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Empowering the youth-role of life skills in prevention of suicide among children and adolescents

Empowering the youth-role of life skills in prevention of suicide among children and adolescents. Dr.Smitha Ramadas, Dept. of Psychiatry Medical College,Thrissur. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. Adolescence!. Adolescence.

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Empowering the youth-role of life skills in prevention of suicide among children and adolescents

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  1. Empowering the youth-role of life skills in prevention of suicide among children and adolescents Dr.Smitha Ramadas, Dept. of Psychiatry Medical College,Thrissur

  2. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”

  3. Adolescence!

  4. Adolescence • Period of rapid physical, emotional and cognitive changes • Exciting and challenging!

  5. Good news! 75%of youth successfully navigate these rapid changes to reach adulthood

  6. Grim news 20% of the adolescents are beset with emotional and behavioural problems…

  7. Youth at crossroads!!

  8. The Indian Scene - Issues • Rapid industrialization, globalization • Target for International Market • Huge Population – Economy not keeping pace • Poor Infrastructure – welfare, law & order, housing • Transition in Families - Joint to Nuclear • Academic and Career Stress • Parents no Longer the Role Model • Suppression & Exploitation of Adolescent Girl Gender Issues

  9. Problems Among the Youth • VIOLENCE domestic, labor, sexual, communal, religious, political, accidents, riots, SUICIDE • ABUSE - DRUGS, PHYSICAL domestic, tobacco, alcohol, HIV , AIDS • EARLY SEXUAL EXPERIMENTATION teenage marriage, high risk behavior, drug use, domestic violence

  10. Changes in outlook • Paisa (money) • Power • Pressure to perform • Pleasure seeking at any cost • Prompt results • Person more important than people

  11. Values and attitudes have changed!

  12. Locus of control • Culture, Religion, Family are no longer Controls; but Rather Buffers • When External Controls no longer are effective Internal Controls have to be strengthened.

  13. Stress A condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize. (Richard S Lazarus)

  14. Stress resources demands

  15. Coping Individual’s efforts to manage demands that are considered taxing or beyond the person’s resources (Compas, 1987)

  16. Coping resources demands

  17. When coping mechanisms fail, it leads to • Adjustment disorders • Substance abuse • Other Psychiatric disorders • Suicide

  18. Adolescent Suicide: Causes • Depression • Substance Us • Acute Stress • Adjustment Disorders • Schizophrenia/ other mental disorder • Only 1/3 is identified • Only 15% had treatment (NIMH)

  19. Suicide in adolescents-grim news • 3 rd most common cause for death • More teenagers die of suicide than Cancers, Heart diseases, AIDS, Birth defects, Pneumonia, Influenza, Chronic lung disease put together - Schaffer 2008 • 1/3 of all suicides occur in the 15-29 age group

  20. Suicide in adolescents- glad news!! Suicide is preventable

  21. Suicide prevention is everybody’s business

  22. How to prevent suicide • Universal intervention • High risk intervention • Management in tertiary care setting • those who have attempted

  23. Universal intervention • Life skills education • Means restriction – safekeeping of poisons, medicines • Public education / social awareness • Media education • Increasing protective factors in community • improving parent–child relationships • Legal reforms

  24. High risk interventions • Early diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders • Follow-up of suicide attempters • Help lines • Screening methods and mobilizing support for those at high risk • Gatekeeper training – health professionals, school teachers, peer groups, NGO’s, legal / police personnel

  25. Life Skills Education A promotional activity by WHO since 1994 after taking cognizance of the UNHOLY TRIAD - violence, drug abuse and sex

  26. The Challenge • Empowerment of the Adolescent is the Need of the Day • Life Skills Promotion is the relevant ‘strategy’ for this Empowerment • Educational System and Secondary Schools are the important spaces to initiate this process of Empowerment

  27. Life Skills • Abilities for adaptive behavior • that enable individuals • to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life (WHO,1997)

  28. Life Skills - What are they? • Critical Thinking & Creative Thinking • Decision-Making & Problem-Solving • Interpersonal Skills & Effective Communication • Self-Awareness & Empathy • Coping with Emotions & Stress

  29. Critical Thinking • Ability to analyze information and experiences in an objective manner • Assists in developing responsible behavior.

