Teen Suicide

Teen Suicide

Each year, thousands of teens are dying, not from cancer or car

accidents, but by their own hands. They make the choice to take their lives. The number of teenagers who take their lives is increasing each year. Teen suicide has increased in the last few decades and is now the third leading cause of death among youth 15-25 years of age ('Teen Suicide,’ NP). In youth 5-14 years of age, suicide is the sixth leading cause of death (‘TeenSuicide,’ NP).

When a teen commits suicide, everyone is affected. Family members, friends, teammates, neighbors, and sometimes even those who didn't know the person well may experience feelings of grief, confusion, and guilt. Some may think that if only they had done something differently, the suicide could have been prevented.

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by over whelming feelings of sadness, lack of interest in activities, and often times excessive guilt or feelings of worthlessness. Depression is not something that a person can help and if they could, they would not even want to. Depression is often associated with suicide, but the problem can usually be prevented with treatment such as counseling or anti-depressants. About five to ten percent