Updated 05.44 | Published at 05.30
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full screen Magnus Jägerskog, general secretary of Bris, Children’s rights in society. Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT
No hope for the future and alarms about self-harm. The situation for many young people in Sweden is difficult, according to Bri’s latest annual report.
– Many describe self-harm as something that many people do, as normalized, says Bri’s general secretary.
More children turn to Bris, Children’s rights in society. In 2023, the organization received over 51,000 supportive calls, up 13 percent compared to 2022. The area that continues to stand out is mental illness.
– We have actually seen that since the pandemic. Self-harm is one of the categories that has increased the most between 2022 and 2023, says Magnus Jägerskog, Bri’s general secretary, and continues:
– For children who harm themselves, it is a way to self-regulate and reduce anxiety. It is a clear strategy that many people use. It is also something that many people describe as doing, as normalized.
No faith in the future
According to the report, around half of the calls, roughly 24,000, to Bris last year were about mental illness. Of those, 7,720 concerned self-destructiveness. That is an increase of 42 percent compared to 2022. According to Jägerskog, there is no clear or simple explanation for the increase.
– It is difficult to say “it depends on exactly this”. The school is the most obvious, which contributes to a gloomy view of the future. There is something that runs like a common thread in all conversations from young people, the lack of faith in the future.
As before, more girls than boys seek support from Bris, especially when it comes to those seeking support for self-harming behavior – an area where most people who contact Bris are around 14 years old. There are no exact figures for how many young people are unwell.
– There have been countless studies that show that we have a very widespread mental illness among young people. And it is far from everyone who seeks support, so it is difficult to say how big the number of people in the dark is, says Jägerskog.
FACT This is where you can turn if you feel unwell
In emergency situations or thoughts of suicide, always call 112.
This is where you can turn if you feel unwell:
Mind.se.
Suicide Zero. suicidezero.se.
Spec. National Association for Suicide Prevention and Survivor Support. spes.se.
BRIS, Children’s rights in society. bris.se.
Save the Children. raddabarnen.se. Also for parents.
Alcoholics anonymous. aa.se.
Friend on call. durhavandekompis.se. Accepts calls from children and young people up to 25 years of age.
Fellow on duty, reachable at night on 08–702 16 80.
Friends. friends.se.
1177. Healthcare advice and information about the nearest psychiatric emergency department.
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