Die Suid-Afrikaanse Depressie- en Angsgroep (Sadag) het laasweek gefokus op die voorkoming van selfmoord by tieners. Sadag het opgemerk dat kinders so jonk as 10 jaar oud hul eie lewe neem.

Studies deur Sadag toon dat daar daagliks 23 sterftes deur selfmoord in Suid-Afrika is met 230 ernstige pogings.

“Om in te check met ’n tiener, kan letterlik ’n lewe red,” lui ’n verklaring deur Sadag.

“Daar was onlangs verskeie tienerselfmoorde regoor die land, met so jonk as 10 jaar oud van ’n jong meisie in KwaZulu-Natal, nog ’n 10-jarige meisie in Gauteng, ’n 17-jarige leerling van KwaZulu-Natal, en nog ’n 17-jarige seun wat deur selfmoord in Soweto gepleeg het. Dit is maar enkele van die gevalle waarvan ons die laaste paar weke bewus gemaak is,” meen Sadag.

“Daar is baie meer gevalle net soos hierdie wat nie aangemeld is nie, ’n belangrike herinnering dat Geestesgesondheid steeds gestigmatiseer word. Die simptome wat verband hou met depressie en angs is so groot dat hulle dikwels ongemerk bly totdat dit te laat is. Baie tieners het te doen met ’n verskeidenheid probleme, insluitend verhoudingsprobleme, trauma, depressie, verlies, afknouery en gesinsprobleme – hierdie probleme kombineer dikwels om ’n tiener oorweldig en hopeloos te laat voel,” lui die verklaring verder.

Tieners voel dikwels skuldig en wil nie hul vriende of familie belas met hul probleme nie, wat die behoefte om gereelde Check-In’s te doen nog meer belangriker maak.

“Daar is steeds baie stigma en vrees rondom selfmoord. Baie ouers en onderwysers is bang dat as hulle met tieners oor selfmoord praat, dit kan veroorsaak dat hulle hul eie lewe neem. Sadag se raadsadjunkvoorsitter en kliniese sielkundige, Zamo Mbele, verduidelik: “Navorsing toon dat om oor selfmoord met ’n jong persoon te praat NIE veroorsaak dat hulle gedagtes van selfmoord het of dat hulle hul lewens wil beëindig nie. Die gevaar kom egter daarvan om NIE daaroor te praat nie, wat daartoe kan lei dat gedagtes van selfmoord in dade verander.”

’n Paar gesprekke om met jou kinders te hê, volgens Sadag:

  • Wat het jy vandag gedoen wat jou goed laat voel het?
  • Waarna sien jy uit in die volgende paar dae?
  • Waaraan dink jy nou die meeste?
  • Met wie het jy vandag regtig ’n goeie gesprek gehad?
  • Is daar iets wat jou tans ontstel of pla?

Meer as 700 000 mense sterf jaarliks ​​weens selfmoord, volgens die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) se data van 2021. Vir elke selfmoord is daar baie meer mense wat selfmoord probeer pleeg. 

As jy of iemand wat jy ken met geestesgesondheidskwessies sukkel, kontak gerus die Selfmoordkrisis-hulplyn by 0800 567 567.

Jy kan ook Heal For Hope of Ligter besoek vir meer raad en navorsing.

Jy kan ook ‘n nuttige gids deur Sadag hieronder besigtig:

Teen-Suicide-Prevention-Brochure

Lees Sadag se verklaring hieronder.

It’s important to #CheckIn with Teens

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s (SADAG) aim for Teen Suicide Prevention Week (12-19 February 2023) is to help parents, loved ones, family, friends, teachers, and guardians to do a Mental Health ‘Check In’ with Teens.

Checking In with a teen could literally save a life.

There have been several Teen Suicides across the country recently, as young as 10-years-old of a young girl in KZN, another 10-year-old girl in Gauteng, 17-year-old pupil from KZN, and another 17-year-old boy who died by Suicide in Soweto, these are just some of the cases we have been made aware of in the last few weeks.

There are many more cases just like these that haven’t been reported, an important reminder that Mental Health is still stigmatized and shamed. The symptoms linked with Depression and Anxiety are so vast that they often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Many teens are dealing with a variety of difficulties including relationship problems, trauma, Depression, loss, bullying and family struggles – these problems often combine to make a teen feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless.

Teens often feel guilty and don’t want to burden their friends or family with their problems, making the need to do regular Check In’s even more important.

There is still a lot of stigma and fear around Suicide, many parents and teachers are afraid that if they talk about Suicide to teens that it could cause them to take their life. SADAG’s Board Deputy Chairman and Clinical Psychologist, Zamo Mbele, explains, “Research shows that talking about Suicide with a young person DOES NOT cause them to have thoughts of Suicide or wanting to end their lives. However, the danger comes from NOT talking about it, which can lead to thoughts of Suicide turning into actions.”

“Talking about Suicide and Depression creates an opportunity to discuss feelings and thoughts that might have remained hidden. Most teens who are thinking about Suicide are in fact honest and relieved when asked direct questions about their Suicidal thoughts or feelings. Informing and empowering parents and teachers about how to have these conversations with teens is the first step to preventing Teen Suicide.”

“You can do these Check-Ins anytime during the day – Normalise having these chats during everyday activities; while driving to school, when you’re preparing meals, waiting in a queue, or going for a walk outside. It doesn’t have to be a scary conversation, and the more you incorporate them into your day-to-day, the more you make these conversations more natural and less like a serious family meeting. Teens will then learn that talking about their feelings is normal and okay, and that you are a safe space to talk about their emotions,” says SADAG Operations Director, Cassey Chambers.

Some conversation starters to Check-In with your children:

▪ What did you do today that made you feel good?
▪ What are you looking forward to in the next few days?
▪ What are you thinking about the most right now?
▪ Who did you have a really good conversation with today?
▪ Is there something that is upsetting or bothering you right now?