The silent epidemic taking young lives in Nepal and across the world

A rising global public health concern is youth suicide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that suicide claims the lives of about 727,000 people annually worldwide and is currently the third most common cause of death for older adolescents and young adults (those aged 15 to 29). Up to 20% of teenagers have diagnosable mental illnesses, and one in seven (14%) of those aged 10 to 19 are thought to have a serious mental illness.

According to the World Health Organization, youth suicide rates have increased in many nations, and risk factors like substance abuse, trauma, bullying, social isolation, and easy access to deadly weapons (like guns or pesticides) are all playing a part.