age of 35. 

While most research indicates girls and women are more likely to attempt suicide, it is boys and men who more often die due to these attempts. 

SADAG it attributes this to the fact that male suicide attempts tend to be more violent. 

“Girls are more likely to overdose on medication, or take chemicals, whereas boys often find access to firearms or hang themselves,” said a SADAG spokesperson.

Depression

SADAG warns that there is a major link between clinical depression and suicide.

“Most of the time teen depression is a passing mood. Sadness, loneliness, grief and disappointments we all feel at times and are normal reactions to life’s struggles. However undiagnosed depression can lead to tragedy. Up to one third of all suicide victims had attempted suicide previously,” warned SADAG.

Zane Wilson, founder of SADAG said:  “It is not hard to see why serious depression and suicide are connected. Depression involves a long lasting sad mood that doesn’t let up and a loss of pleasure in things you once enjoyed. It Involves thoughts about death, negative thoughts about oneself, a sense of worthlessness.”

“We get calls ranging from a teen girl of 15 who has been constantly abused by her stepfather, a boy who has lost his elder brother due to gang violence and a child of 12 whose mother has recently died of AIDS, sometimes they feel there is nothing to look forward to or that life would be less painful if they were to end it,” said Wilson.

However, depression is treatable. With treatment, over 70 per cent of patients can make a recovery.

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An expert speaks

Prof Lourens Schlebusch is Emeritus Professor of Behavioural Medicine at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and one of the worlds foremost experts on suicide.

He went on record in 2005 estimating that up 25 suicide attempts are made each day in South Africa.

“Depression, especially major depression, is a very serious and life-threatening condition, which needs to be treated with great care and circumspection and a well-monitored regimen of medication and therapy” said Schlebusch in 2005.

How can you tell?

Key signs of depression to keep a look out for include the following:

• Loss of interest in things you like to do
• Sadness that won’t go away
• Irritability or feeling angry a lot

Other clues that someone is struggling with depression include them describing themselves as:

• Feeling guilty or hopeless
• Not enjoying things you once liked
• Feeling tense or worrying a lot
• Crying a lot
• Spending a lot of time alone
• Eating too much or too little
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Having low energy or restless feelings
• Feeling tired a lot
• Missing school a lot
• Hard time making decisions
• Having trouble thinking or paying attention
• Thinking of dying or killing yourself

Take a look at the list above and if you see some of these accurately describing your thoughts, feelings or actions in the last two weeks, seek help. 

You can call the SADAG Suicide Crisis Line on 0800 567 567, or visit the SADAG Website for more information.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting