The tragedy afflicting our youth
The tragic death of a seventeen-year-old at a West Australian detention centre last week has again highlighted the scourge of youth suicide in our community.
The Aboriginal teenager was found unresponsive in his cell at the Banksia Hill youth detention centre. He was the second young person to die in custody in WA in less than a year. He had been placed in the intensive supervision unit but was considered low risk with regards to his mental health and self-harm risk.
The teenager’s tragedy is not an isolated incident and highlights the need for more government and community action in regard to youth suicide.
While Indigenous Australians are overrepresented in the statistics, sadly, youth suicide is common across society. And the situation is not improving.
Katie Kiss, Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner, was one of many leaders to express outrage at the latest death. “How many more tragedies and deaths in custody need to happen before we acknowledge that the current arrangements are not working?” she said.
The rapid expansion of social media with smart phones and the like has also led to increased bullying, in turn leading to anxiety, depression and more mental health problems amongst young people.
There are other causes of mental issues, including a person’s home environment and family relationships, school or work, relationships with friends, sexuality and gender identity, physical health and feelings about your body, alcohol and drug use.
But there are ways of minimising these crises. Eat and sleep well, exercise regularly, talk to an adult you trust if you are feeling sad or anxious, cut down on drugs and alcohol, learn some relaxation techniques to help you deal with stress, such as mindfulness or meditation, and spend time with others.
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, so if you or anyone you know is experiencing mental health issues or having suicidal thoughts, there are services available to assist.
Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Indigenous crisis hotline on 13 YARN, 13 92 76, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
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