- Nation’s disease control center urges tailored intervention

- China’s young deal with fierce competition academically

Photo by Seng Lam Ho on Pexels.com

By Yihui Xie and Xiao Zibang

#China has seen an increase in #suicides among young people in recent years, prompting researchers to call for a special program to help them deal with academic pressure.

The number of #children aged five to 14 that died by #suicide jumped nearly 10% annually from 2010 to 2021, according to a recent study from the #Chinese #CenterforDiseaseControlandPrevention. The figure for people aged 15 to 24 fell 7% through 2017 then posted a nearly 20% increase the next four years. 

The increase is small in absolute numbers yet it contrasts with a decline of 5.3% annually in the 2010-2021 period among all age groups in the country, a drop the researchers said was due to a nationwide #mentalhealthprogram.

They said that #children and #adolescents have faced severe #mentaldisorders and elevated #suiciderisks from intense competition to do well at #school. Half of people suffering from #depressivedisorder in #China are #students, according to a 2022 national survey. 

The researchers called on the government to prioritize developing programs targeting #children and #adolescents that adopt best practices from abroad and allow for the early identification of #suicidalbehavior.

Young people in #China have long engaged in fierce competition to get ahead in #school and get good jobs upon graduation. Three years of the #Covid-19 #pandemic — which in #China meant snap lockdowns, including many imposed on #college campuses — and record #youth unemployment have also piled pressure on #youth.

Earlier this year, the apparent #suicide of a boarding #school #student named Hu Xinyu gained widespread attention in #China, both because the 15-year-old boy had expressed concern beforehand about his grades and how the #police handled their investigation. 

Also, many people took to #Chinese #socialmedia Thursday to express sadness over the death of #HongKong-born singer and songwriter #CocoLee. The 48-year-old had been suffering from #depression for several years, her sisters said in a statement posted on #Facebook.

One person wrote on Weibo that “Coco’s passing is also a wake-up call for us to take our #mentalhealth seriously.”

#James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

In 2021, #Beijing unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its education tech sector, banning companies that teach the #school curriculum from making profits. Many #parents complained that pressure to engage private tutors caused excessive #anxiety at home.

The researchers at the #CenterforDiseaseControl&Prevention also warned that the widespread belief among #parents and #teachers that getting good scores trumps anything else risks obscuring #mentalhealthissues plaguing #children.

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https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2023/07/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-china-sees-suicide-rise-among-young-facing-school-pressure/