Easier access to technology has come with its own share of disadvantages as youths are getting attracted to internet suicide games and ending their lives. Many of them fall prey to these sites as they end up harming themselves or commit suicide. Often youth get attracted to self-harm sites due to peer pressure from their friends. Psychologists have appealed to parents to keep a watch on their children’s online activities but many of them are busy with their professional lives and hence are unable to monitor their children’s online behaviour. Youth have joined internet suicide groups as they think that it is trendy and adventurous to be a part of these forums.
Many of them have become addicted to various internet self-harm websites like deathcafe.com, group suicide bulletin board, online group self-slaughter. The Perfect Suicide Manual has provided more than 2 million despairing or simply curious Japanese souls with technically explicit instructions on how to take their lives by 10 methods including hanging; the site has reached many youth globally. The groups on social-networking site VKontakte (VK), online group to hundreds of deaths across the globe between November 2015 and April 2016. Their thousands of vulnerable members are in need of real help.
The existence of these groups has rattled parents and sparked heated debate in a country where suicide is largely a taboo subject. Teenage suicides are on rise as a surge of social media ‘death groups’ sweep the youth. Hidden groups such as Blue Whale on social networking site VK, the Russian equivalent of Facebook, are reportedly controlled by ‘mentors’ who incite their members to complete tasks and ultimately take their own lives. Such online sites and Facebook pages need to be located and banned immediately. The smart phone and social network has caused more damaged to depressed youth.
“The problem is that these groups are not transparent and they are usually run by members of the public, not medical professionals. They remain anonymous and it’s very difficult to actually control their activities, as the participants too maintain secrecy,” said Kai Farmer, hacker.
Meanwhile, Blue Whale, with its exploitation of self-pity and teenage posturing, has kept marching around the world. It doesn’t need the ugly Russian background to thrive: Adolescent misery is borderless. In the recent past many teenagers in India had ended their lives after playing this game.
These days it has become a trend that people post their suicide attempting videos on social network. Some even leave suicide note on their timeline before bidding goodbye to life. Recently Mumbai’s journalist kept a note minute before jumping before running train to commit suicide and gave his life in another moment.
“Most teens who have been interviewed after a suicide attempt say that what causes teen suicide are feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Suicidal teens often feel like they are in situations that have no solutions. The teens can see no way out but death. The teens feel like they have no control to change their situations” Dr Sangvi said.
Emotional teen suicide causes stem from trying to escape feelings of pain, rejection, hurt, being unloved, victimization or loss. They feel like their feelings are unbearable and will never end, so the only way to escape is suicide. They are afraid of disappointing others or feel like they are a burden to others, such as their parents, and these can be additional causes of teen suicide.
