BOGOR, February 11, 2026 – A sharp increase in the risk of suicidal ideation among adolescents has become a serious alarm. Research data from PKJN RS Marzoeki Mahdi shows a significant rise over the past decade. Previously, adolescents aged 13–15 in Jakarta with a high-risk category were recorded at 13.8 percent. However, a reassessment conducted in 2024 in Bogor with a sample of more than 2,000 respondents revealed that the figure had surged to 49–51 percent.

This finding will be one of the main focuses of the webinar “Comprehensive Discussion: The Dangers of Laughing Gas and the Limits of Children’s Hope: The Whip Pink Case and Child Suicide in NTT”, which will be held on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 09:00 WIB via Zoom Meeting.

The President Director of PKJN RS Marzoeki Mahdi, Dr. dr. Nova Riyanti Yusuf, Sp.KJ, emphasized that the nearly three- to four-fold increase is not merely a statistical figure.

“The early detection instrument that I developed during my doctoral study at the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, showed that 13.8 percent of adolescents in Jakarta were at high risk. When we repeated the measurement in 2024 in Bogor, the number jumped to 49–51 percent. This is a very serious increase and must become a concern for all stakeholders,” said Dr. Nova.

According to her, this phenomenon aligns with the growing number of child suicide cases that have surfaced publicly, some even accompanied by letters left behind by victims, revealing deeper layers of social and economic issues within society.

“Prevention cannot be the responsibility of hospitals or medical professionals alone. Families, friends, schools, and the surrounding community must work together. Suicide risk factors must be widely disseminated so that detection and intervention can occur as early as possible,” she stressed.

In addition to the child suicide cases in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the discussion will also highlight the phenomenon of Whip Pink misuse, commonly known as “laughing gas” (nitrous oxide), which is increasingly popular among teenagers.

A general practitioner with expertise in addiction, HIV, and life skills development, dr. Ayie Sri Kartika, will examine the health impacts of using the substance.

Dr. Nova explained that the emergence of this trend reflects a misguided form of escapism in dealing with life pressures.

“There is always new creativity in escape methods. Whip Pink may be perceived as harmless, but it is still dangerous. It can affect the nervous system and metabolism, including vitamin B12 disorders. This is not problem solving—it is only a temporary escape,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Subspecialist, dr. Widi Primaciptadi, Sp.KJ, Subsp.A.R (K), will review child suicide from a psychiatric perspective and draw lessons from the case in NTT.

This webinar is open to the public and aims to increase mental health literacy. The organizers emphasize that mental health does not stand alone but is closely connected to biological, psychological, and social factors that influence one another.

The discussion is expected to serve as a platform for public education and as a momentum to strengthen cross-sector collaboration in preventing suicide among children and adolescents. (R)