The Ministry of Health reports that schoolchildren are currently experiencing certain forms of psychological distress due to various societal factors.

Acting Director of the Mental Health Directorate, Dr. Lakmini Magodarathna, stated that this was revealed through a survey conducted last year.

“In 2024, a school health survey was conducted in Sri Lanka. When we examined the data of our children, we found that 22.4% of students felt lonely. Among children aged 13 to 17, 11.9% said they had difficulty sleeping due to emotional distress. Around 18% showed symptoms of depression. About 7.5% had no close friends. And 25% of children said they had no one to talk to about their inner problems. That means 75% of children lack a close confidant. It makes us wonder—can this really be happening in Sri Lanka? It seems our children are under immense pressure. And adults may be experiencing similar stress. Various social factors and tensions can contribute to this,” she said, addressing a media briefing organized by the Health Promotion Bureau.

Also addressing the media briefing, Psychiatrist Dr. Sajeeva Amarasinghe from the National Institute of Mental Health revealed that, on average, eight suicides occur daily in Sri Lanka, at present. 

“In 1996, Sri Lanka ranked second in the world for suicide rates—47 per 100,000 people. Since then, with decisions made in collaboration with the Presidential Commission, the rate has significantly declined. Now it stands at 15 per 100,000, with about 3,500 suicides annually. In the past two to three years, the numbers haven’t increased further. On average, eight suicides occur daily. Only the most publicized cases reach the media. Many others go unreported. While the overall suicide rate hasn’t changed drastically, recent suicides have been emotionally charged. However, the media no longer reports such incidents as frequently as it did in the past. That’s a major step forward,” he said.