A very large amount of people are affected by teenage suicides, a person who committed or attempted suicide may very well be surprised. Family members, friends, teammates, neighbors, and sometimes even those who didn’t know the teen well might experience feelings of grief, confusion, guilt — and the sense that if only they had done something differently, the suicide could have been prevented. This is why it is very important to know as much as you can about teenage suicide so you understand it better.
Teenage suicide in general
Reasons for teenage suicide are usually far from simple, and suicide rates radically increase during puberty. Suicide is even the third largest cause of adolescent deaths, being beaten by murder and accidents.
As you can imagine, when given access to lethal weapons like knives and guns, suicide rates increase. For example, did you know that 60% (yes, 60) of suicides in the US are committed with a gun? This is one reason why having guns in your house is foolish.
The rates of suicide in teenage girls and in adolescent boys differ significantly. For example, girls will think about it more and will attempt suicide twice as often as boys will. Girls are more likely to attempt suicide by overdosing or by cutting. Boys, however, tend to die from suicide attempts four times more often. This is likely because they use more lethal methods like hanging, shooting themselves, and jumping from considerable heights.
Who is more at risk?
Being a teenager is pretty hard. Your body is going through so many changes; you’re hormonal and emotionally unstable most of the time and full of confusion and anxieties. You’re being pressured to do daily things like school, getting a job, etc. Someone with a decent group of friends to talk to or who has extra-curricular groups and activities and other things to vent their feelings can cope most of the time and find it easier to deal with their problems.
Many teenagers, however, feel they do not have this or do not belong to a group of any kind. These people are more at risk of attempting suicide or having suicidal thoughts.
Several factors increase the rate of suicide in teens; these include:
- Mental health problems- Especially depression, bipolar disorder, and also the abuse of drugs and alcohol can cause mental health problems.
- Feelings of distress, irritability, or agitation
- Lack of a support network, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness that often accompany depression
Warning Signs
Suicide among teens often occurs following a stressful life event, such as a perceived failure at school, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a significant family conflict.
A teen who is thinking about suicide might:
- talk about suicide or death in general
- talk about “going away.”
- talk about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
- pull away from friends or family
- lose the desire to take part in favorite things or activities
- have trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
- experience changes in eating or sleeping habits
- self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or driving too fast, for example)
If you watch out for this behavior in family members or friends and take the correct actions, you may help stop someone from taking their own life. The impact that is left is permanent and is very destructive. Look out for someone you’re worried about; you could save many lives from falling apart.
Thank you for reading.
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