Jobless in youth and suicide risk

It is broadly recognized that financial problems are likely to increase the risk of suicide. It is well adapted not only to adults but also children, according to a new survey.

Psychiatric News Alert: Mass Job Loss in a State Associated With Suicidal-Behavior Increase in Some Teens, Study Finds

In this article, researchers investigated the data in the past to identify the influence of mass job layoff on the rate of suicide in the adolescents. As a result, some clusters of youth were actually affected by the matter. Girls were more likely to commit suicide by 2% if jobless rate had worsened by 1% in a working population. African-American teenagers were also vulnerable to the recession. Researchers concluded that these groups tended not to seek adequate care even if feeling depressed due to lack of money.

Effects of Statewide Job Losses on Adolescent Suicide-Related Behaviors
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These results are somehow interesting. However, the situation in Japan seems a little different. In Japan, the suicide rate in men rapidly increased after Japan economy became worse, whereas women did not change. Some Japanese who have conservative thought do not expect women to make money. It leads the atmosphere that men who are not working are more likely to be blamed. I think this fact is relevant to the high suicide rate in men.

In Japan, the suicide rate in adolescent is not comprehensively investigated, as far as I know. Teenagers are more likely to commit suicide than the past. Nonetheless, mid aged persons have far more risk of suicide.

Anyway, suicide is a miserable phenomenon. We should stop them as many as possible. Considering about the economic factor is also, or much more important, than mental health care itself, to prevent suicide.