As the effects of the new coronavirus have been prolonged, the number of elementary and junior high school students and high school students who committed suicide by July was 270, which is higher than the same period last year, which was the highest number in the year.
Every year, at this time of the summer vacation, suicides tend to increase, so there is a growing sense of crisis in the field of support.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of children who committed suicide from January to last month was 270 by provisional value, which is 29 more than the same period last year, which was the highest number of 499 in the year. I am.
Of these, 7 were elementary school students, 75 were junior high school students, and 188 were high school students.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's expert meeting, which examined countermeasures over the record number of child suicides last year, has been closed for a long time due to the corona illness, and it is not possible to feel a place at home. It is undeniable that the child may have felt stuffy, and the background was that the opportunity to obtain goals and a sense of accomplishment through school activities was lost, and it became difficult to discuss concerns. It is analyzed that it is in.
Furthermore, as the number of children committing suicide tends to increase at this time of the summer vacation every year, there is a growing sense of crisis at support groups and school sites, and the whereabouts and connections of children who continue to be in a difficult situation due to the effects of the corona disaster. We are promoting efforts to support lives by making suicides and promoting education that makes it easier to issue SOS.
"It's hard to live. I want to die."
As the corona illness continues for a long time, many consultations are received from children and young people who have difficulty living in the field where they continue to support junior high school students and high school students.
At the NPO "Youth Mental Support Association," more than 40 volunteer staff are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide consultations from teens nationwide via SNS.
The number of consultations last month was more than 30,000, which is nearly 6,000 more than the same period last year, which was increasing due to the corona virus, and it has increased further since the beginning of this month.
As a recent feature, as the corona sickness continues for a long time, there are many cases where children who have not had problems until now find it difficult to live due to changes in their lives and family environment and consult with them. Fatigue and uncertain anxiety accumulate as stress, and the number of children who complain that they want to die is also increasing.
In the consultations that were actually received, the children's sorrowful cries were spelled out, such as "The family relationship was the worst because of Corona. I completely lost my place." And "It's hard to live. I want to die."
The group is working on what we call "online whereabouts" three days a week for two hours at night to prevent these children from being isolated.
Specialized staff were stationed online, and the children who participated were able to talk face-to-face with each other, communicating their daily events and the tiredness and burden of corona.
Saori Okada, the chairman of the board, said, "The number of children who want to die for the first time in Corona is increasing, and there are cases where children who potentially think so want to die deeper. There are many children who are cornered because there is no place to escape due to the corona sickness. Even on the screen, I feel that there is a place to gather at night when it is difficult, and I feel that it will be so encouraging and supportive for children, so please connect. A sense of security is important. "
Securing a place to stay supports life
As the corona sickness continues for a long time, some organizations have taken infection control measures to maintain a place of acceptance for children who cannot secure food and a place to stay due to family circumstances.
The NPO "Youth Whereabouts Kiitos" in Chofu City, Tokyo, has been providing a place for youth for 11 years to support young people in their teens and 20s who have difficulty at home.
Operated by more than 60 volunteers, we provide homemade lunch and dinner free of charge.
Some users stop by at school, club activities, and on their way home from part-time jobs, so they spend their time with their friends and consult with staff about career paths that cannot be done at home.
On the other hand, around April of last year when the state of emergency was first declared about continuing to open a place of residence as the infection spreads, volunteers also criticized it, but due to family circumstances, the house Since there are many children who cannot eat at home and who do not have a place to spend their time with peace of mind, we continue to accept them while thoroughly implementing infection control measures.
A girl student in the third year of high school said, "I don't have rice at home, but when I come here, I can eat homemade rice even if I come back late at night, and there are people I can talk to, so it's completely different. I'm in trouble. "
Mao Shirahata, the representative of the NPO, said, "Since children who originally have no place to live are here, we cannot close it. It is important for children to continue their activities while paying attention to infection control measures. I think it is important to support our lives. "
“Pay attention to facial expressions and call out” Searching at school
Due to the prolonged spread of the infection, the summer vacation has changed from the usual year, and at school, we are continuing to seek to catch any abnormalities in our children as soon as possible.
