Alarming Increases in Youth Suicide Rate
September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness month.
The suicide rate among kids ages 10 to 14 tripled from 2007-2017 and increased 76% for older teenagers during the same time period.
When I speak to students, I’ll often ask them why they think this is happening. I get the same two answers over and over.
1. Cyberbullying
If you’re a parent, this isn’t the bullying you grew up with. It’s not rite of passage. It’s 24/7. There’s no way for kids to escape it as long as they’re looking at their devices. Additionally, it’s often done through fake accounts and anonymous apps, so the person on the receiving end of the cyberbullying doesn’t even know who is behind it.
2. Comparison
Young people frequently tell me they feel like they are always comparing themselves to everyone else on social media. Many of them get their self-worth from how many followers they have and the number of ‘likes’ they receive on their posts. Please remind the kids in your life that social media is nothing more than an edited highlight reel of our lives.
If you or someone you know is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255.
Ben Tracy is a keynote speaker and Founder of Safe Social Network. He speaks to more than 100,000 students, parents and professionals each year about social media and digital citizenship.
