20% of Ghanaian Youth Are Suicidal - Prof. Joseph Osafo Reveals

Head of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Professor Joseph Osafo, has revealed a very disturbing data about the Ghanaian youth and tendencies to commit suicide.

Suicide is one of the most disturbing issues in the nation and a recent research data indicates that about 400 Ghanaians have had suicidal thoughts arising from different factors affecting their lives.

Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' Monday morning, Prof. Joseph Osafo disclosed that ''twenty percent of our youth are suicidal. That's very, very dangerous and bad''.

He expounded that some of the causes are related to the Coronavirus pandemic as many youth across the world were laid off from the various works and this left them in traumatizing position where they start to harbor suicide thoughts.

"In the first four months, 1.2 billion children were sitting at home [yes] globally. Just imagine! . . . Indeed when an unexpected thing happens, some may be traumatized. The most dangerous things that happen are that when something occurs, its consequences are insidious and eventually turns chronic," he stated.

As part of measures to curb this situation, Prof. Joseph Osafo has been advising the parents, guardians and the general public to take issues relating to mental stability and the wellbeing of people seriously, particularly when one notices an absurd behaviour.