At Fuchie Junior High School in Adachi-ku, Tokyo, the club activities during the summer vacation were canceled in principle due to the corona virus, and it became difficult to see the students for a longer period than usual. I set a day.
At the morning meeting, Principal Ito said, "Because understanding the situation of the students is the first priority, I would like you to check the facial expressions, etc., and contact the students who are absent to talk to them to relieve their anxiety." ..
In each class, teachers pay attention to the tone and facial expressions of their voices while attending students and collecting submissions, and call the students who are absent to find out what has changed or are worried. I was checking if there was any.
Principal Ito said, "I was at a loss to gather students due to the current infection situation, but I thought it was important to understand the situation of the students who can only be understood face-to-face, so I asked them to go to school. As it becomes difficult, teachers also want to raise their antennas to catch the changes of their students. "
In addition, in Adachi City, we have been working on "education on how to put out SOS" for the entire ward for seven years so that children themselves can acquire the ability to express their painful feelings and worries.
In this education, when you have a feeling of "want to disappear" or you are not confident in yourself, you can take a deep breath, break unnecessary paper, scream or sing as a coping method to relieve stress when you have a hard time. It specifically introduces things such as doing things and expressing feelings in sentences.
He continues to convey the message, "It's not embarrassing to speak your worries to someone you can trust with courage."
As a result of repeated efforts, 98% of the children answered that "there are people who can consult" in a questionnaire survey conducted on elementary and junior high school students in the ward.
Takashi Yahiro, chief of the Education and Guidance Division of the Adachi City Board of Education, said, "Adults around us, including teachers, must see the changes, but it is not always the case that adults can detect and reach out, so from children. I feel that we must create an environment where we can talk with each other. "
Expert "Need to improve the ability to snuggle up to the adults around"
Toshihiko Matsumoto, director of the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, who is familiar with child suicide, commented on the current situation in which child suicides are increasing. Our existence is becoming more apparent, and that is reflected in the statistics. As the impact is prolonged, we envision the future with the fog becoming thicker than adults. The lack of information needed for this also raises concerns. "
On top of that, he said, "There is a friend as the last bastion where tough children can issue SOS, but it may be related to the fact that the connection with the friend is divided and thinned by the corona virus." He expressed concern about the current situation in which the spread of infection is prolonged.
As a response required of the adults around him, Mr. Matsumoto actively speaks out when he feels something is wrong with the child, tells him that he is ready to listen, and when the child confesses his concerns. He points out that when SOS is issued saying "I want to die", it is necessary to accept it without denying it and improve the ability to be close to it.
As the infection continues to spread, the time of the end of summer vacation, when children's suicides tend to increase, says, "There are many children who are having a hard time at home and at school. Do you have a third place that is neither school nor home? I think that not having one will change the difficulty of living for the child. It is important to prevent the spread of infection, but it is necessary to devise various places to live in order to keep the child's heart alive. It is important to disseminate information about places and social resources in various ways so that they can be seen by children. "
"Don't suffer alone, please talk" List of contact points for consultation
If your school or home becomes difficult, or if you feel worried or anxious, there is a contact point where you can feel free to contact us by phone or chat.
Don't suffer alone, please talk to us.
This is a list of organizations that are consulting on SNS and chat, which are compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/hukushi_kaigo/seikatsuhogo/jisatsu/soudan_sns.html In
addition, the following contact information is available for consultation by telephone.
"24-hour children's SOS dial"
0120-0-78310
https://www.mext.go.jp/ijime/detail/dial.htm
"Children's human rights 110"
0120-007-110
http://www.moj .go.jp/JINKEN/jinken112.html
"Childline"
0120-99-7777
https://childline.or.jp/
"Consultation on the Telephone of Life"
0120-783-556
https://www.inochinodenwa.org /
Japan Clinical Psychologists Association,
Japan Certified Psychologists Association
"New Corona Mental Health Counseling Phone"
050-3628-5672