About Us
Why Youth Empowerment?
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An average of 31 children died by suicide every day in India in 2020, according to government data, with experts underlining that the COVID-19 pandemic may have accentuated the psychological trauma faced by children to a substantial extent.
According to National Crime Records Bureau data, 11,396 children died by suicide in 2020. This is an 18 per cent rise from 9,613 such deaths in 2019 and a 21 per cent rise from 9,413 in 2018.
''Family Problems'' (4,006), ''Love Affairs'' (1,337) and ''Illness'' (1,327) were the main causes of suicide among children (below 18 years of age). The causes of suicide by some children were ideologies or hero worship, unemployment, bankruptcy, impotency or infertility, and drug abuse.
The resultant school closures and social isolation coupled with anxiety among elders have further aggravated the issue of mental health and brought it to the forefront.
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While we as a society are cognizant of tangibles such as education and physical health for building national human capital, emotional wellbeing or psycho-social support often takes a back seat. The continuously increasing number of suicides among children reflects a systemic failure. It is the collective responsibility of parents, families, neighborhoods, and the government at large to provide a conducive ecosystem. This is where children can look forward to realizing their potential and fulfilling their dreams for a bright future. Committing suicide, on the other hand, is the antithesis.
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Stigma attached to mental health and an abysmally low number of per capita mental health professionals demand urgent attention. COVID-19, and the resultant school closures and social isolation coupled with anxiety among elders have further aggravated the issue and brought it to the forefront. Save the Children calls for collective action to nurture an encouraging and supportive ecosystem for children and youth.
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As the NCRB data reveals, a total of 11,396 children (5,392 boys and 6,004 girls) have died by suicide in 2020, which accounts for 31 deaths per day or approximately 1 child committing suicide per hour.
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Children have suffered tremendous emotional stress and trauma due to home confinement and lack of interaction with friends, teachers or any other person in a position of trust. This is due to the prolonged closure of schools and limited social interactions.
Many of them have been through hostile environments at home. Many others have seen the demise of their loved ones and have faced the impact of fear of contagion and a deepening financial crisis at the family level. Many children have also experienced huge uncertainty related to completion of curriculum, exams and results.
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A huge number of children, especially the ones living under the shadows of multi-dimensional poverty, struggled with attending online classes and were majorly impacted by the digital divide, while many others suffered from over-exposure to the internet and social media and were subjected to online bullying and allied cyber-crimes. All of this, compounded with an overall anxiety about the uncertainty of the future, must have been too much to bear for their young and tender minds.
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"Teachers also need to be trained in identifying symptoms and patterns of mental issues. Apart from that, educational institutions must have psychological counselling programs in place to help students deal with their issues in confidentiality. Every child has a different coping mechanism. Therefore, counselling programs must be flexible, to cater to the needs of each child individually. If needed, a student must be referred to a mental health care professional for timely intervention."
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Youth Empowerment Service is one such organization to educate and Empower youth to go on that right path through its initiatives and programs.
You Know?
Our world is home to 1.8 billion young people aged 10-24, contributing about one-fourth of the total world population. Nine out of 10 of them live in less developed countries. India has the world's highest number of this age group with 356 million, despite having a smaller population than China. Of all population groups, the youth population is growing fastest, especially in the poorest nations. The formative years of life are one of the most influential phases of life, as they impact our future greatly. The phase carries special significance for mental health, since most mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs) have onset at a young age or adolescence, and many tend to run a chronic or relapsing course. A world changing at a fast pace carries special significance here. Moreover, it poses a challenge to mental health, especially for young people, who are in a formative stage of life.
What Happened?
To be in optimal mental health is essential for optimal functioning as well as for productivity for any person. In the last few decades, the world has been changing very fast, especially with the invention of faster modes of transport, the ease of migration across countries and the revolutionary developments in information technology (IT). The IT revolution has been accompanied by ill effects such as reduced social interaction, physical activities and intimacy and a more sedentary lifestyle.
Real life in-person interaction is being increasingly replaced by an artificial sense of intimacy through social networking platforms. The current day youth spends a substantial time of the day on the internet and is exposed to information implosion including cybercrimes, cyberbullying and violent video games. The internet is also a source of (mis)information, a source of which is often not verified and has a potential of harming the young mind. The Blue Whale game is a recent example of such harm.
Increasing violence in the youth is another significant issue needing attention since youth are at risk of being victims as well as perpetrators of violence. Cyberbullying is another form of bullying, which has become increasingly common in the last few years with the increased access to and use of internet-based services. Behavioral addictions and cyberbullying are serious harmful effects of the modern digital age, particularly for youth. Internet use disorder is now being recognized as a distinct disorder requiring therapeutic interventions.
