Dear friends and Hajime,
There is an epidemic of loneliness. There are two peaks in life course when
loneliness is highest.
First one, in older adulthood, often after the loss of a spouse when
individuals are living alone.
Second one, in adolescence. And this was true before the phones were in
their hands. Hajime’s numbers are striking! (26% of deaths among
10-14-year-old children in Japan and 50% of deaths among 15-19-year-old CYP
are suicides.)
The ratio of counsellors in schools is significantly low in my country.
There is an increasing demand for mental health services, leading to
overcrowded emergency departments with mental health patients aged 10-19
who require alternative care settings. The waiting time to see a mental
health professional is approximately 3-4 days.
Regards, Huda.
Chifa Profile: Huda Hamadani is a pediatrician and is based in the Islamabad, Pakistan. She worked with Unicef in maternal and child health projects. Her interests include child rights and development. huda.hamadani AT gmail.com