Italy faces rising youth suicide rates and mental health crisis

Experts and psychological organizations are raising alarms over the increasing rates of suicide and suicide attempts among young people in Italy. Maria Antonietta Gulino, President of the National Council of the Order of Psychologists, emphasized the urgent need for prevention and the creation of support networks within families, schools, sports environments, and communities to identify signs of distress before they become emergencies.

Data from the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome highlights the severity of the issue, with its child neuropsychiatry department recording 387 emergency admissions for suicidal ideation or attempts in 2023—averaging more than one case per day. Medical professionals note that the period immediately following a suicide attempt is a critical and fragile stage for recovery. There are also concerns regarding the deficit of specialized structures and psychiatric beds available to support adolescents through the long-term recovery process.