Australian Youth in Crisis: Suicidal Behaviour Rising at Younger Ages
A groundbreaking study has uncovered that young Australians from Generation Z are experiencing suicidal thoughts, engaging in self-harm, and attempting suicide in significantly higher numbers and at younger ages than any previous generation.
Research led by Dr Katrina Witt from the University of Melbourne and youth mental health organisation Orygen analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, covering the period from 2020 to 2022. The comprehensive study examined responses from 14,753 individuals grouped into different generational categories.
Generation Z Shows Highest Risk Across All Measures
The findings, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, revealed that Generation Z respondents aged 16-25 demonstrated the highest hazards for youth suicidal ideation, planning, self-harm, and suicide attempts, with the youngest age of onset ever recorded.
Across all age groups surveyed, 17.3% reported ever having suicidal thoughts, 7.7% had made a suicide plan, 9.2% had self-harmed, and 5.1% had attempted suicide. However, among Generation Z specifically, these proportions were substantially higher: 20.2% reported suicidal thoughts, 9.2% had made a plan, 20.4% had self-harmed, and 6% had attempted suicide.
Dr Witt emphasised there is "no single cause" driving this increase in suicidality among young people. She noted that the association between mental ill health and suicide appears less strong for Generation Z compared to previous generations, suggesting the need for policy responses beyond traditional health settings.
Distinct Risk Factors for Younger Generations
The research identified that risk factors for suicidal behaviour differ significantly between generations. For Generation Z, witnessing parental violence and exposure to suicide among peers, family, or online emerged as particularly strong predictors of self-harm and suicide attempts.
In contrast, older generations showed stronger links between suicidal behaviour and childhood sexual abuse, substance use disorders, and prolonged periods of untreated mental illness.
Nieves Murray, CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia, commented that the research validates what many families, schools, and frontline services have already observed firsthand: "Gen Z is facing pressures that are both different from, and in many cases more acute than, previous generations."
Alarming Trend Towards Younger Children in Distress
Separate data from Kids Helpline provided exclusively to Guardian Australia reveals an equally concerning pattern among even younger children. The proportion of young children experiencing suicidality is increasing at what experts describe as "alarming" rates, with children as young as six seeking help.
Tracy Adams, CEO of Yourtown which manages Kids Helpline, reported that 11% of 10-year-olds contacting the service in 2025 reported suicide-related concerns, compared to just 4% in 2012. Similarly, among 11-year-olds, discussions about suicidality rose from 3% in 2012 to 15% by 2025.
"Every year, we're seeing younger children reaching out in crisis," Adams stated. "In 2024, the youngest child to receive support concerning a suicide attempt was just six years old."
The average age of young people needing crisis support for suicide attempts has dramatically dropped from 24 in 2012 to just 16 in 2025. Adams described this downward shift as alarming, noting that "suicide-related distress is reaching children far earlier than ever before."
Call for Comprehensive Prevention Strategy
Dr Witt stressed that early intervention is absolutely critical to addressing this growing crisis. She advocated for programmes in schools and communities that reach young people where they live and learn, ideally before the onset of suicidal thinking develops.
The study recommends that policies aimed at reducing harmful online content should form part of a broader, multi-faceted prevention strategy. Researchers also emphasised the need for resources to help recognise and respond to distress, support parents, reduce conflict within homes, and create safe online and offline spaces where young people can connect and access support.
Dr Witt contextualised the findings by noting that "Generation Z has grown up in a period marked by rapid social change, constant digital connectivity, economic insecurity, climate anxiety, and the disruptive effects of Covid-19 on their social and emotional development."
As Adams poignantly concluded: "These are not just numbers. These are children trying to survive overwhelming pain."
