Wave of suicides among children: how parents need to talk about this problem with their kids

When discussing child suicide with their children, parents must first of all do it from a position of care and love, so as not to cause anxiety and fear.

Rehina Popova, Member of the Cyber Division of the National Psychological Association, made this statement during an event at the country’s main discussion platform BrainHub at Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

“If you’re afraid for the child, it’s okay to talk to them. But not from the position of imposing even greater anxiety and fear, but from the place of care and love. Spend time together and then talk, say ‘I’m scared, I see the news. So are you okay? Do you have such thoughts?’ It’s normal to ask, to talk, during a walk or at dinner,” she said.

At the same time, Rehina Popova noted that very often teenagers and even adults confuse the desire for identity death with the desire for physical death.

“That is, the world is changing very quickly, we do not have time to adapt our identity to this world, some part of us wants to die and gives up on everything. And if there is no basic emotional intelligence, then altered states will take over, and then you need to turn to psychologists who work with these states,” she explained.

In addition, Rehina Popova focused on the topic of basic emotional intelligence and related aspects that will reduce the risk of an altered emotional state, particularly in children and adolescents.

“Just as there are four basic colors in a printer, there are four basic emotions. Anger must be identified, if anger sweeps over a child, then it is necessary that they can say that they are angry. If a person celebrates, they should realize that they are celebrating, and they are happy. If a child is sad, they should be able to talk about it, as well as about hopes, about views on the future. The four basic emotions are the cornerstone, and if a child and a teenager can tell them apart, then there will be less risk of being in an excited, emotionally altered state,” she added.

 BrainHub is the country’s main discussion platform created by Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. It brings together experts from the state and civil society sectors. BrainHub hosts intellectual discussions around the issues of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. It’s the birthplace of the best ideas that will become the foundation for the road map of Ukraine’s reconstruction in all sectors: economy, infrastructure, education, agriculture, security, digital, etc.

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