Durban — A mental health expert has warned parents against the habit of sharing depressing experiences they encounter, as it leads to low frustration tolerance that could negatively impact their children for decades.
Dr Terri Henderson, a specialist child and adolescent psychiatrist practising in Kenilworth, Cape Town, raised her concerns during a livestream discussion on Facebook which confronted the issues of teenage suicide, hosted by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag).
The online discussions took place to mark Teenage Suicide Prevention Week Awareness which began on February 11.
Henderson said parents should be able to differentiate between moodiness and depression displayed by their teenagers, in order to understand their mental state.
“Children, who have experienced domestic violence, parents going through a divorce and horrific conflicts between parents that are unresolved, are at high risk of encountering major depression.
“We now know that for children, it is not just about being the victim of trauma – watching it (trauma) plays a huge role in developing trauma disorder.”
Parents should help their children manage emotions by teaching them to express these by communicating how they feel, she said.
According to the latest suicide statistics from Sadag, teen suicide is becoming more common every year in South Africa, where 9% of all teen deaths are caused by suicide.
The fastest-growing age group is young people under 35, especially girls, for whom suicides peak between 15 and 19 years.
“Teenagers are exposed to a lot of experiences of the adult world, in relationships, sports, school demands, peer pressure and drugs. “In a very short time, they get exposed to so much staff and that is a stress to them which leads to depression.”
Henderson also expressed her concern about parents who are not available to their teenage children when they desperately need someone to talk to.
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