One in seven young people in Geneva suffers from suicidal thoughts
Published: Monday, Apr 29th 2024, 12:40
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One in seven young people in Geneva has suicidal thoughts. This is according to a new study by Geneva University Hospital. The figures are comparable to those before the pandemic, the hospital announced on Monday.
Girls were significantly more frequently affected by suicidal thoughts than boys, as the study in the specialist journal "Swiss Medical Weekly" showed. Lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents also suffered from suicidal thoughts more frequently. According to the researchers, this can be explained by stress factors such as discrimination, social rejection, low family support or bullying, which many homosexual and bisexual adolescents suffer from.
Young people who suffered from severe psychological stress, low self-esteem, low social support, difficulties at school or bullying were also more likely to report suicidal thoughts in the study.
In contrast, the researchers found a protective effect of good relationships between adolescents and their parents, as first author Roxane Dumont emphasized in the press release.
Screen time and social media
The researchers also identified excessive screen time as a risk factor for suicidal thoughts. This also applies to time spent in front of a screen for school activities, according to the university hospital. An addiction to social media also increases the risk of suicidal thoughts. This can increase low self-esteem, narcissistic behavior and loneliness.
The study is based on a survey of 492 young people from Geneva aged between 14 and 17. They were surveyed between December 2021 and June 2022.
In Switzerland, suicide is the most common cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds, as the researchers emphasized. A young person commits suicide every three to four days.
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