Worried about Suicide in Young People?

It’s difficult to accept, but many of our children do talk of ending their lives, and, sadly, a few succeed. Recent headlines underline the dangers.

Suicidal thoughts can occur at surprisingly early ages, and the pressures of being bullied, the anger, frustration and fears that result, can prompt children and young people to threaten or attempt suicide.

Almost half of those who come to ZAP say they have thought about it, and often their parents do not know their children are so badly distressed. On the other hand, many parents do call us when a child talks about ending her life, and our first advice is always to take these remarks seriously, however lightly expressed.

As recent events show, the internet is again making its power known, with easy availability of lethal information. Fortunately this only represents a very small percentage amongst the wealth of the good and useful sites on the internet. It’s always important to know just where your child is surfing - if you need any pointers, you can read our Online Safety guide for Parents.

If you have questions about young people and suicide,we've prepared some information and helpful links for parents - you can also visit Papyrus’s website or call their helpline.

We also have some advice and information about Online Safety

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Use our FAQ to get some general advice about your situation, or try our helpline

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