"Steep rise in child suicide attempts" 

An alarming rise in the number of children attempting suicide
was reported yesterday by the charity ChildLine

Calls from suicidal children to the charity's helplines have
doubled, increasing from 346 in 1990-91 to 701 in 1998-99 

About a third tried to kill themselves shortly before making the
call or during it - usually by overdosing or slashing their wrists.
The rest said their main reason for calling was they wanted to
kill themselves. 

The charity warned: "The commonly held view that suicide
attempts are merely attention seeking is dangerous. There is no
truth in the myth that those who talk about suicide don't do it.
Many suicidal children who called ChildLine said their distress
was increased by parents' or carers' apparent lack of concern." 

Suicidal girl callers outnumbered boys by four to one. "Although
young women attempt suicide far more often than young men,
young men die as a result of suicide far more than young
women." This may be because girls are more likely to ask for
help and talk about their problems, while the boys try to cope
alone. 

Esther Rantzen, chairman of the charity, said: "One of the most
poignant admissions in the report is from a suicidal child who
told her ChildLine counsellor, 'I hug myself and pretend someone
else is comforting me.' It is appalling that any child should feel
so alone."

John Carvel, social affairs editor
Wednesday July 11, 2001
The Guardian 

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