Teenage Suicide
There has always been a Stigma around Mental Health be it Clinical Depression, Anxiety, Self harm or Suicide. Luckily, one thing that has been illuminated during the pandemic is the lack of awareness surrounding Mental Health in our country. Over the course of the pandemic I have heard of a handful of friends and acquaintances who have attempted self harm and committed suicide. The sad irony of this all is that the people who have been attempting to commit suicide is becoming younger and it is becoming more common with the Gen Z. It’s no longer just adults, but also children and those in their early teens. From my younger cousins and Gen Z friends I also learned, many students attempt to commit suicide as early as grade school because of cyber bullying and because of the lack of awareness and support on mental health.
It’s difficult to accept that a loved one committed suicide. From what I noticed the school and even family barely brings attention to the suicide itself. Suicide is seen as shameful in the Philippines. As for the parties who have responsibility over the situation- the school and bullying parties brush everything under the rug. People are left clueless on the incident, and what could’ve been done to prevent it from happening. Often, I noticed those who attempt to commit suicide usually are those who are isolated, lonely and those who are bullied by their peers. Which is why i think it’s important to have a day in schools and Universities to share awareness of Mental Health. It’s important to create communities within schools to have a safe space so children and young adults can feel they are safe with their emotions and are able to express themselves without fear of being judged.
It’s also important to share information on how to cope with Anxiety, Self Harm and Depression within a school setting in order for individuals to integrate into a safe social group that will not aggravate one’s mental health and pressure one another to do drugs or to engage in party or alcohol culture. These habits can worsen your mental health condition and place you in situations where your mental health will be negatively impacted. I also think it’s important for children and young adults to get into healthy sports or hobbies like soccer, badminton, jiu jitsu, swimming etc. In order for them to have a proper sense of well being and for them to bond with their peers in a productive and healthy way.
Thankfully, the veil is slowly being shed over the Stigma of Mental Health, Clinical Depression and Anxiety. These buzzwords are slowly being understood more through mainstream media. One of the celebrities I admire, Selena Gomez has been such a driving force for me to open up on my struggles as well. She showed me that a way to help others become empowered instead of feeling shame is to open up on experiences on your Mental Health and to create a community around those who struggle with it. I’m grateful to have connected with others who share similar struggles and stories on Mental Health. This kind of sharing within a community on our struggles on Mental Health is truly what I believe the youth needs to feel more connected to one another.
Suicide, especially teenage suicide, is the most crippling event a family can suffer through. I also believe people don’t know how to grieve Suicide because it can be isolating and shameful as it is stigmatized. The families often lie about what happened during the event someone commits suicide. I think it’s fair to say, it is no single person’s fault when someone commits suicide. The problem really lies with our community’s healthcare system, and the culture or stigma surrounding Mental Health in the Philippines. There is a lack of education on Mental Health first of all, followed by the lack of proper resources and psychological first aid for those struggling.
Going to therapy is one thing, but I think its also important to heal as a group and as a community when Suicide occurs. In many first world countries, there are so many accessible grief support groups, disability support groups and mental health support groups for their citizens. There are even meditation schools in order for people to process trauma and loss. Its easy to take medication and do private therapy with your doctor but I’ve come to realize even that is lacking.
Additionally, many people continue to self medicate through their drinking sprees or drug trips looking to heal and feel something, but realizing that still doesn’t fill the void their depression gives. The “I don’t give a fuck” mindset especially for men is what causes many men to commit Suicide. Men are taught that emotions and having feelings like sadness or fear is a weakness. This is far from true because men should be allowed to cry, and feel their traumas and pain. Apart from Teenage Suicide, I think that the Stigma around Men feeling Anxiety and Clinical Depression should be addressed since men are proven to more likely to commit suicide based on statistics.
Hopefully in the future, Depression, Anxiety and Suicide awareness will continue to ensue in order for others to be more educated on Mental Health and not jump to conclusions that those having these mental health conditions are “attention seeking”, “acting like a victim” or that it’s form of “weakness”. Being open from the beginning when meeting new people and seeing their reaction or degree of awareness and education on Mental Health helps to test whether a potential friend or partner can grasp the importance and understanding of Mental Health in the first place. You don’t need to hide who you are or what your condition is. You should never feel like a burden to others. The right souls will gravitate towards you accordingly and love you just as you are. Even as a teenager, your support system and your circle of friends should always be supportive and understanding of your mental health condition and love you despite it.
Spend time with people who are good for your mental health
- Unknown