Mental health experts are tracking the growing number of pre-teens who are taking their own lives.
Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control shows 194 children between the ages of 8-12 took their lives in 2025. The number has increased by nearly 8% annually since 2008, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Social media and the pressure around performance in extracurricular activities and grades are contributing to the rising number, according to Dr. Jennifer Keller, a psychologist and Associate Chief Operating Officer of Behavioral Health at University Health in Kansas City…