Teen suicide prevention week kickstarts today, the 12th and runs until 19 February every year.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group says its aim for Teen Suicide Prevention Week (12-19 February 2023) is to help parents, family, friends, teachers and guardians to do a Mental Health ‘Check In’ with Teens.
SADAG says checking In with a teen is important and could literally save a life.
There has been several Teen Suicides across the country recently, as young as a 10-year old girl in KZN, another 10-year old girl in Gauteng, a 17 year old pupil from KZN and another 17-year old boy in Soweto.
Studies have shown that many more cases like that haven’t been reported and this is a reminder that Mental Health is still stigmatised and shamed.
SADAG’s Board Deputy Chairman and Clinical Psychologist, Zamo Mbele said symptoms linked with Depression and Anxiety are so vast that they often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
“Many teens are dealing with a variety of difficulties including relationship problems, trauma, depression, loss, bullying and family struggles.
These problems often combine to make a teen feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless”, said Mbele.
He added that teens often feel guilty and don’t want to burden their friends or family with their problems, making the need to do regular Check In’s even more important.
“There is still a lot of stigma and fear around suicide and many parents and teachers are afraid that if they talk about suicide to teens, that could cause them to take their lives.
Research shows that talking about suicide with a young person does not cause them to have thoughts of suicide or wanting to end their lives.
However, the danger comes from not talking about it, which can lead to thoughts of suicide turning into actions”, stated Mbele.
Mbele said talking about suicide and depression creates an opportunity to discuss feelings and thoughts that might have remained hidden.
He further explained that most teens who are thinking about suicide are in fact honest and relieved when asked direct questions about their suicidal thoughts or feelings.
Mbele highlighted the importance of informing and empowering parents as well as teachers about how to have these conversations with teens, which he said is the first step to preventing Teen Suicide.
“Anyone can do these Check-Ins anytime during the day. Let’s normalise having these chats during everyday activities; while driving to school, when you’re preparing meals, waiting in a queue, or going for a walk outside. It doesn’t have to be a scary conversation and the more you incorporate them into your day to day, the more you make these conversations more natural and less like a serious family meeting.”; concluded Mbele.