Teen Suicide
Suicide of any kind is an act in which a person takes his or her own life. FACT: Suicide is a prevalent cause of death among America’s youth today. Every day more than 1000 teenagers will think about suicide and eighteen will be successful in committing it. ... Knowledge and understanding are key factors to preventing teenage suicide. ... The bottom line is, suicide among teens is not a rare event, and it may be preventable with the proper treatment. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds, barely surpassed by car accidents and homicide (http://www. ... Research shows that most teens attempting to commit suicide regret it at the last minute and wish they could live after all. ... Many events and warning signs lead up to a suicide. Thoughts and attempts of suicide are commonly instigated by the medical condition, depression. ... Most teenagers who have attempted or committed suicide will leave several hints and warning signs along the way. ... It is painful for families to admit that their children have committed suicide (Nelson & Galas 24). ... Symptoms of attempting suicide are similar to those of depression. ... On the other hand while depression and suicide are similar in many respects, one will not necessarily result in another. It is possible for someone depressed to never think about suicide at all (Galas 42). Depression can set teenagers up for suicide attempts because they are often led to believe their troubles and sadness will never end. ... For some teens, however, these feelings become overwhelming and their thoughts turn to suicide. Unfortunately, due to greater access to drugs, lethal weapons, such as firearms, and motor vehicles it is easier to be able to be successful in committing suicide. Part of the reason the youth suicide rate has gone so high in recent years is because it is easier to get the tools; boys often use firearms to kill themselves (which seem to be so commonly found in homes and of easy access these days) and girls generally use pills. Suicide, or attempted suicide, serves different purposes for different people. One teen may plan that his final act in life will be one of defiance and revenge. ... Suicide is preventable. ... Suicide is often described as a desperate cry for help. ... Often friends and parents don’t respond to a teen that says, “I’m going to kill myself. ... Warning signs include making suicide threats, showing sudden change in behavior, giving away treasured possessions, becoming aggressive, rebellious or disobedient, and taking risks or becoming self-destructive. ... edu/Agriculture/Sociology/suicide. ... It is a fact that people who attempt suicide are in the most danger when they start to feel better. There is often a case of shock and surprise when a person commits suicide just when they seemed to have been getting better.