TEENAGE GIRL ATTEMPTS SUICIDE

A teenage girl from Serowe is fighting for her life at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital after allegedly attempting suicide by drinking dip.In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Serowe Police Station Commander, Poloko Oteng said the 16-year-old reportedly consumed the chemical following a heated argument with her uncle.Police have confirmed the incident and expressed concern over the growing number of suicide attempts among young people.Oteng said they received a report around 2pm this past Sunday.Oteng said they recorded a similar incident recently in which a 15-year-old attempted suicide by drinking dip and later succumbed to the chemical's poisonous power.Oteng urged families to always seek intervention in conflicts. According to Oteng, this is the second attempted suicide since January, adding that so far, they have recorded five suicide cases in their policing area.Counsellor Lesego Bile said suicide is such a sad and heavy dynamic among the new generation, adding that parents need to be present in their children's lives.Bile said a lot of children suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, drug abuse, and are sexually active at a young age or experience body shaming on social media, and the heaviness of these issues can make young children resort to suicide.“Some children grow up in abusive homes with a lack of comfort or motivation. So regarding this particular incident, this child needs professional help and support, even if she drank dip to kill herself, we can only know why she did it once she speaks to someone like a family member, someone she trusts," Bile said, adding that young people go through a lot of emotional abuse.According to Bile, parents should realise when a child seems detached at home, has no friends, and does not talk much or interact with others. Parents should talk to their children and check up on them, and also know who their friends are.“Let’s normalise creating safe spaces for children and listen to them without judgement, but rather listen to understand what they are going through and find a positive and healthy way of communicating with young people," Bile said.

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TEENAGE GIRL ATTEMPTS SUICIDE