A recent survey revealed a disturbing finding that children as young as 6 years old have suicidal thoughts while others are self-harming. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents claimed that the main reason for the children's mental distress is stress.
Mental health in childhood is vital as it could help the children reach developmental and emotional milestones as well as help them learn healthy social skills. Unfortunately, one in 10 children and young people have mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, issues which often mirror what is happening in their lives, Mental Health Foundation reveals.
What was more alarming, however, was the revelations of education staff to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers that there are children in primary schools who had self-harmed and even attempted suicide. The teaching staff also identified 3 shocking factors that could lead to children's suicidal tendencies and mental distress.
1. Excessive Pressure in Taking Tests or Exams
Teachers said that excessive pressure placed on children when taking tests and exams are affecting the pupils. According to BBC News, physical symptoms of stress and incidents of self-harm dramatically increased while "suicidal thoughts have escalated beyond control" due to excessive stress and pressure.
"The government bears responsibility for much of this stress which appears to stem from a test-focused, over-crowded curriculum," Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said.
2. Abuse or Neglect
Another factor cited that could trigger children's suicidal thoughts and mental distress is abuse or neglect. As said by consultant psychologist Jane McCartney, some very young children could be hurting themselves as a way to get the attention of an adult or if there's something terrible going on in their life.
"Sadly there are some very lonely, unhappy, abused and anxious children out there who consider self-harming the only thing they can do," McCartney said. "For some it will be a coping mechanism for something that is going wrong in their life."
McCartney's statement came after The New Day uncovered new figures showing children aged from one to five were among those under-16s who had been admitted to a hospital due to extreme self-harming. Those children reportedly needed hospital treatment because of poisoning attempts using drugs, alcohol, pesticides, household solvents and other toxic substances, Daily Mirror reports.
The distressing data also showed that some children had jumped from a height. And others including some aged from five to nine, had tried to hang themselves.
3. Modern Technology
Aside from abuse, neglect and excessive pressure, modern technology (social media) was also partly blamed for the increasing rate of children suffering from mental distress. Child psychologist Lindsay Ip said that self-harm among children under five was tragically common nowadays.
"Children today are more used to immediate gratification from technology and digital games than active, creative play in the outdoors and connection to humans and nature," Ip said. "This means they have less time to process and integrate experiences, which limits their capacity to cope with stress and other challenges."
Fragmented home-lives and family breakup are also contributing factors to children's mental health. Some education factors, however, have pinpointed that sounding of bells also has a detrimental impact on children with autism or mental health issues, Daily Express learns.
