SEVERAL factors could lead to suicidal thoughts in teenagers but these could be prevented if parents were able to detect warning signs early, a psychologist said.  

Associate Professor Fauziah Mohd Sa’ad of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris told The Malaysian Insight that mental health, one’s surroundings, and family relationships were among factors that affected a suicidal teenager. 

Fauziah, a psychologist, said this in response to the National Health and Morbidity Survey: Adolescent Health Survey 2022. 

The study showed that suicidal thoughts among Malaysian youth had increased in recent years. 

It added that 12% of youth had suicidal thoughts, while 10% had attempted to take their own lives. This was an increase of 3% from the figure shown in the ministry’s 2017 survey. 

“There are many factors that could lead one to suicide. Mental health, chemical imbalance in the brain, no support system, broken family, and bad environment are some of the factors. 

“An introvert without someone to talk to or someone to listen to can also be on the path to taking his or her own life. 

“These teenagers then turn to social media thinking that social media can somehow help, but social media is not the panacea. Cyberbullying is rampant, we have had many cases of suicide because of cyberbullying,” said the academic. 

She said early prevention was possible. 

“Parents should know the change of behaviour in their children. Not just behaviour but also emotions. If they see their children frequently crying, they should intervene. 

“If they see their children not having enough sleep or not sleeping at all and not taking care of themselves as they should, parents must act and get to know what’s happening.” 

“See a doctor, and they will assess. If further treatment needed, see a counsellor or an expert in the field,” she said. 

Fauziah stressed that someone with anxiety and depression must not be told to be patient. 

“What they need is someone to talk to, someone with whom they can share how they feel. If we tell them to be patient, it will only trigger more such thoughts,” she added. 

The survey, the third edition by the ministry, sampled secondary school students between the ages of 13 and 17. 

The poll showed one in four adolescents felt depressed and it was more common among female teenagers. 

Afraid of social media 

A mother – who wished to be known only as Lam – said while there were a lot of other factors that could lead to mental illness, children as young as 10 were now exposed to many social ills through social media platforms. 

She said her teenage daughter refused to go to school because she could not get along with her peers. 

“Unlike other children, my daughter doesn’t have any social media accounts. All her friends have it; therefore, she is isolated and comes home telling me she couldn’t get along. 

“I am worried this would affect her mental health. She has come home crying and I listen to what she has to say. I try to make her understand it is okay not to have all of that.” 

“It was tough for her because she was teased in her class for being outdated, but lately, she has shown some improvement by attending classes,” said Lam. 

In a survey conducted in 2019, Befrienders, a non-profit organisation offering emotional support for the lonely or people with suicidal thoughts revealed that children as young as 10 were sending emails to seek help and talk about their depression, largely due to lack of attention from their parents. 

Befrienders Kuala Lumpur executive director Kenny Lim said this was a worrying sign, pointing out that the depression rate for those under 20 is increasing each year. 

Lim said although these children did not state their intention to commit suicide, the chances of them engaging in self-harm increased as they grew older. 

In 2018, 37.5% of the calls received by Befrienders were about suicidal thoughts, Lim said. 

“Half of the calls were also about mental health issues such as bipolar depression, relationship problems, and family problems,” Lim added. – June 2, 2023.