The loss of a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a parent and the pain of a parent whose child commits suicide is almost unimaginable yet, suicide that results from bullying, bullycide is rife in our schools.

There is an increasing number of youngsters with emotional disturbances in schools Tragedies such as those at Virginia Tech not only demonstrate that bullying goes on that there are also an increasing number of youngsters with emotional disturbances in schools in America and other nations of the world.

Those who bully others are the main reason for the horrifying statistics on cases of bullycide among young people. The problem with bullying was first highlighted by the tragedy at Columbine but it is only since the tragedy at Virginia Tech that parents, school heads and teachers as well as students were fully aware of how much bullying and bullycide was going on.

Bullycide refers to the suicide that is committed as a result of being bullied. At present suicide prevention for children and teens is aimed at those suffering from depression or other emotional issues. Suicide prevention should be extended and policies put in place which recognize and hopefully prevent children from committing suicide because they have been bullied. Schools also need to implement policies that will deal adequately with the bullies themselves, who may also have underlying problems.

How do we begin educating parents, children and schools on how to prevent suicide? There first needs to be a recognition that suicide as a result of bullying is now reaching pandemic proportions and schools need to implement procedures whereby every student understands that bullying and associated behaviors will be severely dealt with.

Secondly parents need to be open to their children and ready to discuss incidents where the child has been hurt or humiliated. Lastly, parents need to be alert to any suicidal tendencies in their child which may not be overt but are recognizably there. It needs to be acknowledged that parents and schools need educating on what bullycide is and what the signs are if they are to prevent it happening.

A parent knows their own child better than anyone and this makes them more able to recognize unusual behavior. If your child is not their normal self and has stopped seeing their friends or has problems with getting to sleep or eating then it is up to you as the parent to try to find out what is wrong; what is behind these personality changes.

In adults depression is one of the primary causes of suicide but when a child is depressed it is not always obvious. Teenagers in particular are experiencing bodily and emotional changes which makes it harder to tell whether it is that or something else that is bothering them and causing behavioral changes.

Many schools are now implementing safety procedures that centre on bullycide. School staff including administrators are being trained to identify those children who may be experiencing bullying in school. When this is spotted the school has its own support team consisting of social workers and psychologists who will meet with parents and obtain counseling for any child who is being bullied. In addition to this parents will be given information to help them understand and cope with this very difficult problem.

We are so busy worrying about national and international conflict that it is all too easy to neglect the conflicts of our children. Kids spend the best part of the day at school where bullying is fast becoming normal, yet a parent relies on the schools to protect the children in their charge and to identify problems.

It is past time that in both home and school the subject of bullycide is addressed. Schools should take steps to invite parents to meetings where they can discuss the effects of bullying and have their questions answered if tragedies are to be avoided. Suicide prevention should also include bullycide and bullying prevention among children and teens. We should at least do this for our youngsters.

© By Mandy-Jane Clarke

Stop-Bullies.com