Rising student suicides raise mental health concerns

Tirupati: A recent spate of student suicides has raised serious concerns, with parents doubting their parenting abilities. Mental health experts believe this trend is due to children’s emotional vulnerability, which often leads to a lack of coping skills.

In many cases, the reasons for suicide are trivial, even though students’ lives are constantly under pressure due to academics. Some students cannot handle parental scolding. Others resort to extreme measures after failed relationships.

According to records, three of the eight student suicides reported in Tirupati district in 2024 were due to parental scolding. In 2025, academic pressure was the motive in five cases. So far this year, six students have committed suicide, four of which were due to failed romantic relationships.

These incidents have raised questions about the emotional resilience of young people. Dr. S., a psychiatrist who works with children and teenagers, Bharathi said, “Many parents these days shield their children from trouble. They’re gradually raised without facing rejection or evil. When they’re suddenly confronted, they can’t handle it.” She explained that while children are often comforted and supported, they aren’t guided on how to deal with setbacks. This makes it difficult for them to handle even small difficulties. Overall, suicide cases have been increasing in Tirupati district over the past few years. The number increased from 241 in 2023 to 323 in 2024 and 347 in 2025. In January 2026 alone, 31 suicide cases were reported. Officials say that while these figures include people of all ages, the number of students and young people among them is concerning. Parents who have lost their children to suicide are deeply saddened and question their parenting methods. Many people feel that they should have focused more on protecting their children from difficulties rather than preparing them for them.

One father said, “I just told my son to cut down on his gaming and focus on his studies. I thought it was a normal thing to say. I didn’t realize he would take it so seriously.”

In many cases, parents don’t understand the difficulties their children are going through until it’s too late. What seems like normal teenage behavior or a temporary sadness can become a deep emotional trauma that goes unspoken at home. One mother said, “We always tried to keep him happy and out of trouble. But when he got into trouble, he couldn’t handle it.”

According to health experts, children who rarely hear “no” or face consequences may find it difficult to tolerate even minor misbehaviors. They explain that courage doesn’t come from comfort, but from experience. They say that such children struggle when faced with real-life challenges.

Experts also point to the influence of social media and cinema, which promote idealized views about success and relationships, making it difficult for young people to cope when faced with reality. They emphasize that children should be taught to handle failure from an early age, including through parents spending time with them and having open conversations. Furthermore, schools should focus not only on academics but also on life skills.