The incidence of suicide among the youth has been increasing over the years. There is such hopelessness among youngsters who should have so much to look forward to. These tragic cases reflect an ominous trend. Once thought to be confined to older people, suicide is now claiming more and more youngsters.

Because of the religious stigma attached to the suicide, too many cases go unreported and when young people kill themselves, families often say they were accidents. Teenagers these days are impulsive and don’t think before taking a decision to end their lives. What’s behind the tragic figures? Most answers are speculative, but psychiatrists note that there are multiple reasons for the increasing suicide rates among the youth. Some of the reasons are listed below:

• Loneliness: Youth’s most stressful problem seems to be loneliness. With the growing number of nuclear families, more and more children are physically or emotionally isolated at an early age by parents who are so wrapped up in their own careers that they cannot give the vital nurturance a child needs. Today’s youngsters find it difficult to turn to their parents when they have a problem because of their parent’s busy schedule. Even in joint families, children particularly teenagers, often enter a phase when they feel they cannot talk to their parents or other relatives because they will not be understood. Suicides are rare when children feel loved, wanted and understood by their family members.

• Examination blues: Most experts agree that another important reason for the rise in teen suicides is educational stress. Not only do the kids these days have to cope with a vast syllabus, they’re under pressure from parents, friends and also themselves to do well. Teen suicide rates always go up both before crucial board exams, and when the results are announced.

• Love affairs that create problems: To compensate for poor family life, teenagers often fall in love. And when this attachment turns sour, they see no future for themselves. Suicides also occur when parents oppose their children’s marriage plans. Suicide takes place when a person sees no relief from his various problems except death. They feel their parents, especially their mothers are overly critical and don’t care much for them; they suffer from depression; and they find their studies difficult.  Finally, they cannot take it for long and kill themselves.

• Warning signs: Whatever the reason for suicide, potential warning signs can be seen. Studies show that at least three quarters of those who commit suicide, state or show their intensions. Youngsters often mask their real feelings in bad behavior like running away from home, delinquency, promiscuity, truancy, tardiness, bullying other youths or being accident prone. So the experts say that parents should differentiate between adolescent tantrums and abnormal behavior. Parents and friends should watch for boredom, restlessness, fatigue, concentration problems and most importantly, inexplicable change in behavior, such as withdrawal, lack of appetite, sleeplessness, general sadness and ignoring things that usually bring pleasure. Verbal threats should always be taken seriously. It is simply not true that those who talk about suicide won’t do it. They are the cries of the assistance. Most of those prone to suicide usually have low self-esteem and consider them worthless.

• How to offer help: In an emergency, virtually anyone can offer a suicidal youngster emotional support like friends, teachers, siblings, parents, employers. Professional help should be sought immediately, either through your family doctor or psychiatrist. There are also about a dozen distress or suicide prevention centers in India, and if there’s one in your town, it’s worth getting help from it. But a lot depends on ordinary people; it doesn’t take an expert to make a suicidal youngster feel loved and wanted.

The relationship between parent and child is crucial. By regularly expressing your love and concern, you make your child feel less lonely and so, less likely to take that final, irrevocable step.