Suicides among Teens Myths, Warning Signs & What to Do

It is a well-known fact that suicide rates are highest among 15-19-year-olds, not just in India but across the globe. What is crucial to note is that there has been an increase in the rate of suicide among 10-14-year-olds as well. Let’s look at some common misunderstandings or myths related to teenage suicide and steps to identify and prevent it.

- DR AVINASH DE SOUSA & PRAGYA LODHA

MYTH: Teenagers who talk about suicide aren’t serious and won’t attempt it.

FACT: Teenagers who lose their lives to suicide have often told someone (mostly a month before attempting suicide) that they do not feel life is worth living or may have actually said they want/wish to die.

MYTH: If a teenager is serious about killing themselves, then there’s nothing you can do.

FACT: Often, feeling suicidal is temporary, even if someone has been feeling low, anxious or struggling to cope for a long period of time. This is why getting the right kind of support at the right time is so important.

MYTH: You have to be mentally ill to think about suicide.

FACT: Many teenagers who kill themselves do suffer with their mental health, typically to a serious degree. One in five teenagers has thought about suicide at some point in their lives. However, not all who commit suicide have mental health problems.

MYTH: Teenagers who are suicidal want to die.

FACT: The majority of teenagers who feel suicidal do not actually want to die; they do not want to live the life they have. If anyone talks about suicide or feels suicidal, it is vital to take them seriously. It is essentially a cry for help.

MYTH: Talking about suicide is a bad idea, as it may give someone the idea to try it.