SA teens in suicide crisis

The study indicates that teenagers aged between 10-19 are one of the highest risk groups for suicide.

The group has found that 38.3% felt so depressed they needed professional help, while 29.1% of teenagers who had attempted suicide also needed medical attention.

The study also shows that 9.5% of all non-natural teen deaths are due to suicide.

They study further shows some of the warning signs of suicide, which include talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself and talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.

The SADAG dedicates the month of February to the prevention campaign of teen suicides called the Teen Suicide Prevention Week (14-21 February), which aims at promoting and creating awareness around teen depression and suicide prevention.

During this week, an online chat on February 20 at 1pm is hosted on Facebook with suicide survivor Daryl Brown and psychologist Zamo Mbele. Then at 7pm, Daryl will be re-joining the conversation with psychiatrist Dr. Helen Clark, who will be answering all questions on depression symptoms, warning signs, how to talk to someone who is feeling suicidal and where you can get help for yourself or a teen you know.

This campaign will be hosted in schools across the country. This includes going from class to class educating teens and teachers by helping them to identify the symptoms of depression in themselves and their friends, as well as the warning signs of suicide.

Over 1 million South African teens have been reportedly reached with the Teen Suicide Prevention School Talk Programme.

Last year, a 17-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom at her adoptive parents’ house in Onderstepoort, in the north of Pretoria.

Kyla Bothma was found hanging by a scarf from the ceiling of her bedroom at about 9am.

Her adoptive mother, Linda Bothma, said Kyla had spoken to them hours before taking her own life.

– Caxton News Service