A Report on Teenage Suicide: Signs, Causes, and Prevention

Teenage suicide

Every second of every day 4 babies are brought into this world and every second of every day, 2 people are taken from this world. Of those taken from this world, a fraction of them committed suicide. Suicide is an intentional act of self-inflicted harm that results in death and is an immense issue that should be dealt with as soon as possible. Many news headlines talk of teenage suicide, yet it continues to have a damaging effect on today’s youth. Youth suicide is a major problem in today's society and is almost 100% preventable. Many misconceptions are widespread surrounding the topic of teen suicide. An example is that those that commit suicide, give off no warning signs whatsoever; yet when someone is considering suicide, they almost always give off signs of being suicidal. Many factors play into why teens may think of suicide as a way out. However, the years of being a teenager are a time of great importance. In this chapter of life, new social roles and norms are being learned, relationships are being forged, life-changing decisions about the future are expected to be made, and bodily changes are occurring: mentally, physically and emotionally. So that one may better understand teen suicide, it is important to educate yourself on the signs and/or symptoms of teen suicide, the causes of teen suicide, and what can be done to prevent teen suicide.

Signs of teen suicide

A common misconception is that one can’t tell when a person is contemplating suicide, on the contrary though, “four out of five teens who have attempted suicide have given clear warning signs”. Common misconceptions are easy to accept as true, but just because they are common does not mean they are correct. People contemplating suicide give off more signs than you might think. It is up to those around them to educate themselves on the symptoms exuding from their loved ones, so that they may give the much-needed guidance and assurance that life is worth all the struggles they may go through. Signs may not appear big, but to the teen going through them, they are enormous and for some, it is a cry for help. A telltale sign in those experiencing thoughts of suicide is a change in personality and/or appearance, “A person who is considering suicide might exhibit a change in attitude or behavior, such as speaking or moving with unusual speed or slowness. In addition, the person might suddenly become less concerned about his or her personal appearance”. It is incredibly significant when someone who is normally seen as an upbeat and happy person, transforms overnight into a sad, depressed, and angry person. Teenagers with suicidal thoughts have moments where they are unable to think logically and instead let their emotions rule their decisions. “Acting erratically, or recklessly is also a warning sign. If a teen starts making really poor judgments, or he starts doing things that are harmful to himself or other people, like bullying or fighting, it can be a sign that he is spinning out of control” (Kaslow). Thoughts of suicide and all that follow are incredibly overwhelming for the person experiencing it and even those around them. Because someone may be experiencing such overwhelming thoughts, they are unable to think logically and concisely, which results in them almost losing a part of themselves in the process. The inability of rational thought results in irrational actions, suicide being one of them. Recognizing the warning signs is of the easiest ways to prevent someone from committing suicide.

Causes of teen suicide

Although there are several factors that can drive someone to commit suicide, there is one crucial reason that seems to be the principal cause; mental illness. In fact, “About 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death” (HealthLine). The most upsetting part about mental disorders being the leading cause of suicide is that most of them can be easily treated. Those dealing with depression almost think with a filter on, which is why they might not see suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem in the same way other people would. Teens dealing with bipolar disorder have emotional highs, and extreme lows; while they may be happy most of the time, there might be times where they feel extremely depressed. As a matter of fact, “At least 25% to 50% of patients with bipolar disorder also attempt suicide at least once” (KR). While depression is highly treatable, the ongoing problem with most teens is that they don’t even realize they are depressed and because of this they don’t get the proper treatment they need. Not only do mental illnesses drive the emotional causes of suicide, but the different situations teens may find themselves in can also drive them to commit suicide. Nowadays it isn’t unheard of to see yet another story on the news about a teenager driven to commit suicide due to being bullied. Almost everyone has dealt with some form of bullying at one point in time, whether they had been bullied, the one doing the bullying, or even just being a bystander. It’s not always the nerdy kid being bullied by the jock during lunch, it could be anyone you know, and it could even be you. Imagine your day, every day, consisting of verbal, mental, physical and emotional abuse- this began during your elementary years and has followed you to your high school years. Every push, every insult chips away at your very being, your mind is in chaos, you’ve become vulnerable and empty, and you just can’t handle it anymore. This is the reality for many teens and while some can put a stop to it, others aren’t so fortunate in doing so.

Prevention of teen suicide

Suicide is a heavy topic surrounded by even bigger misconceptions. Many believe that once someone begins contemplating suicide, there is absolutely no way to stop them from going through with it. Being one-on-one and talking directly to the person can help more than you would think; sometimes all someone needs is for someone to listen to their problems and support them unconditionally. Which then leads us to another misconception; many are uncomfortable or hesitant to talk to people who show signs of being suicidal for fear that talking to them about it will push them over the edge and cause them to actually commit suicide. Talking to someone about suicide will often do more good than harm; in fact, “...giving a suicidal person the opportunity to express his or her feelings can provide relief from loneliness and pent-up negative feelings, and may prevent a suicide attempt”. While talking to a friend or family member about their suicidal thoughts might be difficult to do, it could save their life. You can offer support, but you can’t “fix” someone's depression. Their happiness or lack thereof is their own and is not your responsibility, you cannot get better for someone else. They must be able to make a personal commitment to recovery. Many methods of suicide prevention are based on patient risk factors, treatment is based on underlying mental conditions. If someone is suffering from a mental disorder, a treatment plan to treat that first will be issued.