SUICIDE IN CHILDREN

Mental Wellness

In recent times, due to the influence of technology, kids have become aloof and do not share much with their parents. It is at this time that the parents need to be cautious to identify signs that might lead to self-harm or worse, suicide. There are times when kids show clear signs of Depression, but parents tend to ignore them or pass them off as usual mood swings. Suicidal symptoms are often seen in youth facing court appearances, family distress, pressure of examinations and peers, those who are sexually abused or those who have been rejected by their loved ones. If there is a doubt that your child is being highly temperamental or suicidal, parents should immediately seek help from counsellors at school or a Mental Health expert, but at the same time they should respect their child’s space and not question or pressurise them frequently. If they are forced to disclose their worries, they might get annoyed and take drastic steps to get out of the situation.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Here are a few signs one could look out for in their children. • When they talk about death and dying very often, or even about disappearing or jumping or shooting oneself or any other form of self-harm • If they have encountered any situational crisis of losing a close one through death or divorce, experiencing a broken relationship, lost a close friend and have no interest in meeting other friends. They lose interest in hobbies or other activities they previously enjoyed doing • A drastic change in personality, leaning towards withdrawn, depressed, irritable, apathetic, tired, indecisive or tired conduct • Lack of focus at school, workplace or while doing routine tasks • Some people may tend to over or under sleeping and may also have nightmares. Sleep walking amongst teenagers is not common but is a possibility. Hallucinations, unless under influence of drugs or a psychotic illness, may not be present • Also keep a look out for change in their eating habits, one tends to either overeat or experience loss of appetite, in extremities • They lose their self-esteem and start feeling worthless, shameful, and guilty while doing regular tasks. With build-up of selfhatred, they start to think people will be happier if they aren’t around or if they don’t partake in activities • Belief that things will never get better and that nothing will ever change.

TREATMENT: Usually a child coming in for treatment is advised Pharmacotherapy-medication to help ease symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, disturbed sleep etc. Along with this he/she is even provided with individual Psychotherapy where they are counseled on how to cope better with the challenges in their lives and help them recognise the fault thought patterns that are preventing them do so. Family therapy is conducted so that parents and family members understand the young child and learn how to be supportive. Timely identification of symptoms goes a long way in bettering the life of your loved one.

DePression in chilDren facts Depression is a condition that is more severe than normal sadness and can significantly interfere with a child's ability to function. • Depression affects about 2% of preschool and school-age children. • Depression in children does not have one specific cause but rather a number of biological, psychological, and environmental risk factors that are part of its development. • General symptoms of depression, regardless of age, include having a depressed or irritable mood or loss of interest or pleasure for at least two weeks and having at least five clinical signs and symptoms. • Suicide is the third leading cause of death in young people 10-24 years of age. • To diagnose depression, a health care professional will likely perform or refer for a thorough medical assessment and physical examination and ask standard mental health questions. • Treatment for childhood depression may include addressing any medical conditions that caused or worsened the condition. it can also involve lifestyle adjustments, psychotherapy, and, for moderate to severe depression, medication. • interpersonal therapy (iTP) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are the major approaches commonly used to treat childhood depression. • About 60% of children who take antidepressant medication improve. it may take up to six weeks of treatment with medication at its effective dose to start improving. • Childhood depression is a risk factor for developing a number of other mental health symptoms and disorders. • Prevention of childhood depression seeks to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors using approaches that are appropriate for the child's developmental level. • it is advisable for family members and friends to seek mental health assessment and treatment for the depressed child.

Ms TARA MEHTA Clinical Psychologist at S.L Raheja Hospital, Mumbai

role of Parents in Preventing SuICIde IN ChILdreN

25% inDian chilDren suffer from DePression One in four children in the age group of 13-15 years in india suffer from depression, which affects 86 million people in South-East Asia region, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The estimated suicide rate per 1 lakh people in india, in the age group of 15-29 years, was 35.5. 25 per cent of adolescent were "depressed" and "sad or hopeless" while 11 per cent were "distracted" and had a hard time staying focused on their work most of times or always. Eight per cent adolescents faced "anxiety" or could not sleep because of being worried while a similar percentage of adolescents felt lonely most of times or always, it said, adding 10.1 per cent of adolescents in india had no close friends. The report said a "significant" number of students reported low levels of parental engagement, ranging from 15 per cent in Sri Lanka to almost one fifth students in india.

alarming facts four per cent adolescents in india use tobacco products while eight per cent consume alcohol, the report said.