Teen suicide is a major issue. About 800 000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds and when it comes to suicide in teens and kids it is said to be the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24. The issue is not just extremely scary but also highly sensitive and needs to be handled with care. Today the news came in about TikTok star Siya Kakkar who was merely 16 years old has died by suicide. It is currently not known why the teenager took the extreme step but it sure does raise many questions about the growing number of suicide cases in teens. Soon after Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput's demise by suicide, Siya's news breaks our heart once again. She was known to be quite popular on TikTok where she had a following of more than 1.1 million. She was fond of making dance and lip-syncing videos. Confirming her death, Siya's manager Arjun Sarin reportedly said that last night when he spoke to her she was in good mood. However, it is not known why she decided to end her life, it is important that we discuss teen suicidal tendencies, causes and warning signs to spread awareness about the measures to stop it.

What Causes Suicidal Thoughts in Teens?

While the causes of teens having suicidal thoughts may differ from person to person, it is important that they also have too dealt with differently. One of the prime reasons for suicidal thoughts among teens has been untreated depression. Drug misuse has also been seen as a fueling factor behind suicidal thoughts. However, apart from these two here are a few common causes of suicidal thoughts amongst teens:

  • Stress
  • academic burden
  • social reputation
  • Family issues
  • Physical or sexual abuse
  • Bullying
  • Genetic factors (Yes, many teens who have taken their life by suicide have had family members who have died by suicide.)

Warning Signs

  • Isolation
  • Distance from social circle (unusual)
  • Self-destructive tendencies
  • Risk-taking behaviours
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Talks about death. Especially saying things like, "I wish I were dead".
  • Feelings of despair or hopelessness
  • Saying goodbye to people or collecting means to hurt themselves

    Alcohol and/or drugs abuse

Suicide helpline number by www.icallhelpline.org is 091529 87821. You can call them anytime if you think you want someone to talk to. Hours this helpline number works is from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday to Saturday. Languages the experts can talk to you in are English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and 3 more languages. It is important to understand that taking your own life is never the solution, it just passes your pain to your loved ones. Just make a call, give therapy a shot.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2020 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).