Being young with an entire future stretched out before you, it is hard to think how anyone at the peak of his/her youth would want to commit suicide. Although we are aware that problems also beset teenagers and even children, the idea that such challenges would be too overwhelming to prompt them to waste themselves just like that is the farthest thing from our minds. However, it does happen. And it is a very sad reality that we are all forced to recognize. Teenagers are not exempted from suicide in as much the same way as depression has no particular preference for any specific age or gender. And more often than not, it is the culprit behind such tragic incidents.
Understanding the nature of teen suicide
Teen suicide is one of the grim truths tarnishing the otherwise colorful image we connotatively associate with them. Understanding the forces that would push our teens over the edge would serve as our means of preventing them from ending up with this irreversible tragic fate. Even if suicide among children hardly occurs, the likelihood increases as they mature and enter adolescence. Based on the statistics presented by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide ranks third among the most common causes of death for young people ages 15-24.
Boys succeed in committing suicide four times more than girls do. However, girls tend to contemplate on it twice more often. One of the reasons identified behind this is the means used by each group. Boys are more inclined to kill themselves with the use of firearms, whereas girls are more likely to resort to drug overdose, jumping from buildings, or cutting themselves. Of these methods, killing oneself with the use of a gun is touted as the most lethal.
Identifying teens who are at risk
For most of us, including teens, handling our daily challenges is made more bearable when we have a supportive network of family and friends as well as enjoyable activities or hobbies to keep us preoccupied. However, some teens do not view things in the same light. On the contrary, they tend to be alienated from their family and friends, thinking that they are either being taken for granted or are being ostracized. As such, these teens are in danger of committing suicide. Other contributory factors for teen suicide are as follows:
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Although depression can now be cured with the help of psychotherapy and medications taken from a
list of antidepressant drugs
, it is still a very viable cause of death among teens if we fail to address it. Hence, it is important that we stay in tune with what is going on in our teen's life by keeping our communication lines open at all times.
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Teen riddled with other mental illnesses like manic depression or bipolar disorder are at risk of suicide.
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Drug and alcohol dependence among teens are also identified as probable causes.
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Teens overwhelmed by distress, agitation, frustration, and other adverse depressive emotions are at risk.
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Once a teen has a history of attempting suicide, he/she would always be in danger of doing it again.
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Genetic factors play a significant role too. Having a family history of depression or suicide automatically places our teens at risk.
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Teens who have been abused either physically or sexually are in danger of committing suicide.
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Teens struggling with personal homosexual identity issues in an unsupportive environment are susceptible to suicide.
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Teens who feel detached from the important people in their lives and are encumbered with loneliness can be driven to kill themselves.