Suicide claims one teen every four days

EVERY four days one Australian teenager commits suicide.

Figures supplied exclusively to the Herald Sun from the National Coroners` Information System detail the shocking rate.

From 2001 to 2005, 423 under-19s killed themselves.

Almost 100 Victorians are among those, and two-thirds of them were male.

But Suicide Prevention Australia chairman Michael Dudley said the flawed way deaths were determined meant the real figure was far higher.

"Conservatively, suicides are under-reported by 13 to 15 per cent," he said.

Suicides were often hidden in car accident, overdose and undetermined-death figures, Dr Dudley said.

"Coroners are not required to make a judgment on the intent and many choose not to make a call, especially in sensitive cases or to avoid stigma," he said.

Headspace CEO Chris Tanti said even one youth suicide a year was unacceptable. "When it`s a suicide every four days, it`s clear we have a lot of work to do in young people`s mental health," he said.

Young men were more likely to take their lives because they were less likely to seek help, Dr Tanti said.

Psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the figures showed a dire need for compulsory mental health education in schools.

"The most common cause of suicide is mental illness, and the most common form of that is depression," he said.

Mandatory mental health lessons in schools would help children recognise problems and seek help, he said.

"Not all kids would know you can go see a GP and get a referral to see a psychologist under Medicare," Dr Carr-Gregg said.

The number of youth suicides dropped slightly between 2001 and 2005. In 2001, 94 young people including 22 Victorians took their lives. In 2005, it was 74 (17).

But that reduction is little comfort to Tony Gee, whose daughter Nellie was one of the 17 young Victorian suicides three years ago.

A talented ice hockey player, Nellie had battled depression, the separation of her parents, and school and relationship troubles.

Mr Gee, from Camberwell, said: "I wouldn`t want anyone to go through the devastation we had to go through, or what Nellie went through either."

Mr Gee is a member of Compassionate Friends, a support group for bereaved parents, and has set up the Life Is . . . Foundation for people with family breakdowns.

ANYONE experiencing personal problems can call Kids Help Line on 1800 551 800.

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