One-Third Of US High-School Girls Felt Suicidal, Reveals Alarming Data

In lieu of modernisation and advancement, many things including technology and challenges are also accelerating at an overwhelming pace. Owing to the unforeseen obstacles, teenagers are neither aware nor taught appropriately by someone how to come to terms with daily life's challenges hence they are liable to fall prey to the darker side.

Furthermore, recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that approximately one-third of female high school students in 2021 revealed that they considered suicide at one point in their life. As per the report, there has been a tragic surge in this since 2019. Given the alarming data, it's about time all stakeholders take mental health seriously, especially when it comes to teenagers and give them a fair chance to share their issues without the fear of being dismissed. 

US Teenage Girls Suicidal Data

It has also been proclaimed by the researchers that the mental health of girls had deteriorated harshly. During the pandemic, 60 percent of US teenage girls were prone to confront negative thoughts and innumerable dilemmas. The number of girls who found themselves on the verge of suicide surpassed boys. The latest data from Youth Risk Behaviour Survey also highlights that suicidal thinking in girls is increasing at an alarming pace than in boys and that it's becoming harder for teens to &feature=youtu.be">navigate depression.

In 2021, 30 percent of female students admitted to having thought about suicide seriously, compared to 24 percent who had created a plan for suicide. The data revealed how 13 percent actually attempted suicide while 4 percent required severe medical attention after an attempt. These proportions were around 14 percent, 12 percent, 7 percent, and 2 percent for boys respectively.

Homosexuals more likely to have suicidal thoughts

The data from the CDC has also asserted that homosexuals were more likely to have suicidal thoughts having undergone extreme levels of anxiety and depression. Between 2019 and 2021, Black, Hispanic, and white female students' prevalence of suicidal thoughts increased significantly—by 6 percent to 7 percent roughly.

It would be simple to place the blame on the pandemic, and while it may have influenced the patterns, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly why these rates are rising in the direction they are. Suicidal behaviour is complicated and seldom results from just one thing. There is no one strategy for preventing suicide that is likely beneficial for teens of diverse genders, sexual orientations, and racial and cultural origins. But there are some measures parents, teachers, agencies, and governments must take, and starting with creating a safe space for teens to share their problems would be great.

Pertinent Steps Undertaken To Avert Suicide Among Teenagers

What are the appropriate measures that should be undertaken? Well, every school and college indispensably requires a mental health diplomat as well as a counsellor who is all there for teens to lend an unbiased ear. Teenagers solely yearn for a safe place; if it's imparted, being mentally healthy would be much easier. Most importantly, parents should be sympathetic and understanding; the constant urge to make a child string irrespective of the situation can often lead the child to a darker place. 

The government must formulate robust policies that can eventually aid teenagers despite merely executing the policy for the sake of the vote bank. If only all stakeholders come together and join hands to make mental health an urgency and create safe spaces for its youth, the collective mental health of teenagers will improve.

Views expressed by the author are their own, not the platform's 

Photo credit: NY Times

Suggested Reading: Depression in Teenage Girls Rising: Study