If you haven’t seen it on local or world news this is something affecting children and adolescents very seldom, for now, but it may spark up to be a craze. A game called the “Blue Whale Challenge” is a game consisting of 50 tasks, and at the end of the tasks, the person is encouraged to take their own life.
Upon researching this game after hearing about a young boy taking his own life in Oklahoma, the state over from me, I found this game originated in Russia by a psychology student by the name of Philipp Budeikin. He stated he created the game to ‘cleanse society’ that these people were ‘biological waste.’ Budeikin is currently being held responsible for 16 suicides in the United Kingdom.
The point of me writing this article isn’t to spark ideas or interest in this awful game, it’s to raise an awareness for parents, teachers, students, administrators and professors. This is a real thing, and if you feel someone is showing signs of wanting to commit suicide or you hear of this game being spoken about between students, take action and let someone know.
The taking of the victim’s lives wasn't just sparked by this game craze, it had other contributing factors and underlying issues the juveniles already had such as bullying, depression, substance abuse and family issues, which turned them to this game as a way out of what they had been experiencing in everyday life.
In the cases here in the United States, there had been one linked to a juvenile being bullied and having severe depression.
To reiterate my earlier points: no life is worth some game a person created for some gruesome ideal they believe in. If you are struggling, seek help from a trusted person or close friend, they will be your voice when you feel as if your world is caving in with nowhere to turn.
There are plenty of people out there to help you overcome this struggle. You may think there is no one to hear your cry, no one there to reach out and grab your hand to pull you through your mess around you, but there is help out there, you just have to ask for it. It’s not going to come out of nowhere.
I do encourage anyone who is going through these issues to seek help from someone you trust, and I hope this opens a lot of people’s eyes who were unaware of this issue of the “Blue Whale Game.” If you are in need of help there are several crises and suicide lines that are in contact 24\7 as well as your loved ones' support.
Just remember, no matter what, suicide isn’t the way out. People will try to bring you down and drag you down to your very lowest and last bit, but you have to keep fighting and be strong to help yourself. You must first believe in yourself and tell yourself you need to seek help.
