Overview
- Argentina records roughly one adolescent suicide per day and ranks suicide as the second leading cause of death for ages 10–19, according to the national Health Ministry and UNICEF.
- National guidance issued in 2025 frames suicide as a multidimensional problem and urges adults to ask directly about suicidal thoughts, validate distress, ensure safety, and connect youths to care.
- Clinicians warn that persistent online violence, social-media comparison, and weakened family and community bonds are intensifying risks for young people.
- In Spain, practitioners report widespread self-harm among teens—estimated at 25–30%—and say some youths are turning to artificial intelligence for companionship or crisis support.
- Andalusian schools employ detection and referral protocols, yet experts describe limited effectiveness and call for stronger coordination with mental-health services and responsible media coverage to reduce copycat effects.