BY GLENDA TAYONA and IME SORNITO
ILOILO City – What’s fuelling teen suicides? The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas urged teachers and parents to be more perceptive of their wards’ needs. “Let us do everything we can to save these youngsters,” said DepEd regional information officer Dr. Lea Belleza
In Iloilo province alone since January this year, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) recorded 19 suicide cases involving youngsters in the 10 to 19 years old age range.
One young life lost is one too many, lamented Belleza.
“Our young people are at crossroads. They need guidance,” said Belleza as she stressed the importance of creating a caring, happy atmosphere in schools. “Sa ila panimalay ginaakigan na sila, pag abot sa school akigan pa gid sila. It shouldn’t be like that.”
Reach out to students, especially those showing odd behavior, Belleza urged teachers.
Schools should be places where there is compassionate open communication between teachers and students, she added.
Even students should be encouraged to alert teachers should they notice something unusual with their classmates, Belleza said.
She also stressed the importance of schools strengthening their campaign against bullying, and the inclusion of topics such as mental health in lessons.
During parents-teachers association meetings, teen suicide must be discussed too, Belleza suggested, because this concern should not be left for teachers alone to address.
The IPPO has expressed willingness to help schools address teen suicides. Its director, Police Colonel Roland Vilela, said the police may conduct symposiums about it in schools.
“I told my police chiefs to think outside the box. Talk to parents-teachers associations and school authorities,” said Vilela.
He said he himself could lend an ear to troubled youngsters who may need a sympathetic listener.
The World Heal Organization (WHO) considers suicide “a serious public health problem” but preventable with timely, evidence-based interventions.
Of the 179 cases of suicide that the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) recorded from 2016 to June 2019, 35 involved young people between nine to 21 years old.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matt Palabrica last week appealed for collective action from the provincial government, school and health authorities, and the police, among others.
He said the most common reasons why young people kill themselves were problems in the family, love life, school, and money.
The most common methods of suicide resorted to, Palabrica added, were hanging, slashing, chemical poisoning, shooting with a gun, stabbing, and even wilful drowning.
According to WHO, globally every year close to 800,000 people take their own lives and there are many more people who attempt suicide.
While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders) is well established in high-income countries, WHO said many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-up or chronic pain and illness.
In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse, or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behavior, according to WHO.
Suicide rates are also high amongst vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons; and prisoners.
By far the strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt, according to WHO.
It also lamented the stigma particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide. It means, it said, that many people thinking of taking their own lives or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need./PN
