Teenage Suicide - The Epidemic Amongst Our Youths

The death of a love one is tragic and emotionally devastating, even more so when it’s at the victim’s own hands. And in recent years there has been a rise in teenage suicide secondary to motor vehicle accidents. Once a taboo is now parents’ worst nightmare, which is accelerated by the ever-growing public opinion of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and other likes it. Access to terrorized, intimidate and bully has been made easy by these platforms along with stigma of been labelled by your peers, school and parents has troubled. It has been secondary to motor vehicle deaths in recent years. Although mental health has been under the spot light due to the increase in mass shooting. It has never directly address deaths amongst youths, effect of social media, normalization of self-medication, access to care and community outreach on a nation scale. This is not only a U.S issue but a global epidemic.

Suicide is leading cause of death in the last decades in the US. Each year has seen an increase in rate nationwide from 1999 through to 2016. Even though mental health issues are often seen has the cause but is rarely the single cause of suicide. Amongst this increase are our youths ages 10-19 with approximately 4,600 lives lost each year. Amongst those numbers 81% are boys; as they are less likely to report suicidal ideation.

Most recent survey performed by the CDC (center of disease control and prevention) found that 16% of students reposted seriously considering suicide, 13% reported creating a plan and 8% reported tying to take their own life in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Unfortunately, most people who die by suicide were not known to have been diagnosis with mental health condition at the time of death. Campaigns degreed towards prevention and early signs of depression or mental health issues is general not inclusive. As there many factors that can contribute to suicidal thoughts and action. Factors that contribute to suicidal ideation included but inclusive of previous exposure to suicidal behavior by others, family history of suicide/mental illness, alcohol/substance abuse, easy access to lethal means, residential or social isolation that lessen opportunities for developing healthy social relationships and support.

Suicide prevention goes beyond detecting warning signs or ideation has most youth do not exhibit signs. Public education on suicide awareness education, access to screening and care, community outreach programs, peer support, crisis center and hotlines online/phone along with counseling and clinical interventions are more effective.

As social media has huge impact on young children and adolescent alike mentoring, restricting access is vital. Self-concept and self-image during this stage of development is ego driven. In an environment such has Instagram and Facebook were likes are image driven, can take a toll on a young adolescent self-worth and sense of self. This were a health dialect amongst parent and child is important to reinforce education on proper internet uses, image, censorship and monitor is important.