A landmark study has found that young Australians aged 16 to 25 are attempting to kill themselves, self-harming and experiencing suicidal thoughts in greater numbers and at earlier ages than previous generations.
It comes as Kids Helpline data provided exclusively to Guardian Australia shows the proportion of young children experiencing suicide is rising at an “alarming” rate and is being expressed by children as young as six.
The research, led by Dr Katrina Witt of the University of Melbourne and youth mental health center Origen, analyzed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022.
The 14,753 respondents were divided into Generation Z (16-25 years old), Millennials (26-41 years old), Generation X (42-57 years old) and Baby Boomers (58-76 years old).
“Young people in Generation Z had the highest risk of suicidal ideation, planning, self-harm and suicide attempts at the youngest age,” the study, published Monday in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, found.
The risk factors for these behaviors varied between generations.
For Gen Z, witnessing parental violence and experiencing suicide among peers, family, or online were particularly strong predictors of self-harm and suicide attempts.
The study found, “Policies aimed at reducing harmful online content can help reduce the risk of self-harm and suicide-related behaviors, but they should be part of a comprehensive, multifaceted prevention strategy.”
In older generations, childhood sexual abuse, substance use disorders, and long-term untreated mental illness were more strongly linked to suicidal behavior.
Witt told Guardian Australia that there was “No single cause” for suicide among young people. They said the association with mental ill-health and suicide was less strong than in previous generations, making it important to consider policy responses outside traditional health settings.
“Generation Z has grown up in a period marked by rapid social change, and constant digital connectivity,” he said. “They are experiencing economic insecurity, climate anxiety, and of course the disruptive effects of COVID-19 on their social and emotional development.”
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Suicide Prevention Australia CEO Nieves Murray said the research highlights what many families, schools and frontline services are already seeing: “Gen Z is facing pressures that are different to previous generations and in many cases more intense.”
Among people of all ages, 17.3% of respondents reported ever having suicidal thoughts, 7.7% had planned suicide, 9.2% had harmed themselves and 5.1% had attempted suicide. In Generation Z, the proportion was higher: 20.2% reported suicidal thoughts, 9.2% had made a plan, 20.4% had harmed themselves and 6% had attempted suicide.
little and small children asking for help
Tracey Adams is the CEO of YourTown, which manages the Kids Helpline, a free and confidential counseling service for children aged five to 25. She said the Wits-led study builds on Kids Helpline data, which shows that 11% of 10-year-olds contacting the service in 2025 reported suicide-related concerns, compared to 4% in 2012.
In 2012, 3% of 11-year-olds discussed suicide on a Kids Helpline, a figure that will rise to 15% by 2025.
“Every year, we’re seeing young kids step up into crisis,” Adams said. “In 2024, the youngest child to receive assistance in connection with a suicide attempt was just six years old.”
Adam said the average age of young people requiring crisis support for suicide attempts has dropped from 24 in 2012 to just 16 in 2025.
“This decline is worrying. It tells us that the suicide crisis is reaching children earlier than ever before,” he said.
“These aren’t just numbers. These are kids trying to escape tremendous pain.”
Witt said early intervention was important.
“We need programs in schools and communities that reach youth where they live and learn, before suicidal thinking develops,” Witt said.
“We need resources to help recognize and respond to crisis, support parents and reduce conflict within the home. And we need safe online and offline spaces by investing in environments where young people can connect, develop their identities and seek safe support.”
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