Recent studies show many children in Colorado have considered suicide. | Yosi Prihantoro/Unsplash
Recent studies show many children in Colorado have considered suicide. | Yosi Prihantoro/Unsplash
Recent studies show many Colorado children are struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts and Heidi Ganahl, the Republican nominee for governor of Colorado, blames Gov. Jared Polis' (D-CO) pandemic school closures for adding to the problem.
A report from Centennial State News found many Colorado children experience thoughts of suicide, while some have attempted, or completed suicide. The report cited Children's Hospital Colorado Child Health Champions, which said for children between the ages of 10 and 14, suicide is the leading cause of death in Colorado. The study also found a third of Colorado high school students said they felt sad and hopeless and 17% admitted to considering suicide, 7% attempted suicide.
"Colorado kids are in crisis and Jared Polis is doing nothing to solve the problem," Ganahl said. "He mandated and quarantined our kids into depression. He kept them out of schools and sports which led to massive learning loss and emotional distress. I’m a mom on a mission to make our kids our top priority."
According to the report, which cited data from the CDC, Colorado had the 7th highest suicide mortality rate in the United States at 21.5 per 100,000 during the first year of the pandemic. It also cited preliminary data from this year where the state's ranking had moved up to 5th highest in the country.
A UNICEF report from October 2021 revealed government-mandated lockdowns and school closures had a negative impact on children, leading to more fear, stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, learning deficits, as well as poor exercise and sleeping habits.
According to the Gold Crown Foundation, psychologist Dr. Laura Anthony recommends parents and friends be aware of and vigilant for the warning signs of suicide which include: withdrawing from friends or activities someone used to enjoy, increasing use of alcohol or drugs, no longer striving for goals, engaging in self-harm, or struggling to concentrate.
Ganahl defeated Greg Lopez in the June Republican primary and will challenge Polis in the November general election, according to Ballotpedia.
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