An average of 276,000 youngsters between the ages 15-25 years tries to kill themselves every year; 5000 succeed. The most common causes? Stress, bullying, failed relationships, abuse, and failures at studies. Teenage suicide is wrong, it indicates how ruthless today’s society is, and it proves that sometimes, teenagers feel like they can’t be understood or accepted, that they don’t have an adult or close friend to consult to. Teenage suicide is truly sad, to even think that someone feels the absolute need to end their life because there seems to be no other answer, when in fact, there really is.
In today’s society, teenagers are faced with problems on a daily basis. When they are unable to deal with those daily hassles, serious problems can develop within the teen that can ultimately lead to resulting effects including depression or even suicide. Suicide in teens is one of the most traumatic and problematic issues that we face today in not only adults but many adolescents as well. Today suicide is one of the top causes for death in teenagers, out shadowed only by homicides and accidents. Some of the top “accidents” include drug overdoses, single-car accidents, self-inflicted gunshot wounds, falls from bridges and buildings, and self-poisonings.
Suicide of any kind is an act in which a person takes his or her own life. In fact, suicide is a prevalent cause of death among America's youth today. Every day more than 1000 adolescents will think about suicide and eighteen will be successful in committing it. It is an ever-growing problem that can be described as unnecessary and uncalled for. Knowledge and understanding are key factors to preventing adolescent suicide.
Lives are slowly being lost due to suicide and not only is it affecting themselves but also the people who are around them. Suicide is defined as taking of one’s own life and it is an issue that should be given all attention to. Teen suicide has been talked about in every source of media and it still continues to have a harmful effect in todays generation. In the United States the eighth leading cause of death is suicide, within developing teens, suicide is the third leading cause of their deaths (NAMI). There are many signs of someone who is contemplating suicide.
The transition into becoming a teenager includes many personal, physical and social changes. These changes put teenagers at a higher risk for depression, which can lead to the desire of committing suicide. Although people may believe that teenage suicide is not a growing epidemic, really it is the third leading cause of death among teenagers because of the daily struggles adolescents face. This topic has become a rising subject in the media, showing the devastation it causes to families and communities. Is it really right that young adults today are resorting to such drastic measures?
Aside from the warning signs, there are many reasons why teens/adolescents commit suicide. The main reasons are: mental illness, bullying, and drug and alcohol abuse. Mental Illness and Suicide Suicide is a cause of death among people with mental illness. Many adolescents with a mental illness are unaware that they even have one because of the “phase” they are going through. Many adolescents don’t get help for their illness because they assume this “phase” will pass.
"Suicide is the third- leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds", according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention "after accidents and homicides" (as cited in Feldman, 2012, p.364). This information is unpleasant to know because there is something wrong that make it happen. There are many factors involved in a suicide. Nock has noted that "adolescence is the time of sexual identity and relationships and a need for independence that often conflicts with the rules and expectations set by others"(as cited in New, 2012, para.8). An adolescent could feel pressure from their parents, teachers, and friends so that adolescent may deal with a big obstacle.
Only 33-50% of victims was known by their doctors as having a mental illness at the time of their death, and only 15% were in treatment at the time of death. The pressures of modern life are greater these days and competition for good grades and college admission is difficult, which are extra stressors on already unsure teens. Some even think it's because there is more violence in the media. Lack of parental interest may make them feel alone and anonymous. They believe that their parents don't understand them and when they try to express their feelings they feel that their parents either denied or ignored their attempt to communicate feelings of unhappiness, frustration, or failure.
More teens are taking their life now more than they have in the last decade; so why are they claiming their lives now? As studies have shown, several reasons exist for why teens are committing suicide in this time and age. Among those reasons is that these teens are suffering from severe depression. This is a serious condition; most who are suffering from this condition are having a difficult time with their life and are not motivated enough to even try to pursue happiness. Teen depression can be caused by a myriad of contributors: bullying, parents being divorced, school issues, not having friends, realizing that the world is not as beautiful as conceived when they were a child.
Teen Suicide is a major killer of teenagers today. It is the third leading cause of death in all teens’ ages 15-19 and the second leading cause of death in ages 19-24. Verbalizing about this more gives ways to help prevent teen suicide, such as identifying disorders they may have and providing them with the proper treatment be fore it gets out of hand. The hard part is identifying the disorders. The only people that can really identify them is family and close friends, and in many cases people many not know the seriousness of it or fear that it might just be true.