Street children and those living in shelter homes are another significant group of young people, which is especially vulnerable in the absence of family support and a stable home. This group is frequently exposed to harms due to drug use, physical and sexual abuse, criminal behavior and violence. Mental health professionals and society as a whole are facing significant challenges associated with mental illness, substance use, and violence among young people.
What Threatens us?
Worldwide, MSUDs affect about 20-25 per cent of young people. Recently concluded National Mental Health Survey of India estimates the current prevalence of mental disorders in the age group of 18-29 yr at 7.39% (excluding tobacco use disorder) and lifetime prevalence at 9.54 per cent. According to statistics, the prevalence of mental disorders (excluding SUDs) is 7.3% among youth aged 13-17. They also suffer from a high rate of self-harm, and suicide is the leading cause of death. About half of all psychological illnesses are known to begin at the age of 14 and three-quarters by the mid-20s.Since. MSUDs have a chronic relapsing course, the mental health of young people becomes a priority.
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Globally, MSUDs are recognized as the leading cause of all non-fatal burden of disease and years lived with disability. Among various age groups, adolescents and young adults (10-29 yr) probably suffer the most, contributing to the highest proportion of disability-adjusted life years among various age groups. The burden associated with common mental disorders (depressive and anxiety disorders) rises abruptly in childhood (1-10 yr) and peaks in adolescence and early to middle age (10-29 yr).
The burden associated with less common but chronic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, although more common in early adulthood (peaking between 25 and 50 yr of age), also impacts childhood and adolescence. The burden of illicit substance use is highest among young adults (ages 15-29 yr), but for alcohol the largest burden is observed in the age group of 25-50 years. If untreated, these conditions severely hinder children's development, their educational attainment and potential to live fulfilling and productive lives. Youngsters with MSUDs, like their adult counterparts, face the challenges of stigma, isolation and discrimination, as well as a lack of access to health care and education facilities. There is a huge treatment gap ranging from 73.6% for severe mental disorders and 85.0% for common mental disorders. This falls to 91.1 per cent for substance use disorders.
What's our Strategies?
There are a number of barriers to taking care of the mental health needs of youth including lack of services, lack of awareness, myths, misconceptions and stigma. In addition, mental health is not given high priority. To solve the problems, early identification and intervention remain essential.
Raising community awareness about warning signs of MSUDs, need for their treatment, dispelling the associated myths and misconceptions, and providing easily accessible and affordable treatment facilities are crucial.
Schools and colleges, in particular, offer a unique setting for mental health promotion. Any strategy aimed at improving the mental health of the youth needs to aim at bridging the knowledge and service gaps and should include school-targeted programs and community-based services. Targeting educational institutions for raising mental health literacy both among students and teachers for early identification of depression and other mental health issues, substance use disorders, conduct issues, cyberbullying and suicidal risk is a crucial step in this direction.
Study on suicide prevention in 168 schools covering 11,110 adolescents with a median age of 15 years found providing students with mental health awareness (Youth Aware of Mental Health Programs) to be more effective at reducing suicide attempts and severe suicidal ideation than training teachers and screening professionals. Strategies such as enhancing social skills, problem-solving skills and self-confidence of the young population can help prevent mental health problems such as conduct disorders, anxiety, depression and eating disorders as well as other risk behaviors including those that relate to sexual behavior, substance abuse and violent behavior.
What’s our Approach?
Integration of mental health in general medical, pediatric and primary care can be an efficient strategy since this facilitates contact with the target population. This approach is likely to work since most of the common mental health issues may not require specialist care and can be handled by professionals from various health cadres.
The integration of mental health services with other youth health and welfare services can also be an effective method of dealing with mental health problems in youth. Health workers need to have the competencies to relate to young people, to detect mental health problems early and to provide evidence-based treatment. The general practitioners and other primary health care workers need to be educated to engage young people, recognize MSUDs and deliver simple and effective treatments.
This includes supportive counselling, cognitive behavior therapy, and where appropriate, psychotropic drugs. Specialized and multidisciplinary care is required for youth with multiple or complex needs. There is also a need to establish dedicated services to address the emerging issues like behavioural addictions among youth. The emphasis needs to be on reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors, which are common to several risk behaviors, such as substance abuse, self-harm and sexual risk behaviors.
We believe all young minds can embrace who they are,
can define their future, and can change the world.
Our Mission
To provide a platform for every individual young mind to explore themselves.
