Number of 6-12 Year Olds Using Common Medication for Suicide and Self-Harm Surges 311 Percent: Study

Some of the substances used include pain relief medication, antihistamines, cough and cold preparations, and vitamins.

Oxycodine pain medications sit on a table outside of Los Angeles, on June 4, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

There has been a surge in 6–12-year-old children getting exposed to medications, dietary supplements, and psychoactive substances in homes and using them for self-harm or suicide, according to a Sept. 8 study published online in the Pediatrics journal.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, with the first reason being unintentional injury.