Child Suicide, Bullying, and Cyberbullying

by Andrew Nanton, M.D.

Suicide is a tragedy, even more so in childhood. Childhood suicide can also feel uniquely puzzling. Why would a young person, with so many years of life ahead of them, want to end their life over seemingly minor problems? Although we can never fully know the mind of the deceased, a developmental approach can help us to understand some of the factors that distinguish adult and child suicide.

Andrew Nanton, M.D.

One essential factor is the role of peer relationships. A connection to others is a vital part of mental wellbeing for people of all ages. Healthy adults, however, learned to develop some distance between their perception of themselves and how others perceive them. Although the criticism of peers still hurts, healthy adults can absorb the criticism more effectively. For developmentally normal teens and tweens, feeling rejected by peers strikes at their identity and self-worth much more directly.

This vulnerability helps explain the seemingly disproportionate effect of bullying on suicidal thoughts and behaviors. As their identity and sense of self is still forming, children and adolescents often struggle to separate how others treat them and how they deserve to be treated. This is especially true if they have been the victims of other types of abuse, adding yet another risk factor for suicide. 

While bullying certainly isn’t new, it has taken new forms. A key difference in the social development of young people today relates to digital culture. The pervasive communication technology that has so revolutionized the world has a dark side, as recent news reports about social media have highlighted. Studies from the US, Germany, and Spain have all shown an increase in thoughts of suicide among those who have been cyberbullied. 

“Cyberbullying” sounds like an easily dismissed buzzword, and even caring adults can underestimate its significance. This is in part due to the developmental differences noted above. It’s also due to the generational differences in peer relationships, and the role of digital relationships in the lives of young people. Modern childhood friendships are nearly universally a mix of personal interactions, text messages, and social media. Bullying occurs through all these channels but is amplified in the digital realm by anonymity and relentlessness.

A thoughtful assessment of contributors to childhood suicidality requires consideration of developmental, relational, cultural, technological, generational, and mental health factors. Fitting the pieces together at the earliest signs of distress can save lives, and—when prevention hasn’t occurred—can lead to useful insights for those mourning the loss of a loved one or seeking redress through the courts. When considering an expert to consult in a case of juvenile suicidality, it’s worth reviewing their understanding of how these facets fit together. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are multifactorial. Minimizing any of the elements involved risks misunderstanding the situation significantly.

Dr. Nanton is board certified in Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Forensic Psychiatry.  He received his postgraduate medical education at Tulane University, Duke University, and the University of California, Davis. His areas of expertise include child abuse, bullying, trauma, suicide, addiction, juvenile delinquency, mental defenses, and malingering. He is known among his peers for his technological sophistication.  He and his family reside in the Pacific Northwest.