Momo challenge and teen suicide: what expert says

  DUBAI – With online games pushing teenagers to commit suicide, alarm bells are ringing around the world on the state of mental health among young adults. Last week, an 11-year-old boy committed suicide in the Philippines after playing the online game “Momo”, which uses a terrifying face on its profile and sends a series of challenges and threats and ultimately asks the player to commit suicide. The game is reportedly spreading through WhatsApp, pushing officials to order a thorough investigation of the game’s reach. In the UAE, police have warned residents against the game and urged parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children’s online activities. “The statistics are very alarming. Suicide has become one of the main causes of death in adolescents and adults,” said Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson of Mpower, a mental health initiative. Birla was in Dubai last month to attend a conference hosted by the Aditya Birla Education Academy at BITS Pilani Dubai campus that was attended by more than 60 teachers and principals from UAE-based schools. Speaking to expamedia.net, Birla said having an open conversation helps curb negative thoughts. “I think world over whether it is India or Dubai it is very important to look after mental health,” she said. “I think the main reason why the statistics are so alarming is because it’s like a white elephant sitting in the room. We all know it’s there but we don’t want to do anything about it until the problem becomes so bad which can, unfortunately, end in suicide,” she warned. She urged people to help loved ones coping with mental health issues to “take preventive steps”. “Seek help. It’s okay not to be okay, but it’s not okay not to seek help,” she said. GAD/Expat Media
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