Talk to psychologists about the Hu Mouyu incident: Is this generation of teenagers really more vulnerable?

The dust settled on the Hu Mouyu incident, and this "disappearance case" that the whole network concerned about was finally determined to be suicide. Many people have palpitations, and they can't help but wonder what kind of inner struggle makes such a young child "can't think about it"?

Is there a sign that adolescents are in an abnormal state psychologically? What can we do to pull him?

This incident may be a window into the psychological problems of adolescents.

In this issue, "Doctor Goose Drop" and Tencent News Education invite Professor Ma Hao, professor of China University of Political Science and Law and doctoral supervisor of criminal psychology, and Yao Guizhong, chief physician of Peking University Sixth Hospital, to talk about the "psychological suffering" of this generation of young people.

【Question 1】Is adolescence more prone to extreme thoughts? Do teens have higher suicide rates than adults?

Yao Guizhong: There is no authoritative data on the suicide rate between adolescents and adults. According to clinical diagnosis experience, the proportion of depression and suicide among adolescents has gradually increased in recent years, mainly reflected in the emergence of suicidal ideas and attempts at suicidal behavior.

Ma Hao: Worldwide, suicide is among the leading causes of adolescent death, ranking among the top two causes of adolescent death, which is no longer an individual case and has become a social problem that needs to be solved urgently.

【Question 2】What are the psychological and emotional characteristics of adolescence? What are the psychological stages from suicidal thoughts to actual action?

Yao Guizhong: The typical psychological feature of adolescents is to seek autonomy and independence, and he is not yet an adult but wants to become an adult. It is easy to be ambivalent with family, school or society. These psychological characteristics parents and teachers must pay attention to.

Suicide is broadly divided into three grades clinically. The first level is suicidal ideation due to frustration. When suicidal ideation becomes more and more frequent, it enters the second level, suicide attempt, that is, the individual has decided and is ready to carry out the plan. The third stage is suicide.

To intervene in suicide, we need to pay close attention to the first two stages, prevent or stop, and avoid committing behaviors.

Ma Hao: Whether it is a teenager or an adult, from suicidal ideation to decision-making, it varies from person to person and is directly related to personal personality.

【Question 3】Is it a well-behaved and introverted child who is more likely to have a depressive state, which in turn leads to suicide? Is personality related to suicide rates?

Ma: Whether it is a teenager or an adult, from suicidal ideation to decision-making, it has a lot to do with personal personality. But there is no difference between good and bad personality, the key is what kind of personality is suitable for the environment.

Yao Guizhong: I personally agree that introverts are more likely to enter a depressive state. Introverts are not good at expressing their emotions, especially negative emotions, and will produce certain depression in the psyche. Long-term depressed states can lead to depression and even suicide.

However, extroverts present another trait. Extroverts are sociable and express emotions, and there will be more emotional catharsis, but they are more impulsive, emotionally variable, and in extreme cases, impulsive suicide may occur.

There is no absolute difference between good and bad personality traits, but different characteristics and forms in suicide.

Source: Visual China

【Question 4】Is thinking and questioning the meaning of life a symptom of disease in psychology?

Yao Guizhong: Now our criteria for judging children are too single, and there are major problems in life education. Life education is to help young people realize the value and meaning of life, rather than measuring themselves by scores. The problem in society now is to use the same ruler to measure everyone, which wears out the individuality of children. If a person is to realize the value of his life, he must be given the opportunity to do what he loves. This is fundamental to improving the mental health of adolescents.

【Question 5】Will adolescents have distress behavior after a psychological crisis? What are the distinguishing characteristics of speech or emotion?

Yao Guizhong: At this stage of suicidal thoughts, some children will show the characteristics of social isolation, irritability and crying, and emotional outbursts. If a child follows the topic of suicide online, even participating in a discussion or leaving a message is a red flag. At this stage of suicide attempts, it is necessary to pay attention to the child's abnormal behavior, such as hoarding drugs or the child often goes to the top floor.

Ma Hao: Asking for help begins with a self-help, such as persistent poor sleep. The second is social avoidance and unwillingness to face life again. There will be signs in daily trivial matters, which need to be discovered and stopped in time.

Emotional and behavioral abnormal signals of suicide (Source: Causes, Signs and Intervention Strategies of Adolescent Suicide)

Abnormal verbal signals of suicide (Source: Causes, Signs and Intervention Strategies of Adolescent Suicide)

【Question 6】If boarding school students are depressed, what can parents do to make them "want to open something"?

Yao Guizhong: It is best for schools to allow boarding students to contact their parents at specific times to feel their concern.

Ma Hao: Parents first need to understand what kind of environment their child's personality is suitable for, and decide whether boarding school or study abroad are appropriate. Secondly, there are now many ways to communicate, and you can narrow the psychological distance by communicating more care remotely and let children feel that "parents are always there". The third is not to increase the pressure on the child, communicate more about happy things, things that the child has a sense of accomplishment, and if necessary, you can ask the child questions, so that he feels needed and less negative emotional communication.

【Question 7】How does the school guide students to correctly view the suicide of their peers? How to channel their possible psychological problems?

Ma Hao: It is far better to talk openly and guide children to say what they really think than to avoid it. Don't let children figure it out for themselves, express it in the group, and for children who rush to the impact, they can also get psychological healing.

Yao Guizhong: First of all, schools can talk individually to friends who are close to suicidal classmates through individual conversations. Secondly, you can group into groups to mourn or communicate, and the class teacher will be used as a guide to dredge up, transform this negative event into a side conducive to the child's development, and draw strength from setbacks. Third, the state should pay more attention to adolescent mental health and provide counseling through some specialized psychological institutions.

Source:

[1] Ku Shaoxiong. Causes, signs and intervention strategies of adolescent suicide[J].Social Science Research,2001(06):108-111.)

Written by: Wang Zirui

Editor: Li Xiaodong

Copyright statement: This article is an exclusive contribution of Tencent News "Goose Drop Doctor", and unauthorized media reproduction is prohibited.