The phenomenon of youth deciding to commit suicide is a growing concern. The number of tragedies is mounting, and Pope Francis raised the issue on his special flight back to Rome from Lisbon. Head of the Children’s Neuropsychiatry Department of the Holy Child Hospital in Rome: Habit change is a wake-up call.
(Vatican News Network) “Youth suicide is an important issue today, and the number is huge.” Pope Francis expressed his concern to reporters on his special plane returning to Rome from Lisbon. The Pope mentioned his conversation with young people during the World Youth Day, pointing out that “many young people feel distressed and depressed, but not only psychologically”, some young people will commit suicide because they cannot graduate or find a job, “because They think it’s a shame.”
Regarding this issue, Stefano Vicari, a professor of child neuropsychiatry at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and head of the Department of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry at the Holy Infant Hospital in Rome, told this news website that these are indeed mental illnesses. “In the general population, at least 20 percent of people suffer from mental illness with symptoms of anxiety or depression. This proportion is similar between adolescents and children, but it is often overlooked.”
Parents play an important role in preventing these types of problems. Professor Vicari said: “It is extremely important to teach children to face their own setbacks early, recognize their emotions, and build a world of relationships.”
In addition, parents play a major role in preventing the risks of various addictions and paying attention to every slight change in their children’s behavior. For example, the child used to love sports, but now he has given up; or, the child was doing well in school, but suddenly his academic performance plummeted; moreover, the child has a tendency to self-isolate, refuses to eat, and sleeps poorly. Professor Vicari pointed out that “if the change in behavior lasts for weeks or months, it must be a wake-up call for teachers and other adults around them.”
Professor Vicary finally encouraged parents not to be afraid to ask for help. “Sometimes families fear that if they go to a child neuropsychiatrist, it will create what we call ‘stigma’, where the child will be labeled as a patient throughout their lives. But that is not the case, and these diseases will healed.”
Link URL: www.vaticannews.cn
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2023-08-10 11:58:39
