Experts lament increasing spate of suicide

Due to the persistent occurrence of suicide cases among teenagers, the Save Our Women and Girls (SOWG) foundation recently organised a programme with the theme: ‘Moms on the go,’ which brought together experts in the health and education sectors to proffer solution to the prevailing act.

The event, which was one of the activities to mark this year’s International Day of the Family, also featured a workshop on how stay-at-home mothers can earn an income from home and make a successful career from their talents.

According to Ambassador Unyime-Ivy King, founder of the foundation, one of the objectives of the foundation is to strengthen the family and because teenagers committing suicide is traumatic for the family, it decided to focus on the issue with a view to curbing it.

According to research, it has been established that most youths resort to suicide as a result of poor academic performance, peer pressure and pressure from parents who engage in undue comparison of their children with others and sometimes make them feel inferior or worthless, and pressure from social media.

Some youths, according to the discussants, are active on social media prematurely and they are easily carried away by the undue show of affluence that, in most cases is not actually real.

Dr. Deji Osasona, a neuro-psychologist listed four major causes of suicide among youths, which include undue academic pressure by teachers or parents that are not emotionally intelligent; peer pressure, which can come in form of sexual issues, socialization issues, class, as well as intimidation or bullying; financial pressure; and religio-cultural pressure.

Some of the ways to prevent suicide, according to him, is by listening to the victim without judging. This he said will make them trust and open up.