Gunung Kidul, Central Java (ANTARA News) - The trend of suicides has slightly shifted to younger ages based on recent cases of many youths, a Psychiatrist said.

Wonosari Regional General Hospital`s Psychiatrist Ida Rochmawati said here Tuesday that the age shift people who committed suicide by hanging has reached teenagers.

Ida said that the sociological aspect is the main and multi-factor causes among adolescents, depicting suicide as an alternative solution to their problems.

Besides, there has been many suicidal cases reported and made some people consider suicide is a common thing to do.

"Suicide has increasingly become a role model or something that can be followed in solving problems," Ida said.

Environmental conditions among adolescents are greatly affecting their self-esteem and perception.

"With the absence of the victim`s social support and perception as the poor can lead to teen suicide risk," she said.

Based on the suicide case database from the Gunung Kidul regional police department has recorded some 28 cases reported in the year 2011.

"The highest suicide rate within the last five years occurred in 2007 with 39 cases reported," she said.

The recent teenage suicide is reported in Gunung Kidul on Saturday (Dec 24) affecting a 15 years old teenager in Soko hamlet, Ngoro-ngoro village, Patuk Cicilia Sari district due to a heavy stress.

Patuk police chief said that the teenager had experienced a heavy stress that triggers the teenager to commit suicide.

According to the victim`s aunt Rubinem the teenager has been living with her father who works as a rickshaw driver, while the mother is working as a house maid in Bandung, West Java.
(Uu.A050/H-NG/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011