September 1st is when the majority of Japanese children return to school after the summer holidays
‘Last year, for the first time, the most common cause of death of those aged 10 to 19 in Japan was suicide’.
The intensity of the competitive school environment is seen as one trigger for teenage suicide
“A government study has linked the spike in suicide figures with the fact it is the day when the majority of Japanese pupils return to school after their summer holidays.
A total of 101 under-18s in Japan have killed themselves on this day since 1972.
The report investigated over 18,000 child suicides from 1972 to 2013. The fourth worst day for child suicides is the following day on September 2nd and the fifth, August 31st – one day before school re-opens. Throughout the summer months, the amount of deaths was significantly lower.
Previous government studies have signalled that among high school students (ages 15 to 18), academic problems and worrying about future careers contributed to suicidal tendencies, as did depression and anxiety…
Following the publication of the report, the Japan Times quoted Keiko Okuchi, an executive of a non-profit organisation which supports children. She said that those children who do kill themselves often do so because of issues at school.
Japan's suicide rate in general is 60 per cent higher than the international average, with an annual figure of around 30,000 deaths. More than 70 Japanese people kill themselves every day and it is the leading cause of death among men between the ages of 20 and 44.”
Dear Friends, Parents, Grandparents, the Youth, Students, Educators, Religious, Cultural and Spiritual Leaders, All the People of Good will,
I have written to you a few times, concernng the epedimic of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide amongst the children, the youth and students world-wide. This tragedy is global and need a global solution.
Please let us come together and in association with the youth themselves try to do something to make life appreciated more, valued more and enjoyed more.
Please see the links below and help me with all you can to move forward together.
Has loneliness become the new normal?
Why a Simple Life Matters: The Path to peace and happiness lies in the simple things in life
Sam Berns: ‘My Philosophy For A Happy Life’
In Search of Meaning in Life: Happiness Revealed
Ten Virtues to Lead a Good Life
Nature the Best Teacher: Re-Connecting the World’s Children with Nature
Why Happiness Should be Taught at Our Universities
Photo: futurity.org
Youth Mental Health Matters:
There are 1.2 Billion Youth Aged 15-24 Years in the World
"Youth and Mental Health": The shocking statistic is that 1 in 5 young people suffer from mental illness. Many more suffer from mild depression and loneliness. This is a plea to all youth workers, social/health-care workers, academics, teachers, the youth themselves, parents, schools, colleges, universities, civil societies dealing with youth, politicians, media, business community, religious and spiritual leaders, all the people of good will: Make 2015 a year where you purposefully ensure that a permanent, safe, creative space is made available for all young people to speak their heart, anxiety, worries, hopes and dreams. Let us all become a vehicle of hope and ensure young people are transformed into responsible global citizens, having overcome any disadvantages that they might have faced in the past. This is a true Common Good Vision.
A Plea to address Global Youth Depression