Four out of ten young Norwegians have had suicidal thoughts

More than four out of ten young Norwegians have had suicidal thoughts, according to a major survey. At the same time, one in three young people has harmed themselves.

The StatusUng 2024 survey, conducted by the Norwegian organization Mental Helse Ungdom (Mental Health Youth), looked at the mental health of around 1800 Norwegians between the ages of 16 and 36.

Half of the respondents said they had felt lonely in the past year. Women were more likely to feel lonely than men.

In addition, more than four in ten respondents said they had thought about suicide, and six percent of them had made at least one suicide attempt. Three in ten had also intentionally harmed themselves without intending to kill themselves. The proportion was higher among women, with 39 percent reporting self-harm, compared with 21 percent of men.

“Many young people have a very difficult time”

– I was surprised that it was so bad, Adrian Lorentsson, head of Mental Helse Ungdom, told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

In Norway, about 6,000 people are treated for suicide attempts each year, according to the Norwegian Directorate of Health. However, Mental Health Youth believes that their figures indicate that there are significantly more people who attempt suicide each year. In the 16-36 age group, between 6,000 and 13,000 suicide attempts may occur, according to the organization.

– This shows that there are an incredible number of young people who are having a very difficult time, says Lorentsson.