Durban - Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people between the ages of 15 and 29 the World Health Organisation said.
October 10 marks World Mental Health Day and chairperson of the Psychiatry Management Group (PsychMG), Dr Sebolelo Seape, said this year the focus on teenagers and young adults.
He said prevention of teen suicides starts with better understanding of the symptoms of depression.
One in ten teenage deaths in South Africa every year are the result of suicide according to SADAG.
“Many of these tragedies can be averted by paying attention to warning signals and risk factors, building emotional resilience, and taking suicide threats seriously.
“Most people with depression are not suicidal, but most suicidal people are depressed, hence the importance of knowing the symptoms of depression,” she said.
The 2011 Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS) revealed that a quarter of grade 8-11 learners across all South Africa’s provinces had felt so sad or hopeless that they couldn’t engage in their usual daily activities for two weeks or more.
More than one in six had either thought about suicide, made plans to commit suicide, or attempted it at least once in the past six months.
“This suggests a large proportion of teenagers are suffering from mental and emotional health problems. The youth are the future of our country and we need to act to prevent the devastating consequences of them losing their hope for the future,” she said.
Seape added that the causes of depression and related mental illnesses in teenagers and young adults are multi-faceted.
“There is the stressful nature of the teenage years, and for some teenagers, the normal developmental changes of these years, such as bodily changes, new patterns of thoughts and feelings, can be unsettling and overwhelming.
“There are social changes too, like changing schools, the pressure of final exams, the prospect of leaving home to start tertiary studies or a job as well as other stress factors such as family issues, changes in their friend networks, and the pressure to succeed. Problems appear too big, too difficult or embarrassing to overcome, and suicide may look like the only option,” she said.
She said warning signs and symptoms could include changes in eating and sleeping habits, loss of interest in usual activities, neglect of personal appearance or hygiene, withdrawal from friends and family, or running away from home.
Seape also pointed to the role of parents and educators in building children’s mental and emotional resilience – the ability to cope with everyday challenges and to overcome disappointments and failures as a normal part of life.
“This could include informal life lessons, talking about issues and problems and how to deal with them, role modelling healthy emotional behaviour, as well as formal life skills or psychosocial support if needed,” she said.