10th September 2019, celebrated as World Suicide Prevention Day still fills us with questions when we heard stories of 16 students in Telangana committing suicide after the announcement of TS Inter results. Though deaths create thousands of questions, not only in the minds of loved once but also those who hear it. Reports too confirm that students committing suicide at Kota, at various IITs have a most common word attached to it “exams stress”.

So, avoid and fight it, here are some signs and solutions which shall help.

We all know that every individual display different sign. However, there are a few common signs that shall ring the bells.

Changing food habits

A child may show significantly changing food habits. Stress and depression shall affect the appetite severely, and this is an aspect often seen during examinations. What a parent needs to catch sudden changes in appetite and possible weight loss.

Mood swings

This is one of the trickiest and dangerous aspects which parents need to suspect as adolescence are unsolvable riddle filled with mood swings. Psychologists confirm that students suffering from acute exam stress would show extremes, silence and extreme bursts of anger.

Socially aloof that creates depression

Extreme exam stress or suffering from depression are often unseen or unnoticeable aspect, i.e. your kid would avoid large social gatherings and would often avoid meeting their friends.

So, to fight all this, parents must adopt –

1. open communication with your child.
2. Create trust and faith in the child’s ability to succeed in life, irrespective of the career choice.
3. Communicate about various career opportunities available.
4. Talk with the teachers to assess the behavior of the child at school and keep a note of the same.
5. Ask professional help by means of child counselors and career counselling in case they come across any of the signs mentioned above.