I woke up this morning and saw a post on my Facebook timeline about an 11-year-old girl who committed suicide after being bullied at school.
When I went to search the little girl’s name online, I came across a slew of teenage suicides that were the end result of school and cyber bullying.
Before I knew it, my morning was filled with stories and images of little boys and girls who lost their lives to a rapidly growing epidemic of teen bullying.
This is something that children seem to take lightly. They may never expect that their words and actions could be the very thing that end a peer’s life.
Last week, we spoke about how peer pressure and social media can be a negative influence on the teenage mind. We learned that self-esteem issues stem from an array of things like social media, negative friends and in this case, bullying.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.
It has also been noted that bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University. In addition to that, another study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying.
It has been said that bullying typically spikes in the 6th and 7th grade. During this time period, it’s seen very often because children are attempting to find where they fit in.
While wanting to be a part of something is often seen as normal behavior, when it comes to establishing a place in these teens’ situations, fitting in may be at the expense of another child’s peace of mind and mental stability. In return, this can lead to possible suicide.
If you suspect your child is being bullied or is the one doing the bullying, it is important that you try your best to get to the bottom of what’s going on.
Talk to your child about how dangerous it could be if they handle being bullied the wrong way. Never take any threat or suicidal comment lightly. Get your child immediate medical help.
If you suspect your child is doing the bullying, talk to them and see if they are troubled.
They may be experiencing emotional turmoil and don’t know how to express it positively. If this is the case, seek professional help. Your efforts as a parent or guardian can save a life.
• National Bullying Prevention Center: 952-838-9000 | 800- 537-2237
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Paishance Welch
Tweens, Teens & Young Adults
References:
Bullying & Suicide http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html. Web 2019
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