Some 61.2 percent of young people, aged 18-25, have been suffering from depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, and among them 3.7 percent have attempted suicide.

It was revealed in a survey conducted by Aachol Foundation, a student oriented non-profit social organization. The foundation's aim is to create awareness among students about taking care of their mental health. It works primarily to make students aware of mental health and to build them into a skilled, efficient workforce.

The survey report was formally disclosed at a virtual press conference on Saturday. Among others, Tansen Rose, founder and president of the Aachol Foundation, Mental health specialist and play therapist Mushtaq Ahmed Imran and officials of the Foundation attended the virtual press conference.

Last March, the Aachol Foundation conducted a survey on Suicidal rate during corona situation, which found that about 49% of those who committed suicide were young girls and boys, ages between 18- 35.

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To find out the reasons for the rising suicide rate among the young people, the Aachol Foundation conducted a survey titled " thoughts of young people on Suicide and Mental Health" from June 1 to 15, this year. The aim of the survey was to identify reasons behind of committing suicide and finding a way out and finally, it is important to emphasize that everyone take initiative for mental health.

A total of 2,026 youths, both girls and boys, took part in the survey. The largest group of participants in the survey was 1,720 young people aged 18-25 or 84.9 percent.

A total of 243 people aged 26-30 took part in the survey which is 12 percent of the survey. In addition, 63 people aged 31-35 occupied 3.1 percent of the survey. Among them, the number of women was 1293 or 63.8 percent, while the number of male was 731 or 37.1 per cent and the third sex was 0.10 per cent.

Of the 2,026 young people participated surveyed, only 787 (38.6) percent said they did not suffer from depression. However, 1,239 young boys and girls ( 61.2 percent) said they were suffering from depression. Among the participants, 55.7 percent said they don’t get anyone beside them to share their depression or emotional turmoil.

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According to the survey, 49.9 percent of young people did not think of suicide but the remaining 50.1 percent thought of committing suicide. Among them, 21.3 percent thought of committing suicide during the corona period. Some 38.1 percent of people thought of suicide but did not attempt suicide. But 8.3 percent thought of suicide, they prepared suicide materials but came back and 3.7 percent of young people tried to commit suicide but they failed.

Commenting on the survey, Tansen Rose, founder and president of the Aachol Foundation, said: "young people are the Craftsman to build the country of the future. When young people are suicidal tendency or mentally depressed, it is definitely a bad signal for the country,” he said.

Rather, the problem must be solved by finding out the reasons why a young person has suicidal tendency or is emotionally disturbed, he added.