WHAT is happening to our young people?
It’s a question that needs to be asked in light of the statistics from Kids Help Line that show a dramatic increase in the number of young Australians committing self-harm.
Higher levels of anxiety and depression are just two of the possible explanations for this new trend.
But it’s the underlying causes of these symptoms that need to be studied more closely.
Often behind these cases there are unstable or violent family situations that can tip young people over the edge.
The young people become the innocent victims of these dangerous breeding grounds.
It is not unusual for external intervention to come too late, resulting in a destructive behaviour pattern that is already ingrained. This is then frequently passed on to the next generation.
Self-harm is a sign of a much deeper malaise in society.