  30. Creative Thinking • Enables to explore available alternatives and consequences of actions or non-actions • Contributes to Decision Making & Problem Solving • Helps adolescents to respond adaptively and with flexibility to the daily life situations

  31. Decision Making Making decision after examining the choices & consequences in view of one’s values and goals is Responsible Decision Making

  32. Problem Solving • Allows to solve an issue, problem or conflict • Without anger, intimidation, aggressive force or behavior • Deals constructively with problems • PROBLEMS if left unresolved  MENTAL & PHYSICAL STRESS

  33. Problem Solving-steps • List the problems • Arrange according to priority • List the different options for each problem • Weigh the pros & cons of each option • Choose the best • Work it out • Evaluate

  34. Problem solving-steps List of problems • Exams nearing ;not studied Maths at all • Has to finish a project • Learn for the entrance exam

  35. Not studied Maths at all • Get help from classmate • Get tuition • Get help from teacher • Copy during exam

  36. Effective Communication • To express ourselves • verbally & non-verbally • To express opinions, desires, needs & fears also • To ask for advice and help

  37. Interpersonal Skills • To be able to develop & nurture supportive networks • To be able to end relationships constructively • Helps adolescents to relate with people in positive ways

  38. Coping with emotions • Recognizing effects of emotions on others and ourselves • Being aware of how emotions influence behaviors • Able to respond to emotions appropriately

  39. Coping with stress • Recognize sources of stress in our life • Recognizing how these affect us • Identifying ways that help to control our levels of stress • Learning how to relax to minimize tensions

  40. Self awareness Our recognition of ourselves, our character, strengths and weakness, desires and dislikes "The uniqueness of me"

  41. Empathy • Ability to understand and accept others • To put oneself in other person’s shoes • Being nurturing and tolerant • Encourages a positive behavior towards people in need or difficulty

  42. Bargaining Negotiation Taking Turns Being Sympathetic Dealing with Jealousy Dealing with Anger Social contacts Listening Frustration Tolerance Delaying Gratification Working in a Team Leading the way Prioritizing Life Skills - Components

  43. Value - Education Changes with time, culture, settings. Prescriptive Life -Skills Education Suits to any time, culture Skills than outcome Process is important Participative Results in Values

  44. Life Skills Education-learning methods Experiential learning methods

  45. Life Skills Education-learning methods • Working in small groups & pairs • Brainstorming • Role-plays • Case studies • Games & debate • Home assignments, to further discuss and practice skills with family & friends.

  46. Who can teach? • Teachers • Parents • Mental heath professionals • Trained personnel

  47. Themes Motivation • Improving Concentration & Memory • Study Habits • Preparing for exams/answering exam paper • Career Choice Discipline • TV/Movie viewing/media pressure - Time Management Nutrition Health & Hygiene Relationships - with parents/friends/opp.sex Self Awareness - dealing with anger Sexuality & Reproduction Social Responsibility

  48. Processes • Generic Skills are focussed • All Adolescent Developmental Themes included • Increasing Complexity • One hour a week in the Value Education Class • Teacher is the Facilitator • Group work, Games, Theater, Story, Discussion, Role Play- are the techniques • Discussion, Summarization - Mirror it Back • Awareness of the ISSUE /STRATEGY/ABILITIES in youth • Peer Learning is ensured • Used by Youth when needed in real life Participative and Experiential

  49. Facilitator - Requisites • Facilitator – Pivot of the Program –Teacher/Parent • Encourage Active participation • Provide Equal chance to all children • Being open and non-judgmental • Not to provide solutions to situations at the outset • Focus on the Steps than the Goal • Facilitator encourages students to share strategies ABILITIES

  50. Take Home Message • Suicide is never the result of a single factor or event, but due to multiplefactors like mental/ physical illness, substance use, family problems, life stressors, personality problems • Effective preventive strategies are necessary and possible

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